Say What You Need To Say

Lovin' Labor Day

2010-09-06T19:28:00.000-04:00

Happy Labor Day!

Going to be honest, Labor day is one of those holiday's that I'm not really sure of the meaning (I think it has something to do with unions?) but I know that it's a Monday off work and to me, that is definitely a holiday worth celebrating.

When I was little, I always associated Labor Day as the end of summer. I feel like fall is officially allowed to be recognized now.

Well I started today with a great run! I did 8 miles which is the longest distance I've run in awhile and I felt great throughout. Still maintaining that 8:30 pace and I'd like to get it down to an 8:00 pace before the 1/2 marathon, but it just doesn't seem likely with the knee issues. That's okay, I'm still proud. I even rocked a 7:23 mile for my last one, so that made me feel pretty awesome.

After a long run and a shower, Toly was awake and it was definitely time to eat.

Stuffed Peach French Toast

2 Slices of Cinnamon Raisin Eziekel Bread, 1 tsp Almond Butter, 1/2 Sliced Peach, 1 tsp peach jam dipped in french toast batter- almond milk, egg white and cinnamon, topped with blackberries, vanilla Chobani, and Maple Agave

Afterwards, we spent the next few hours cleaning and doing projects around the house. By the time lunch came around, we were both ready to get out of the house and enjoy some of the beautiful day.

I packed us a picnic and we headed to the park.

Sammy in tote of course.

Like I said, it really was such a fantastic day.

Attempted family shot….

For lunch, I made us some sandwiches. Hummus, Yellow Squash, Zucchini, and pickles for me.

With some leftover veggies and cherries along side.

After we ate, we took a little hike around the park.

After a few hours, we all decided this day called for ice cream! After all, when can you justify ice cream in the middle of a Monday afternoon?

We hit up Brusters for some frozen yogurt where I was immediately drawn to their new seasonal flavors, Pumpkin and Apple Pie.

I asked for a single serving of both.

It is officially fall right? The frozen yogurt tasted so good and hit the spot for everyone!

When we got home, I was pooped! After running 8 miles, cleaning all morning, hiking, and being out in the sun, the couch never looked so inviting.

We laid around and caught up on more reality trash tv. This time, Jersey Shore. Oh my, it's a good thing I have a job or else I fear I would be sucked into these mindless shows all day long.

Awhile later, we mustered up enough energy to get dinner going. Another team effort tonight, but this one was so much fun!

I have always wanted to make my own sushi but I've been afraid to ever try it. A few days ago, I saw Giada making some and it looked super easy and delicious. When I was at the store yesterday, I came across this "Sushi for Dummies" kit.

I laid out all of our ingredients.

Spicy Mango Salmon (from a pouch), Spicy Crab, Plain Crab, Mango, Red Pepper, Asparagus, Smoked Salmon, Avocado, Cucumber

And we got to work!

It took a few tries, but we eventually got the hang of it.

Well, I got the hang of it…..

Toly's were a bit more "deconstructed" but he gave it his all!

We had a bunch of leftover ingredients, so I threw it all on a plate with some romaine leaves for lettuce wraps.

I also made a salad to go with.

And Edamame.

This dinner was so much fun and it actually came together so well.

Not to mention, everything tasted delicious!

I couldn't have asked for a better day. Three Day weekends are truly the best!!

Hope you enjoyed yours as much as I did mine!

What is one thing fun you did this past weekend?

The Best Kind of Sunday

2010-09-05T20:00:00.000-04:00

I think the best Sunday's are the one's that are followed by an extra day in the weekend. I love Sunday's, but I do believe they are bitter sweet. As relaxing and enjoyable as they are, there is always that little feeling of disappointment knowing that the end of the weekend is near. It's sort of like those last few days of vacation. You want to soak up the final moments of bliss before it's all over.

But the Sunday of a three day weekend, now that's an entirely different situation. This whole day, I felt relaxed, peaceful and completely content. I didn't look at the clock and make sure I was getting everything done, because in the back of my mind, I knew I had another day.

We slept in today and it was heaven! After a long night, it was the best feeling to wake up at 7:30am naturally.

I was up first and spent about an hour checking email, blogging, and just enjoying the quite of the morning before Toly woke.

Breakfast was grand!

1/4 Cup Bob's Red Mills Cinnamon Apple Hot Cereal with 1 diced pear, 1/4 Cup Natural Applesauce, 2 TBL Vanilla Chobani, Blackberries, Granola

After I took this picture, something felt off. I couldn't put my finger on it at first, but then I suddenly realized what it was. Can you spot it?

I forgot the nut butter!!!!!!!

Shame! Don't worry, I immediately ran into the pantry, grabbed the jar of Cinnamon Raisin PB and generously added a spoonful.

Crisis averted.

After I ate, showered, and digested, I was on my way to a Zumba class. My friend Kelly just recently started teaching and I wanted to check out one of her classes.

The class was awesome and I even found out that Kelly is planning on going to Baltimore to the AAAI/ISMA conference in October!!! I was stoked! It's going to be so nice to have a friend to hang out with and she even offered for me to stay with her and her sister in Baltimore. Now I am even more excited than before!

Zumba always makes me so happy. It's definitely one of the most fun classes you will ever take.

After class, I ran some errands, grocery shopped for the week and came home to put everything away.

It was going on 3:00pm and I couldn't believe I wasn't starving. In fact, I wasn't even that hungry but I knew I needed to eat something or else I would severely ruin my dinner.

I snacked on a fresh honey crisp apple (unpictured) and a Siggi's Yogurt.

I am so undecided about Siggi's. I've tried a few flavors and some I really like and others I really don't like. This was a new flavor to me and since Siggi's was on sale this week, I decided to give it a try.

I loved the Acai flavor. Siggi's is stilly slightly tart, but I think the luscious thick custard texture takes over from the slight lack of sweetness.

Toly and I spent the afternoon lying on the couch catching up on The Real World. Yes, we have a few trashy reality TV show pleasures and The Real World is one of them, followed by The Jersey Shore, The Desperate Housewives of NJ, Keeping up with the Kardashians, and Kendra. (Okay so the rest are just mine, but it sounds better when I say that I share these guilty pleasures with another)

As we watched the ridiculous shenanigans, we both realized how old we felt. Not only were we saying how extremely immature and juvenile did these people act, but we also realized that they were all almost 5 years younger than we were. I remember watching The Real World and thinking how old everyone seemed and now, I'm the old one. Reality check!

Even as appalling as their drunken belligerence was, it still put me in the mood to open a bottle of wine. I'm easily influenced I guess.

We made some drinks while we prepared dinner. Pinot Noir for me and a Capin' and Sprite for Toly.

Dinner was a team effort and turned out beautifully!

Toly grilled and I prepared and assembled,

Grilled Pesto Vegetables over Arugula with Grilled Bruchetta Tilapia

The tilapia was cooked to perfection. Toly has really mastered his grilling techniques, I must say.

The bruchetta was a mixture of fresh tomatoes, roasted tomatoes, EVOO, garlic and fresh basil.

One of my favorite meals = Grilled Vegetables, Salad, Fish, and Wine.

Toly often makes fun of me when I eat big salads because I look like a goat. I shovel in as much as my mouth allows and much of it falls out the corners of my mouth. I bet it looks ridiculous but my salad eating method is non negotiable.

My second rule of salad eating…..

The last bite is ALWAYS the best!

Proof….

We are about to settle in for the night with a movie and probably some dessert. Fresh peach bread from the Farmers Market with fresh peaches and whipped cream. Could it get any better?

Happy Labor Day!!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Conner

2010-09-05T08:44:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was a party!!!

Our nephew, Conner, turned 3 and in honor, we had quite the celebration!

First though, the day began to me oversleeping my alarm by 1/2 hour. I usually set my alarm on Saturday mornings so that I can fit in a run in the early morning hour. I love running at this time and I hate when I miss the opportunity.

Fortunately, I didn't miss it by much and I jumped out of bed and ran a speedy 5k in 24:24.

It was tough! I haven't done speed work in awhile because of the knee, so instead of a longer run today, I thought it would be just as challenging to kick my own butt and see if I could PR a 5k.

I was hot, sweaty, and hungry when it was over.

1/4 Cup Irish Oats, 1/2 Mashed Banana, 1/4 Cup Almond milk, 1 egg white, Berries, Granola, Vanilla Okios

After breakfast, I headed to the gym for the most AMAZING one hour Body Flow Class. A mixture of yoga and pilates with some Thai Chi. My body thanked me for giving it this after a 30 mile week of training.

Now, as I said before, it was a very special day yesterday because our nephew Conner turned 3 and we partied all day and all night for the little guy! :)

The party started at a local park. Toly's family drove in from Cleveland and joined us. It was so great to see his family again, as we don't get a chance to see them all too much these days.

Conner was bursting with energy as usual, so of course, trying to take a picture of a 3 year old on a sugar high is not the easiest task. But here are a few from the party….

It was a fun day at the park and Conner enjoyed every moment, but especially playing with all his new toys!

The party didn't stop here. You have to know by now that Russians don't just party for a few hours, it's an all day/night extravaganza.

We cleaned up and moved the festivities over to Toly's Parents house for the "real" celebration!

Buzdarov!

And just because a tradition is never broken, it only took a few hours before the eggs came out and were fried up. (Every time Toly and his cousins get together and drink, they get the urge to fry eggs using every leftover piece of food on the table to make one big "Russian Omelet". Every one is pretty much grossed out by this, but regardless, its still hilarious!)

It was an exciting, thrilling, but long day and I loved every moment! :)

Today should be a little more relaxing. Hope your weekends are going well!

Surprise! It's a 3 Day Weekend!

2010-09-03T19:58:00.000-04:00

True Story:

I was driving to a presentation this morning at a very early hour in the morning and on the radio, they were all talking about their labor day weekend plans. Everyone stated how happy they were to be off on Monday. I was thinking, hmmm, wonder why they all have off on Monday. Then, it hit me!

This is a 3 day weekend!!!!!!

Score! This one totally caught me off guard but it was like a huge burst of happiness to start my day when I realized I had an entire day that I had planned absolutely nothing. I love when my stupidity pays off in a good way. ;)

So as I mentioned, I was off on the road very early today for a some presentations so to same time, I prepped my breakfast last night.

Near empty jar…...

Here is something that is a little shocking about me. I'm actually not the BIGGEST fan of OIAJ (Oats in a Jar). I know its so hyped and worshiped on the blog front, but for some reason, I just couldn't get into it. I love nut butter in my oats, but I really didn't like the oats eaten from a jar. It never seemed to mesh well.

But last night, I thought I would try this with Overnight Oats and let it sit in the fridge overnight.

This morning, here is what I had.

1/4 Cup Irish Oats, Chobani, Chia, 1/2 Peach, Blackberries

This morning, I added a heft splash of almond milk, some granola and crushed walnuts.

Verdict? I actually enjoyed the cold oats much better than hot oats from a jar. Weird, I know, but this just worked better.

Maybe there is a place in my heart for OIAJ after all.

I had lunch plans today with a co-worker. Candice works in my department and even though we don't get a chance to work a lot on the same things, she is such a sweet girl and I jumped on the chance when she asked me to lunch.

I suggested Conerstone Coffee House for lunch, for obvious reasons of course.

After perusing the menu, my eyes quickly caught notice to their daily special. It was a grilled chicken pita with fresh fig jam, spinach, and avocado. Even though I didn't want the chicken, the fig jam won it for me. I asked if they would mind making me a vegetarian version and add whatever extra veggies they had.

Of course they so kindly complied.

Along with a side of greens.

It was delicious as usual!

After lunch, we swung into the Health Food Store to pick up a few things. I was out of Organic Oats and there was no way I was going to go tomorrow morning without oatmeal.

I also finally found a new flavor of the Larabars.

I have had no luck what so ever in finding the new flavors and so far, this is the only one I've been able to find. Still waiting for the Carrot Cake!

When I got off work, I swung over to the gym for an hour Body Attack Class. I love this class. The high energy and cardio is great and it really gets you pumped up for the weekend.

By the time I got home, Toly had already started dinner.

Tonight was a grilling night.

And a beer night.

Michelobe Ultra Dragon Fruit Peach

Grilled Organic Chicken Apple Chardonnay Sausage with Onion and Spinach Relish

Vegetarian Baked Beans and Grilled Sweet Potato rounds

I was starving and this tasted delicious!

Hope everyone is enjoying their Friday nights and I hope you all have an incredible weekend!

Weekend Plans? Toly's family is coming in from Cleveland for our nephew Conner's 3rd Birthday Party tomorrow. I'm also hoping to become an aunt once again this weekend. My sister is on the "any day now" schedule. Can't wait!!!

Let's Be Honest

2010-09-02T19:45:00.000-04:00

Thank you all for your supportive and sweet comments about my BIG news! I just booked the Hotel Room today, so now it's really official. This time next month, I will be well on my way to obtaining my Personal Fitness Trainer Certification! I can't tell you how good it feels to say that! :)

As I was running this morning, I started to think how grateful I was that I am in a state in my life physically, mentally, and emotionally to be able to do the things that I am doing. I feel like I have worked so hard and had a very long and enduring journey to reach this point in my life of overall contentment with my health. I've made many mistakes, I've put my body through many trials, my body has put me through even worse (probably to get me back), and I'm still not perfect, but I can honestly tell you that on a whole, I feel happy with myself, my body, my strength, my endurance, and my attitude. I know I'm not done yet and there is still some work to be done to get me to an optimum state, but I feel like I am so much more prepared and accepting than I have ever been. I urge any of you who may beat yourself up over not being fit enough, skinny enough, or healthy enough to rethink that mindset. If you are trying, if you continue to stick with it, even if you fail at times, you are healthy, beautiful, and strong for living your life to the best you possibly can, and that is what true health really means!

It was quite a sentimental run.

Followed by quite a sensational breakfast.

This bowl was more fruit based today, as I cut up an entire White Nectarine that I purchased from the Farmers Market last weekend and realized how incredibly sweet and refreshing it was, I decided to make this the foundation of my breakfast.

1 White Nectarine, Raspberries, Raspberry Chobani, Naturally Nutty White Chocolate Almond Butter, Honey Almond Granola

I had a busy day at work that left no time to come home for lunch, so lunch was made last night and eaten at my desk.

Summer Salad

Arugula, Yellow and Green Squash (raw), Avocado, Berries, Walnuts, Feta

With a serving of Vegetarian Baked Beans and Watermelon

Work was great, but I did find out some very sad news mid morning that really shook me up. I had an event at a middle school today where we were the big show at a Pep Rally so I had put aside my feelings and turn it on for the junior high kids. Once we got there, the energy was awesome and I was able to forget about everything for awhile and just have a blast with the kids.

When I got home, I was so happy to have Toly home. He has been gone all week for work so it was such a great feeling to have him after a long hard day.

He was just in time for BFD, a day late this week, but totally worth the wait.

For tonight's BFD, I made Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict.

1 Thomas Honey Fiber Wheat English Muffin, Pesto, Arugula, Smoked Salmon, Dippy Egg

I served my "hollandaise" sauce on the side. (Dijon, Yogurt, lime juice) along with some roasted asparagus.

Finished up the rest of the watermelon with dinner.

The eggs came out perfectly! I'm actually not a fan of poached eggs, which would be the traditional method for eggs benedict, but the dippy worked so well. Just the right amount of runny yoke, dripping over each savory bite.

TGIF!!!

If someone asked you if you were truly happy with yourself and your state of health, would you be able to answer honestly? I think it's actually harder for us to be honest with ourselves than it is with others. It took a LONG time for me to reach the point of being able to honestly answer this question, not only to others, but to myself.

My Big News!!

2010-09-01T19:52:00.002-04:00

I have been keeping something from you for a few weeks now, and I am finally able to share my big news with the world.

In a few weeks, I'll be attending the AAAI/SMA Certification Conference to get my Personal Fitness Trainer Certification!!!

I could not be more excited about this decision. After much thought, research, and advice from great friends, I've finally decided to pursue a dream of mine that I've had for some time.

The conference is an excellent starting point and will allow me to obtain my general personal fitness and instructor certification which I'm hoping will open some doors. I've been talking with the PT's and Instructors at my gym and they all say that this is a very solid program and the best one to start with. After this, I may want to become specialized in a certain area or class, but before I know where I am really built to be (and spend the money to be certified in something else) this will give me the knowledge and experience I need to begin.

I've actually been feeling that I need to spend some time focusing my passions into another form of athletics other than running. As much as I love to run, my body is starting to tell me it needs a break. That is why I think teaching and becoming a PT will be an excellent alternative.

The Conference will be in Baltimore on October 1-3. Anyone who will be in the area on Saturday night, the 2nd and wants to meet up for dinner, please email me!!!

Okay, now that I've gotten that off my chest, I'll digress to the events of the day.

Of course by "events" I mostly mean the eats.

Let's start with breakfast.

Pear, Cereal, and Yogurt Bowl with Blackberries

1/4 Cup Bobs Red Mill Apple Cinnamon & Grain Hot Cereal, 1/4 Cup Applesauce, 1/4 Cup Vanilla Chobani, 1 small Pear, Blackberries, Granola

I picked up the Bobs Red Mill Apple Cinnamon & Grain Hot Cereal at the Farmer's Market this weekend. I was immediately intrigued with the ingredient list. Apple, Cinnamon, Grains Cereal is made from a tasty blend of stone ground high protein hard red wheat, rye, triticale, oats, barley, brown rice, oat bran, flaxseed, natural dried apples and cinnamon.

I nuked a 1/4 cup with 1/2 cup of water and that was it. The perfect texture to this yogurt bowl.

Everything else

I was not the slightest bit hungry all morning until around 11am when I remembered that I had a lunch date planned with my good friend Jess. I was taking her out for her birthday, which is on Friday and we had plans to hit up the BEST MEXICAN restaurant ever! El Sol!

If you remember, Toly and I went to El Sol the other night. El Sol also has a branch site right by our work that does fast lunch and take out. For two girls that love Mexican as much as us, we couldn't have been more enthused.

Happy Birthday Jess!!

We started with a HUGE plate of Guac. This came with a side of salsa and chips, but I think if they would have only given us two spoons, we would have been just fine with that.

El Sol has the very best Guacamole I have ever had. It's so incredibly fresh and chunky, just the way I like with a hefty amount of lime and salt. Love!

Since it would be weird to consume an entire plate of guac as my meal (well to most), I chose the Shrimp Ensalada Fresca as my meal.

Grilled Shrimp, Romaine, Tomatoes, Avocado, Queso Fresco

It was a beauty but what I really should have showed you was how it looked after I dumped the rest of the salsa and guac on top. That was even better!

Jess had the Enchiladas Salsa Verde

Oh holy goodness, this was all so magnificent. I'm fully prepared to admit that Mexican may just be my favorite meal.

After our birthday feast, it was back to work and then, before I knew it, the day had ended.

After an hour of working out, walking Sammy, and cleaning up around the house, dinner was calling.

It's hard to believe, but I was actually imagining this creation in my head all afternoon, yes even with small Mexican food baby that comfortably sat in my stomach.

Smoked Salmon, Peach, Goat Cheese and Spinach Sammie

2 Slices of Ezikle Cinnamon Raisin Bread
1 tsp of Dijon
1 tsp Blueberry Jam
Goat Cheese
1/2 Sliced Peach
2 oz Smoked Salmon
Spinach

Build the sandwich with the above ingredients accordingly.

Heat in a skillet until melted, warm and toasted.

One of my best! Again, the sweet and salty combo never ceases to be anything less than amazing.

With the sammie, I had a side of roasted broccoli and watermelon.

And that was my day. Delicious as always! :)

Reminder: Keep the questions coming. If there is anything you want to ask for my "ask me anything" page, please don't be shy!

Question for you: Is there one dream that you have that you've recently began to pursue? I'd like to think that most of my dreams have been or will be pursued, but this PT Certification is my latest, and although I'm a little nervous, I couldn't be happier!

CSN Store Has it All!

2010-09-01T12:00:00.002-04:00

I am no stranger to CSN stores and over the year, they not only have provided me with many great opportunities to review some great products, but they also given my readers many chances to win some as well. The CSN store has everything you can imagine. From tools, to exercise equipment, to dutch ovens.

I will be doing a special review for them coming up, so please stay tuned for more!

Twenty Questions

2010-08-31T20:24:00.000-04:00

I have recently gotten quite a few questions from readers in my inbox and as much as I love replying personally to each one, I feel like a lot of them are similar in context. I've decided to create an FAQ page, so please, if you have any questions, shoot! Once I have a good solid 20, I plan to publish an entire page devoted to "Ask me Anything."

To kick it off, the first question comes from reader Danielle on my eating habits.

"Do you snack during the day or are you a 3 meals/day kind of a girl?!"

So I am normally a 3 solid meals a day kind of girl but ALWAYS have dessert. Every single night. Now my dessert comes in the form of a substantial snack with a sweet touch. I do this mainly because I run first thing every morning, and since I know from trial and error that I am unable to run so early on an empty stomach, I choose to fuel for this right before bed with a balanced snack of carbs and protein, such as cereal and yogurt, or fruit and cottage cheese. I'd be lying though if I said I didn't throw in a chocolate chip or two. ;) My meals are usually so substantial that I never really feel the need to snack in between. Every day is different. Somedays I will be ravenous by 11:30 and if I am having a late lunch, I might grab a handful of nuts but most of the time, I make sure that I have such a solid balance to keep me satisfied for hours.

Let's take a look at today's breakfast for example.

1/4 Cup Kashi Go Lean, 1/4 Cup TJ's Berry O's, Berries, 4oz Pomegranate Chobani, 1 TLB White Chocolate Wonderful Peanut Butter, Granola Sprinkle (probably 2 TBL)

An overall good balance of carbs, sugars, fats, and protein. This kept me completely full until 12:30 and I ate it at 6:30am.

I won't lie, the Iced Coffee and extra fruit are more for my enjoyment than anything. I could probably be satisfied with just the cereal but let's face it, I'm a fruit and coffee junkie and need my fix.

Lunch is another meal that I try to keep fully balanced. Today, I was lucky to have leftovers from the Red Quinoa and Butternut Squash Salad I made last night.

Along with a carrot and hummus.

After work, I was planning to go to the gym for a longer workout than normal, so I knew I needed to fuel for it.

1/2 Banana with 1tsp Dark Chocolate PB

GYM:

1 mile run warm up on treadmill
60 min Body Pump Class

Pump kicked my booty tonight. I increased my weights on all sets and I almost didn't make it through triceps. I know I'll be feeling it tomorrow.

But I felt fierce and totally pumped up when I was done! Guess that's why they call it Body "Pump".

Now recovering from exercise is just as important if not more than fueling for it. I made an ideal balance of recovery foods for dinner.

First up, BEANs!! If you want to be healthy, eat more beans! Haha, okay, just kidding, but seriously, I can't tell you how many health benefits lie in beans and legumes.

I took these up a notch by placing a serving over a baked sweet potato with spinach, greek yogurt and honey mustard.

And made a side salad with Arugula, Diced Pear, Walnuts, Zucchini, feta, avocado, and Dried Cherries in a Balsamic Maple Dijon Vinaigrette.

All that protein, all that healthy fat, all those nutrients! But yet, all of that delicious taste.

Another question that I get all the time is how, where, when, and why I grocery shop. People seem to think that because I have massive amounts of produce, I have a small farm in my backyard. Well, let me tell you the truth. Yes, I eat about 90% fruits and vegetables so naturally, 90% of our grocery bill is on produce. Let's just say in my 1-2 shopping experience, I spend about 45 min in the produce section alone. Some tips that I have on eating as many fruits and veggies as you can and keep your bank account is to buy in season. This is obvious but so crucial. Use the "If you eat the peel buy organic rule." I know there are so many decrees out there on eating organic but when it comes to my produce, I always tell myself, if I eat the peel, I try to keep it real! :) Lastly, use everything you buy! This is so important to me because as much as I hate wasting food, I feel a strong sense of loss whenever I have to part with spoiled produce. I make sure that I don't overbuy but always have just enough to keep me happy all week long. This one took a bit of practice but I have it down to a science now.

Again, please keep your questions coming. I will answer just about anything….within reason! ;)

Take care everyone!

500 Days of Summer

2010-08-30T20:17:00.000-04:00

Well, here we are. The start to another week and at the very last days of August. I know people say that summer technically goes into to September, but for me, starting on September 1st, it's fall.

I like fall, I do. I like pumpkins, I like apples, I like the very slight chill in the air that just makes it feel crisp and clean. But I can't deny admitting that I always have a hard time letting summer go.

I'll try to hold on as long as I can, but once that first can on pumpkin opens, there is no turning back.

My Last Days of Summer Peach/Strawberry Overnight Oats

Last Night:

~1/4 Cup Multigrain Cereal (oats, barley, millet)

~1/4 Cup Strawberry Chobani

~ 1 tsp Chia and Wheat Germ

Today:

~1/2 Peach

Strawberries

Honey Almond Granola

~1tsp Cherry Vanilla Almond Butter

I wonder when the Iced Coffee will stop. Right now, I can't imagine my mornings without it, but I guess I won't be wanting an iced cold drink in the depths of winter.

I had a productive day in the office and spent most of the morning prepping for the upcoming crazy month of September.

Once lunch came around, I was more than ready.

When I was at my parent's yesterday, my mom gave me a gift that they brought back from Yellowstone.

Wild Huckleberry Vinaigrette.

All I could think of was making a big summer salad with the vinaigrette.

Summer Salad: Greens, Cucumber, 1/2 Diced Peach, Raspberries, Avocado, Walnuts, Feta, Huckleberry Vinaigrette

The dressing was amazing! A little sweet, so I added a dash of white balsamic with gave it the perfect balance.

With my salad, I made some sweet potato fries.

Small Sweet Potato with Coconut Oil, Salt, Pepper, Cinnamon, Chili Powder

Salad and Fries, one of my favorite lunches. I was definitely thinking of this girl because I know it's one of her favorites too!

After lunch, I went straight back to work and didn't stop until it was time to come home.

On the way home, I contemplated going to the gym, but it was just too gorgeous outside to be wasting these last days of summer cooped up on machines. There will be plenty of time this fall and winter for that.

I decided to rev up Sammy for a nice long walk.

We walked to Jen's house to drop off a gift that Toly and I got for Connor. He recently learned how to use the potty and did such a fantastic job. Jen and Brian have also been going through some rough times with their one year old, Emily that has been trying on the whole family. Connor has been such a good sport throughout it all and an amazing big brother, so we wanted to let him know that we were so proud of him.

The walk to Jen's is exactly 1.4 miles. When we got there, no one was home, so we left the present in the door.

We turned around and make the trip back home.

All together, it was a lovely walk. Just under one hour and 3 miles.

I finally started to make dinner around 6:30pm and realized how hungry I had become.

For the longest time, I've been meaning to make a Quinoa dish with this box that I purchased a few months ago at Trader Joes.

I came up with a fantastic dish that included roasted butternut squash and zucchini, steamed kale, yellow pepper, beets and baked tofu all dressed in a maple balsamic dressing and topped with a touch of goat cheese.

Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful! Usually when I just use healthy delicious ingredients, it always comes together so nicely. Quinoa is one of those ingredients that is like a blank canvas, so many options and outlets for a fantastic dish. This was a great use for the Quinoa and I can't wait to come up with more.

Well it looks like I will be able to enjoy the summer days for at least another week. A heat wave is expected here in PA for the next 5 days. I'd be lying if I said I was upset about it. ;)

Are you excited for fall? What are you most looking forward to? I can't wait for all of the wonderful in season fall foods like squash, pumpkin, and apples. I also can't WAIT for football season!!!!

It's a Beautiful Morning, It's a Beautiful Day

2010-08-29T21:17:00.000-04:00

Today could not have been better.

After sleeping in well past my normal waking hour, I felt refreshed and relaxed on such a beautiful Sunday morning.

I sat outside in the morning sun for awhile before Toly got up and then started on breakfast.

As refreshed as I felt, I wanted something just as refreshing to eat.

Vanilla Oikos, White Nectarine (local), Strawberries, Granola

Slice of Cinnamon Raisin Ezikel with 1tsp Cinnamon PB and 1/2 Mashed Banana

I made Toly his eggs, toast and bacon.

We enjoyed a delightful breakfast and then ran some errands including a stock up trip to BJ's. It's funny, Toly and I can not grocery shop together for the sake of our own marriage; however, we LOVE shopping at BJ's together.

Anyways, after I got home and cleaned up, my friend Jess came over with her pup Koda for a doggie play date.

We took the dogs to the park and ate a nice picnic lunch.

We stopped at Subway on the way and I got a 6in Veggie on Wheat. I also brought along some grapes and pita chips to complete the meal.

It was a wonderful picnic on such a beautiful day.

After lunch, we ventured on a little hike through the park.

The trail wasn't anything elaborate, but it was still nice to spend the day talking and walking with Jess. We walked/talked for about an hour or so.

And stopped by the lake to cool off. Koda (Jess's dog) was quite the little swimmer.

Sammy, not so much. He decided his paws getting wet was quite enough.

When I got home, I was able to relax for a few minutes before we got ready to go over to my parents for family dinner.

We try to plan these Sunday family dinners every month, but lately, it's been so hard to get the six of us together. Thankfully, this Sunday worked out for everyone.

When we arrived, my dad was working on dinner, but it appeared that dinner was working on him.

Apparently, the grill caught on fire. No worries, no one was hurt and the food was still salvageable.

For dinner, my mom baked Pecan Crusted Tilapia, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Salad and Corn on the Cob

It was all so very good and I managed to clean my plate. I was very hungry after a day of trail walking.

Once dinner was through, we pulled out the cake and sang to Jason (my brother-in-law). His birthday was last week and we were celebrating tonight.

But instead of a cake, we celebrated with an Apple Pie.

My dad's face is priceless in this picture!

Warm Apple Pie and Vanilla Ice Cream

I wish I could tell you that I made this pie, but I'm not one to lie. Well at least not when I know my family is reading and would probably call me out! ;)

So, I'll just tell you the truth. It was bought at BJ's and pretty darn tasty.

We all enjoyed our slices of pie and ice cream over the entertainment of one of my dad's famous slide show presentations.

My parent's just got back from Yellowstone National Park and being that my dad took over 4,000 pictures, he decided to put them all into a slideshow for our viewing pleasure, something he does quite often with his photography.

We joke about it, but it really was extraordinary to see the photos from their trip.

It was wonderful to spend the evening with my family. I feel like the time we spend together is too little these days. Hopefully that will all change in just a few weeks when we welcome a new little addition to the family.

Time for bed! It's going to be a long week and I'm ready for it!

How was your weekend?

The Do's and Don'ts of Married Dating

2010-08-28T21:48:00.000-04:00

There is a distinct difference in dating when you are married; however, that in no way means, that dating can not be just as exciting. At least once a month, Toly and I try to plan a date night and find that aside from being just plain old fun, married dates are a way for us to break out of our routine, focus on each other, and relax.

Just like any other date, there are definite do's and don'ts to ensure the success of the night.

DO make sure that the restaurant you pick is enjoyed by both parties. Toly and I both love Mexican and El Sol is our favorite for mexican. It's not only the most authentic around, it's also the most fresh and delicious mexican I have ever had.

DON'T order more than one drink of hard liquor. A mojitio can be classy and extremely acceptable with dinner, but if you're like me, any more than one of these babies and you'll be riding out of there on your date's back.

DO share an appetizer but make sure it's one you both like. The problem with us is that we can NEVER decided on a compatible appetizer between the two of us. His idea of pre dinner apps would be Fried Cheese or wings where mine would be raw tuna or stuffed mushrooms. Good thing chips and salsa are well loved food by all.

DON'T share a meal, especially when it comes to good mexican food. Let's face it, you will end up in a full out brawl when you realize he ate more than his share. Keep it on the safe side and order your own huge plate and clean it yourself.

Enchilada Carmaron for me (Two Flour Tortillas filled with shrimp and sauteed vegetables, toped with roasted tomato and chili sauce. Served with refried beans, guacamole, salad and sour cream)

Chicken Fajitas for him

DO take time in the night to get to know each other. Usually a nice walk on a lovely evening makes the perfect environment for chatting. Toly and I may already know each other very well, but even walking around the city for 30 min allows us to talk about things that we may not have had the chance to talk about before. I swear, taking a walk with someone is the best way to get to know them. Walking forces you to engage in conversation because there is nothing else to do but talk.

DO end the date on a sweet note. No, I don't mean "that" kind of sweet note. Ice Cream is more appropriate.

DON'T kiss on the first date unless you know you want a second one.

Lucky for him, I'll say yes when he asks me out again.

So you see, it's entirely important to date when you are married. You may not have the butterflies or that stomach full of nerves that puts chills down your spine, but you will have a memorable and fulfilling experience with the only person on this earth that loves you more than yourself.

Oh, and the best part…..you always get to wake up next to them in the morning! ;)

These Are The Days

2010-08-28T16:45:00.000-04:00

These days, time just occurs a little too fast. I feel like lately, I've been pounding out each day and not really stopping to appreciate the true reasons in life as to what makes it so whole.

For example, meeting my dad and very pregnant sister for our monthly father daughter breakfasts.

This morning, the three of us met at Marie's Cafe, a quaint little breakfast cafe in our hometown.

This may be our last one for awhile as a trio. In just a few weeks, we'll be welcoming another little pea to this pod. Hope he likes oatmeal! :)

Although, today, I went completely outside of my element and ordered something I rarely have or would ever order for breakfast.

An all american breakfast: Egg White Omelet with peppers and tomato, home fries, and wheat toast

I left most of the home fries and enjoyed a slice of the toast, but finished the omelet. It was delicious, fresh, and just what I needed since my body felt a tad protein deprived in the past few days.

After out lovely visit, I headed over to the gym for Body Balance. This is a new class and incorporates the elements of Body Flow but uses a weighted bar. It deals with high reps of rotating and balance moves, incorporated with some strength, triceps and ab work. The hour class felt amazing on my tight muscles. I love taking any class that forces me to stretch and breath.

I followed this refreshing class with a trip to the farmers market to stock up on produce for the week. Everything I bought was local. I love when I can say that!

I got home around 1pm and started lunch.

Craving something fresh, light but hearty, I opted for a true favorite, a big salad with a Dr. Preagers Veggie Burger.

I haven't made this one in awhile and it definitely hit the spot.

Awhile later, my stomach wasn't quite fufiled and rumbled for a bit more and something sweet. I cut up a small peach with a few blackberries (both local and fresh from the market) added a few TBL of Vanilla Oikos and some Honey Almond Granola.

That was just what I needed.

Tonight, Toly and I are having a date night at my favorite Mexican restaurant. It's been far too long since we've gone out for Mexican and I'm mentally preparing for the feast of guac and salsa that is ahead!

So far, this Saturday is turning out to be one fine day.

Back to School

2010-08-27T22:18:00.001-04:00

Ah, it's that time of year. I distinctly remember the feeling that came with going back to school. I swear, you can feel it in the air. Something in the universe just changes and once the big yellow busses appear on the streets in the early morning hours, you know that the long mindless days of summer have ended.

Bitter sweet I think illustrates this feeling perfectly.

Even though I have been out of school for 3 years, I still get those feelings. I wonder if they will ever really go away?

Today, those feelings were particularly present, as I headed to one of our state schools for New Student Orientation to lead several workshops with college freshman.

Before that, I ate breakfast.

Peachy Overnight Oats with Raspberries

Overnight: 1/4 Cup Scottish Oats (ALL out and need to get more), 1/2 Container of Stoneyfield Peach Yogurt, Chia and Flax, 1/2 Mashed Banana

This Morning: 1/2 Peach, Raspberries, Vanilla Almond Granola, White Chocolate Wonderful PB

Complete and oh so good!

My good friend/co-worker and I met at the office and set out for campus. Jess is actually an Alum of Shippensburg University, so she was more than excited to be visiting her alma mater.

We made a quick put stop into Cornerstone Coffee house for some iced coffee for the ride.

And couldn't resist a fresh baked raspberry bar. I love that everything made at Cornerstone is made from fresh, wholesome ingredients. This bar was literally bursting with sweet juicy whole raspberries in the most unbelievable flaky oat crust.

We took a few bites and decided to save the rest for later.

Once we arrived, Jess was bursting with excitement. I think she was even more excited than the herds of anxious freshman who flooded the campus. She found her old dorm hall and became pretty nostalgic.

The event was awesome and it felt so cool to be back at college, even for a day. It brought back so many memories.

After we finished, we were all famished and more than ready to eat.

Jess led us to a local pub in town.

And her friend, Barbara joined us.

Bryce was more than satisfied to be making the blog for the second time this week.

For lunch, I ordered the Portobello Mushroom Salad that was okay. Not the best salad I've eaten but I was starving so it worked.

Great day!

Newly purchased Ship U apparel.

I can never resist the college shirts.

After a long day at work, I changed for the third time today and went over to Jen's for girls night.

Naturally, there was wine.

Jen made a fantastic dinner for the two of us….

Salad and Corn Bread

Veggie Chili

And Cheesecake for dessert.

I'd say this was one pretty awesome Friday.

Tomorrow is another fun-filled day including a Father/Daughter Breakfast, trip to the farmers market, and date night!

I <3 the weekends!

Teenage Dream

2010-08-26T19:42:00.000-04:00

Every morning, I run. On the weekdays, I run at our complex gym on the treadmill since it's extremely early and still dark outside. This is the only time in my entire day that I watch television and I'll admit, my selection of TV is not something enriching like World News or CNN (although it probably should be). When I run, it's mindless, cheesy, old on Nick at Night such as The Nanny, The Cosby Show and Family Matters. During commercials, I switch over to MTV and catch a few new tunes to keep up my beat and usually there is always one song that comes on that revs me up. This song ends up sticking in my head all day long.

Today's mid run jam: Teenage Dream by Katy Perry. (Yeah Brian! Shout out for Katy Perry!!! :)

Wow, am I loving this song right now. I remember when I first heard it and hated it but now I can't get enough. The lyrics remind me so much of that high school head over heels crush. The one that gave you butterflies every time you thought of him. Anyways, I rocked to this song and actually started dancing a bit while running.

Anyone ever do this?

After my dance party, I came home and braced myself for the day.

Starting with this lovely cereal/yogurt bowl.

1/4 Cup Kashi Cinnamon H2H, 1/4 Cup Barbara's Shredded Oats, 1/2 Banana, Blackberries, Blueberries, Stoneyfield Peach Yogurt, Granola, White Chocolate Wonderful PB

Now this was a dream.

The first half of the day at work was stressful so I came home to regroup and mentally prepare myself for a better second half.

Last of the Gazpacho!

The soup is fantastic on its own, but what really makes this meal are the homemade garlic croutons, the diced ripe avocado, the salty green olives, and the fresh basil incorporated throughout every savory bite.

Farewell Gazpacho. You will be missed but not forgotten. I foresee this soup in my favorite recipe collection.

Fruit and Veggies on the side.

The second half of my workday turned out much better than the prior. But the whole thing wore me out and I was ready to be home and happy when I was.

I wasn't quite sure what I would be making for dinner tonight. There were a few ideas in my head, but when I dug through the freezer and found a few frozen sea scallops that I had forgotten about, my craving suddenly hit.

I also wanted a big salad so I put my mind into one of the most delicious salads I have ever made.

Coconut Crusted Sea Scallops over Fruit Nut and Asparagus Salad

First, let's talk about the scallops.

I made a wash with one egg white, splash of OJ, dash of vanilla and hot sauce (trust me this works). I seasoned the scallops with salt, pepper, chili powder and dipped in wash and then dredge in shredded unsweetened coconut.

I sprayed these with coconut cooking spray and baked at 450 for 10 min. The last 2 min, broil to get that golden brown crust.

The salad was a bed of arugula and cabbage with shredded zucchini, roasted asparagus, dried cherries, blueberries, walnuts, goat cheese and avocado in a homemade dressing. Mango and POM juice, White Balsamic, and Agave.

I told you, one of the very best salads I have ever made or eaten. There was not so much as a cabbage shred left in this bowl.

TGIF!!!! It's almost the freakin' weekend and I am sooo ready! :)

What current top 40 song are you loving right now? Aside of Katy Perry, I'm also loving B.O.B Magic, Eminem, Love the Way You Lie, and Bruno Mars, Just the Way You Are.

Lunchtime Delight

2010-08-25T19:54:00.000-04:00

Hello friends!

Well, I am so happy to report that the knee felt better today. Wednesdays are my usual HIIT work on the treadmill, but today, I told myself I was going to take a nice easy and SLOW run and just go for as long as I could until I felt the pain. I've been noticing that the pain usually comes around mile 4 and as soon as I go over 7.0 mph so I made sure not to go too far or above that speed.

I was able to do 4.5 miles and then walked the last .5 for a total of 5 miles.

Afterwards, I stretched and iced, just like I said I would.

Then I ate.

Pear Blackberry Yogurt Bowl

The last of the box of Kashi Cinnamon Harvest (love all of the crushed bits at the end of the cereal box), 1 small pear, Blackberries, 1/4 Cup Applesauce, Vanilla Oikos, Cinnamon Raisin PB, Granola

With the usual suspects. Grapefruit, Strawberries, and Iced Coffee.

Does anyone else live for the end crumbles in the cereal box? I gasp at the thought of anyone throwing this out. It's the best part!

I had a great morning at work, which included a meeting with two of my good friends and coworkers. After our meeting, we decided to commence over a fine meal.

We went to The Pizza Grille, an upscale pizza restaurant right down the street from our office.

I love that this place serves La Croix in a fancy glass with lime.

We started with an app to share.

Hummus, Salsa, and Guca. My three favorite food groups.

Jess and I split the Fruit and Nut Salad.

Chopped Greens, Dried Cherries, Walnuts, and Goat Cheese

And a small Pizza Margarita.

The pizza at The Pizza Grill is so fresh and delicious. It's served on chewy whole wheat dough that melts in your mouth. I had one slice but removed the cheese since mozzarella and my stomach do not get along. I think there may have been some cheese left on my piece because immediately after I ate it, I could feel my stomach churn.

Bryce wanted me to show you his pepperoni pizza but really, I think he just wanted to show off himself.

He's singel ladies! (He didn't pay me too much to say that, don't worry. ;)

Jess and Bryce and I are working on a big event at a University for Friday and we all discussed how excited we are to go back to a college campus for the day.

I love lunch with coworkers in the middle of the week. What a great way to connect and to break up the work week.

When I got home from work today, I had a massive package waiting on my doorstep.

A few weeks ago, the lovely people at CSN stores contacted me to see if I would be interested in doing a review for some of their products.

Who am I to turn down free cookware?

I've been in need of a new omelet pan and chef's knife so I ordered the Calphalon 10" Contemporary Nonstick Omelette Pan and the Calphalon 7" Santoku Knife.

These two tools came at the perfect time being that it is a BFD night.

I used the pan to whip up the eggs for our BFD dinner.

For some reason, I thought the pan would be smaller, but this was my mistake. I should have ordered the 8" because I actually have the exact same pan, but that's okay, it's still wonderful. I love Calphalon pans. Absolutely no sticking, stretching or chipping. If you are looking to make the perfect eggs, Calphalon pans will do you no wrong!

The knife was also fantastic. I love the size. It's much smaller than my previous chef's knife but much more durable and functional. The blade was extremely sharp and cut through a tomato like butter.

But back to BFD.

After realizing how much Kale I have in the garden, I tried my attempts at not burning Kale Chips. I ALWAYS burn my Kale.

And for the main course,

Smoked Salmon Egg and Asparagus Wrap

Smoked Salmon, Spinach, Dijon, Scrambled Egg, Asparagus, Avocado

Toly's Egg, Bacon, Pepperoni and Cheese Egg Panini

Our meals completed.

Successful BFD once again.

That's all for now.

What was one thing good about your day? I had a very big complement paid to me today on a big project I have been working on for months now. It always feels so great to see my name recognized for hard work.

Forgive Me For I Have Sinned

2010-08-24T19:43:00.000-04:00

I have a confession. I have been a bad runner and athlete in general.

I have committed the number cardinal sin of running and I am ashamed.

I have not listened to my body, my pain, or my own advice.

For the past month, I have been running and running hard with runner's knee and I have not done a single thing to help my condition. I have only made it worse and now I am feeling the consequences.

If you are not familiar with runner's knee let me explain. Runner's knee is one of the most common running injuries and results from overuse and bad alignment from constant pressure on the knee joints. Your knee moves up and down in a narrow little groove in your thigh bone. It's a nifty design: when your legs and feet are working efficiently, your knee moves smoothly and comfortably with every step. But trouble appears when your kneecap moves out of its track, or rubs up against its sides. That trouble becomes pain when you factor in nearly 1000 steps per cartilage-grinding mile. Over time the cushioning cartilage around the knee becomes worn. That smarts. And that's runner's knee.

I have had runner's knee before, only it was in my left knee. It came about at the beginning of the year, just as I started to increase my mileage after taking a long break from running. I even went to the doctor and was told to take precaution, rest, ice, elevate, avoid hills, run with a knee sleeve, do quad strengthening exercises, and stretch. I did all of this and within a few weeks, my knee got better; however, just as my left knee started to heal, my right knee began to feel the same pain.

So for the past month or so, I've been dealing with the same pain in my opposite knee. I'm guessing with the increased mileage and all of the extra pressure that was placed on it, it was only time until the other knee would feel the same effects.

This time however, I have been plain stupid and I'll admit it. I've been ignoring the pain, hoping it will go away. I have not been icing after my runs, I have not been stretching before or after, I have no been foam rolling enough, I have not been elevating my knee when sitting, I have not been using the heating pad at night, and I've not been avoiding speed or hills.

Thus, here I sit, barely able to walk down stairs and suffering through each run and I'm finally able to say "that's enough." From here on, if I ever want to run any more races or keep running for that matter, I have to take a more proactive approach to being mindful of my knees. From now on, I will be following the R.I.C.E regime before and after every run. I am going to take a break from any speed work or hills. Just nice easy paced runs on flat surfaces for a few weeks. With my 1/2 marathon just weeks away, I have got to take this more seriously.

It starts now, so as I write this, I assure you I'm practicing what I preach.

Heating pad for 20 min every night.

Wow, that was a lot of talk over my little knee. Let's move on, shall we?

After a painful run and not icing (I know I know but I said it starts now and it obviously didn't start this morning), I ate breakfast.

1/4 Cup Kashi Go Lean, 1 small mango, 1 kiwi, berries, Pineapple Chobani, Granola and Chia Sprinkles

Does something seem like it's missing from this meal? I noticed it just as I was halfway through. No nut butter??!?!?! I couldn't believe it myself, but there was just no room for the almond butter in this one. I'll have to make up for that deficiently later.

When I came home for lunch today, I noticed that Sammy was not around. He is always waiting for me either on the couch or at the top of the steps. I called his name and he didn't show. Weird. I called his name again and still no Sammy. Finally, I went over to the kitchen, opened the smoked salmon and immediately, the little guy came rushing down the stairs. He LOVES smoked salmon and I guess the simple whiff entices him enough out of a very deep sleep. He is obviously my dog. ;)

Of course I had to share a nibble of the salmon with him. But the rest of it went on this incredible sandwich.

That would be smoked salmon on Cinnamon Raisin Ezikel Bread with Spinach, Goat Cheese, and Sliced Peach

Side Salad of romaine, Cucumber, Broccoli, Blueberries, Walnuts, Cranberries and walnuts

Trying to make up for the nut butter from this morning, I paired a few carrot sticks with PB2. Unfortunately, the PB2 was rancid! I forgot I even had this jar and I hardly used any of it, but after one bit, I checked the expiration date and it had gone bad in March. So I guess this stuff doesn't last very long.

Nut Buter Fail Number 2 of the day!! :(

The lunch on a whole was fantastic, despite the rancid peanut butter.

After a long day at work, I came home and followed my new promise of healing my knee by doing 20 min of quad stretching and strengthening moves. Felt so good!

When Toly got home, we went on a walk with Sammy and then I got started on dinner.

A very quick, simple but delicious recipe tonight.

Smoky Refried Bean Soup

Adapted from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

This soup was so simple to make and came together in no time. I had some leftover vegetarian refried beans and I needed a way to use them up. After doing some searching, I found this awesome soup recipe.

This is all it takes.

1 large onion, chopped
3 – 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
15 ounces fatfree refried beans
15 ounces black beans, cooked
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 – 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (to taste)
1 teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste

You basically put all of the ingredients in a sauce pan and cook for 20 min. That's all! See, so simple but so delicious!

I also sauteed some tempeh and added this to my bowl. It made the soup much more meaty and hearty.

Toly had sautéed ground beef and cheese.

With a small bowl of tortilla chips to share between us.

We both loved this soup. I will definitely be making it again.

And that is more than enough from me. Sorry, it was a long one tonight, but it seems that I had a lot on my mind.

Thanks for listening. ;)

Have you ever had runners knee or any other injury from running?

Smiling in the Morning

2010-08-23T19:28:00.000-04:00

Are you a morning person?

I am. I'm actually a very bad night person, but the mornings are when I do my best work. I wake up with little trouble most days, I feel like I have my best workouts and runs when they are done before the sun comes up, and I'm usually very happy and upbeat as I prepare my breakfast.

Maybe it's because breakfast just makes me so happy, but either way, how could you not smile over a bowl like this?

Chocolate Covered Raspberry Overnight Oats

Overnight-

1/4 Cup Scottish Oats
1 Raspberry Chobani
1 tsp Flax
1 tsp Chia
1/2 Ripe Banana

AM Add-ins-

Raspberries, Blueberries, 1/2 Banana
Vanilla Almond Granola
1 tsp Chocolate Almond Butter, melted

I believe overnight oats are my new favorite breakfast. Well, not sure how long this statement will last, because pumpkin season is right around the corner, and you know how I feel about pumpkin oatmeal!!

But for now, I will enjoy the refreshing feel of cold oats, iced coffee, and juicy grapefruit. Yes, this is my favorite in the present day.

My chipperness lasted well into the morning. I was doing some filming today for a webinar that I am creating so I needed to look visually appealing to a younger audience.

Flirty skirts always make me feel young at heart.

I didn't have much time in between tasks for lunch, so it's a very good thing leftover Gazpacho is quick and easy to consume in a reasonably short amount of time.

By the way, someone asked me what that pink stuff is in my cup with lunch. The answer to this is Sparkling Mineral Water with a splash of POM juice. Lunch is always more fun with bubbles.

This Monday flew right by and before I knew it, work was over and I was starting the week off with some strength work.

~~GYM TIME~~

2 miles on treadmill (1/2 mile intervals of sprints/hill speed walking)
12 x 3 overhead press, 40 lbs
25 jumping jacks
12 x 3 bench press, 40 lbs
25 jumping jacks
12 x 3 seated lat pull down, 50lbs
25 jumping jacks
12 x 3 bicep curls, 30 lbs
25 jumping jacks
5 min stationary bike

A whole 40 min workout and quite involved. Apparently, I had a thing for the jumping jacks tonight.

I was so hungry when I got done. Lunch was eaten earlier than normal and I realized it had been way to long since I had last consumed food.

I didn't waste a moment to start on dinner and tonight, it was on of my favorites.

Baked Feta Shrimp

My mom used to make Shrimp Creole when I was little and I LOVED it. This dish sort of reminds me of that, only, I've added a few of my own touches with eggplant and zucchini, feta cheese, and white wine in the sauce.

I served my shrimp stew over a bed of steamed broccoli as seen above.

There was just about 2 sips of wine left in the bottle. Obviously, this could not be wasted and made a great little addition to the meal.

As did the huge hunk of Cibatta with pesto. Bread, Wine, Vegetables in a Spicy, Salty Tomato sauce. And this could quite possibly be my favorite meal.

See why I have so many reasons to be happy, not only in the morning, but all day? Yes, food and cooking make me very happy, but I have countless other reasons in my life to feel joyful. I think the key is just remembering these things on a daily basis and learning to appreciate them so much more than I already do. Try it sometime. I bet you will be smiling tomorrow morning too!

Goodnight loves!

On The 7th Day, We Work!

2010-08-22T19:47:00.000-04:00

This is how I feel.

Whatever happened to Sunday's being a day of rest and sabbath? I honestly feel that most of my Sunday's are the most tiring day of the week even though we never really have any active plans.

Despite my exhaustion, I wouldn't change our Sunday routine for anything.

Of course it begins with breakfast together.

Sunday mornings are the only day of the week that Toly and I sit and enjoy a big breakfast together. We love this tradition.

I was feeling french toast for this one.

Banana Stuffed French Toast

2 slices of Ezikle Sprouted Grain Cinnamon Rasin Bread, one slice with almond butter, the other with honey, in the middle, 1/2 of a sliced banana.

Dipped in egg, almond milk, cinnamon and cooked on each side.

I topped mine with a bit of Greek Yogurt with cinnamon and blackberries.

Toly used up the rest of the raspberries minus the yogurt. He once told me if I ever tried to give him Greek Yogurt again, he would leave me.

Okay, he's not that harsh, but the last time I tricked him with Greek Yogurt, he didn't speak to me for a short time. I will never make this mistake again. If he can't find the love in his heart for Greek Yogurt as I, than that would be his problem. To each his own.

It felt good to be back in routine.

Immediately after breakfast, I begun the mayhem. First on my to-do list was grocery shopping, which is always a 2 hour event.

After the food was bought and put away, I put lunch together.

I finally did it! I finally opened and tried the can of smoked sardines that has been in my pantry for months. Sardines was one of those things that I knew I would love, but I just had to get past my fear of their looks.

I won't show you what they really looked like because it wasn't pretty. At least the heads were cut off!

Once I got passed the initial disgust, I flaked the fish and made a quick Sardine Salad with carrots, celery, yogurt, dijon and capers.

Then I put the salad in a warp with some arugula.

I was right. I loved the sardines. The taste reminded me of smoked salmon with a tuna consistency. Although they were good, I still think I prefer tuna or smoked salmon over the sardines.

The whole lunch was the wrap, with some grapes and cherries and a few Food Should Taste Good Cheddar Chips, which taste just like a Doritio only much better!

This meal gave me just enough fuel to power me through the next 3 hours of top to bottom cleaning. After being away, having 2 dogs, and not being around much, it was time to get down to business and put on my cleaning shoes.

I don't know about you, but once I start cleaning, I literally can not sit down or stop until it's completely done and immaculate. Tiring it may be, but nothing compares to the feeling of clean satisfaction when it's all done.

Oh, and in the middle of the cleaning spree, I even found a few moments to prepare dinner for tonight.

Gazpacho

1/2 Red Onion, Diced
1 Cucumber, Diced
1 Zucchini, Diced
1/2 Green Pepper, Diced
5 Tomatoes, Diced
2 Stalks of Celery, Diced
2 cloves of Garlic, Minced
2 TBL Red Wine Vinegar
1 Cup of v8 Vegetable Juice, Spicy Flavor (if you can find it)
6 splashes of Hot Sauce
Salt, Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, reserving 1/2 of the chopped veggies. Process mixture until smooth. Add remaining chopped veggies and stir. Chill for a few hours.

Once I was ready to eat dinner, I pan seared some shrimp in EVOO and garlic, added chopped avocado, fresh basil, and homemade croutons. Lastly, I sprinkled on a touch of feta.

Ridin' solo tonight.

The Gazpacho was excellent. This was actually my first time making or even eating Gazpacho. Seriously surprising because I love any kind of tomatoey vegetable soup, stew, pasta, etc. I wasn't sure how much I would dig the cold soup thing, but it was delightfully refreshing. Some vino complemented the soup so well and I found that the sweet grapes were such a great cleanser in contrast to the spice of the soup.

Now I can finally situation my behind on the couch and just relax. I'm already looking forward to Friday!

Do you have one day of the week that you reserve for chores? Sundays are the day that we shop, clean, and prep for the week.

Here Comes the Bride

2010-08-21T20:00:00.001-04:00

I had a fabulous afternoon.

Jen and I were invited to our friend, Sarah's bridal shower. She is getting married on the weekend that we will be in Connecticut for the 1/2 marathon. We were both bummed that we won't be able to make the wedding, but at least we could celebrate her bridal shower.

Before Sarah arrived, Jen and I broke open the bottle of wine.

As we sipped and talked, Jen confessed to me that she thinks of me as her "drinking friend" because the only time she ever is really able to enjoy a drink is when she is with me. I took this as a huge compliment and will honor this role in her life. ;)

Shortly after we settled in, Sarah arrived to her surprise shower.

She was definitely surprised.

I've known Sarah since junior high and we became pretty close in high school. When we left for college, we didn't talk very much, but recently reconnected last year. Sarah is definitely one of those good friends that will remain close to my heart for life. Her and I even ran our very first race together!

Lunch was served at the shower which was a nice spread of all kinds of yummy picnic foods.

I had a bit of everything. Fruit and Veggies, Chips and Taco Dip, a taste of potato, macaroni and pasta salad and some pretzels and wheat thins.

For dessert, one of Sarah's bridesmaids made BEAUTIFUL cupcakes. They were almost too pretty to eat.

I'm not the biggest fan of chocolate cake, but I did taste a bit of Jen's and it was quite tasty. The cappuccino frosting was to die for.

We played the obligatory bridal shower games.

This one is my favorite. We all have to answer questions about the bride, while her fiancée has already given his answers. For every answer that didn't match, Sarah had to chew a piece of gum.

After the party, I came home and hung out with the boys.

Eventually, we knew if dinner was going to be on the grill like planned, we needed to get it going because rain threatened.

Good thing the rain held off because this dinner had to be made on the grill.

Grilled Salmon Pitas

Grilled Chicken Pita (for Toly)

I also put together some side salads and broccoli.

We LOVE this meal. Grilled salmon in a warm chewy pita with hummus, tomato, feta, spinach and homemade cucumber sauce.

After dinner, we headed out to pick up a Red Box movie and some dessert.

This is the perfect size for someone like me who loves and has NO CONTROL with ice cream but ice cream doesn't necessarily love me back.

We are about to watch Edge of Darkness with Mel Gibson. It got good reviews so I'm looking forward to it.

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend everyone! :)

Why Do I Run?

2010-08-21T09:50:00.000-04:00

Another weekend is upon us. What is even more astounding is that these last few weeks of summer seem to be passing me by without any warning. So, in an attempt to savor the last of the season's nectar, I am filling up and fueling up on summer fruits. Are you surprised?

Yesterday's breakfast was made using two summer fruits that I believe are a match made in heaven.

Peach and Blackberry Waffles

What is it about these two fruits that make them so compatible? Maybe it's the harmony of the colors from the glowing orange and deep robust purple. Maybe it's the sweet and velvety texture of the peach paired against the slightly sour and seedy burst of flavor from the blackberry? Whatever it may be, I adore the two components in any form.

2 Whole Wheat Van's Waffles, Vanilla Oikos, 1/2 Sliced Peach, Blackberries, Granola Sprinkle

Strawberries made a guest appearance, though not as enjoyed as the star of the show, they were still tasty.

I had a busy morning but stopped home for lunch and heated up stir fry leftovers.

Stir Fry always heats up beautifully as leftovers.

I worked for the rest of the day and didn't get home until later than normal. When I did make it home, a sudden wave of exhaustion hit me. Fridays are always rough for me. I think my body just runs out of juice by the end of the week.

I laid on the couch watching Real World re-runs with Toly for a few hours.

A little later, we got ready to for our Friday night plans. It was a double date dinner party with our good friends Jen and Brian.

Toly and I brought some take out of sushi and pizza and Jen put together all of the sides.

The menu:

Salad- made by Jen

Sushi

Pizza

And it wouldn't be a party without some kind of frozen mixed drink. Jen pulled out the blender and whipped up some Strawberry Daiquiris.

Cheers!

And dinner was enjoyed by everyone.

We talked about our upcoming trip to Connecticut and started to get excited for our weekend away. Jen and I are running in the ING 1/2 Marathon in Hartford on October 9th. We both agreed that this one is just going to be purely fun, no pressure and just enjoyed!

After dinner we all sat around over big bowls of homemade Blueberry Cobbler made by Jen. I have seriously been craving Blueberry Cobbler all summer and leave it to Jen to be reading my foodie mind.

I don't even have to tell you that this was amazing because everything Jen bakes is amazing, but I'll tell you anyways….it was AMAZING!

Such a great night.

I woke up this morning a little later than intended (sleep felt sooo good!) and I headed out for my long Saturday run.

It was weird because when I started, I really didn't have a mile goal in mind. I just started running and told myself I would stop whenever my body told me to stop. Lately, I've been feeling like I have put a lot of unnecessary pain (as Toly calls it) on my body with my training. Whenever I am in training, I push myself and end up putting a great deal of stress on myself. For me, this is when running starts to take a turn from being something I do for myself and enjoyable, to a form of exertion and challenging. I don't want to ever fear or loath running, I always want it to be something I do for me, so for once, I actually listened to myself and ran purely for enjoyment.

I ended up covering 5 miles in about 43 min. It felt great! I knew I could have kept going and I almost did, but after 5 miles, I could feel a slight pain in my knee and I thought, why push it? You just had a great run and why risk making it anything less?

I walked for about 1/2 mile and called it a good run.

Breakfast oats were up next!

1/4 Cup Scottish Oats, 1/4 Cup Almond Milk, 1/4 Cup Water, 1/2 Banana, Chia and Flax with Berries, Vanilla Almond Butter, Vanilla Oikos and Granola

A great run followed by a great breakfast.

I'm heading out to a bridal shower this afternoon and then I'm not sure what's on tap for tonight. Hopefully just a relaxing night at home, cooking dinner with Toly and then maybe a movie.

What are you running for? I always want to say that I am running for myself, for my sanity, and for my enjoyment, but I know there are times when I start to get in the mindset of running because I feel that I have to. When this happens, I know that I am simply doing too much and I often need to step back and break from it for awhile.

My "Live-It" Approach to Diets

2010-08-19T19:54:00.000-04:00

Good day everyone! At least, I hope it was good. Or better yet, I hope it was great!

Mine, of course it was great! :)

Today, I would like to lightly touch on the issue of dieting. I think I've been feeling compelled to share my thoughts because lately, the word has frequented so many conversations that I have overheard in the past few weeks.

Let me begin my saying, if there is one word I hate more than any other words in the english language (even more than ain't) I hate hate hate the word DIET! When someone tells me they are on a diet, the first question I ask or think to ask them is "so what happens when you stop your diet?" Let's be real, a diet does not last forever. Can you think of one person who has claimed to be and stick religiously to a diet for their entire existence?

Neither can I!

I get this question a lot. "What kind of diet are you on?" I think people just naturally assume that fit people are on a restrictive diet. That it is ultimately impossible to enjoy normal, good-tasting, and even indulgent food and remain in good shape.

For me, I believe in full balance that includes all sources of vital nutrients. Carbs, yes! Protein, of course! Fat, heck yeah! The body is a complex device that needs a variety of all sources of nutrients. You will see all of this in my "diet." I believe in eating mostly whole foods, whole grains, and as natural as possible, but it's also just as unrealistic to think that only eating raw plants is as viable as being on a diet forever.

So, with that, I give you breakfast……

Overnight Banana Oats with Peaches and Raspberries

1/4 Cup Scottish Oats, Strawberry Banana Chobani, 1/2 Mashed Banana, Chia and Flax

Topped this morning with 1/2 a diced peach, fresh raspberries, and some homemade granola. I also splashed on a healthy pour of Vanilla Almond Milk at the end.

Money shot!

I enjoyed these oats so much. I also enjoyed a bowl of organic strawberries and a big glass of iced coffee with my oats.

I was out for a few events and meetings this morning and in between, I passed a Barnes and Nobles so I quickly ran in to see if I could find a much desired book that I have not had a chance to pick up yet.

I've only had the chance to page through it, but it's amazing! BUY THIS if you have not! :)

When I made it home for lunch, I was starving. Thank goodness for the other 1/2 of my Veggie Wrap from Tuesday's luncheon.

I didn't really get the chance to savor this wrap the first time I had it because I was trying to steal bites in between the award ceremony. Today however, I fully got the sense of how amazing this wrap really was.

Chipotle Hummus that was out of this world!!!, spinach, broccoli, carrots, sun dried tomatoes, fresh heirloom tomatoes….truly an awesome wrap!

I also put together a small side salad and had a few pieces of melon. Great lunch!

Look what came in the mail today!!!!

My award and prize money for placing in the 5k last Saturday. So, it's only $5 but it was a small race and I didn't even have to pay the registration fee because my company sponsored it, so this money was hard earned and all mine! ;)

So excited about this!!!

Toly says he expects me to place in all my races now. Ha! I told him to get real and maybe if he starts to run them with me, I might just attempt this challenge.

For tonight's dinner, we were finally able to grill. I made a lovely summer pasta dish with lemon basil fettucini in a white wine dijon pesto sauce with white beans, fresh tomatoes, grilled squash and shrimp.

I served mine on a bed of baby spinach and topped with a bit of herbed goat cheese.

Fantastic!

Toly's pasta was in a white whine garlic cream sauce with corn and grilled chicken.

Garlic Bread.

The whole shabang.

This was great. The White Whine Pesto sauce was light but extremely creamy and delicious. And the lemon basil fettucini (from Trader Joes) was so flavorful. I don't like plain pasta, only ones that are either stuffed or flavored.

So now I have to ask this. What is your take on dieting? I fully feel that everyone should do only what they feel is best for their own bodies and whatever they truly feel is best for their souls. But when it comes down to it, diets are just not for me and will never be!

Summer Lovin'

2010-08-18T19:44:00.000-04:00

I am no meteorologist, but I dare say the daylight may be getting a wee bit scarce with every day we get deeper into this month.

After I finished my run this morning, I noticed that the sun hadn't even attempted to peak through. Usually, I see a glimpse of light when I walk home from the gym. How unfortunate! I'm really not ready for summer to end.

The many reasons I love warm summer mornings is being able to cool down with the splendid bowl of overnight oats. Last night, I had this idea come to mind and put it into reality this morning.

Banana Split Overnight Oats

Last Night: 1/4 Cup Scottish Oats, Strawberry Banana Chobani, 1 tsp Chia and Flax

This Morning: Splash of Almond Milk to loosen everything up

I sliced a banana in half and piled the cold oats all over. Then I added a few sliced strawberries, blueberries, sprinkle of granola and a drizzle of chocolate almond butter. All topped with a cherry of course!

Oh, and iced coffee. Another reason why I am not ready for cold mornings. Iced Coffee is like nothing else, but I imagine I won't be feeling it once the fall hits.

I had a reader ask me if I could do a post on what goes into my salads. I actually get this question a lot and to be completely honest, I wish I had some kind of logical framework to share with you all, but I don't. My salad inspirations purely comes from whatever I have on hand. Literally, I put just about every single thing in my fridge into my salads.

Today, I did a repeat of Monday's Pizza Salad.

I first based this with a layer of baby romaine and spinach then added a fresh tomato, cucumber, white beans and drizzled it with balsamic. Then I cut up a slice of leftover crab and spinach pizza and made "pizza croutons" out of it. Lastly I added a spoon of hummus to give it that creamy consistency.

See what I mean? No logic! Most people would never imagine to cut up leftover pizza and put it in a salad, but this is just how my unconventional mind works in the kitchen.

When I got off work, I made it to the gym for some light lifting. Still feeling Jillian's effects today, so a few upper body moves was all I needed tonight.

I cam home to my boys anxiously awaiting my return.

Okay, so maybe they weren't waiting by the door and kissing my feet as I walked in, but I'd like to think they were.

It's Wednesday Night and that could only mean one thing.

BFD of course!

Toly seems to think it's been a long time since our last BFD, so our egg sammies were well overdue.

Egg BLT Sammies

Mine "B" was actually smoked salmon but it works so well in this.

Slightly underdone scrambled egg, mashed avocado, dijon, tomato, and smoked salmon with some crispy romaine on a toasted Everything Bagel Thing.

Served with "overdone" Kale chips.

I can never get kale chips to come out perfect. They are always either well done or not done. Oh well, still very tasty.

Toly had Waffle Fries with his Egg BLT Sammie.

H20 Melon. I think it's reaching the end of the season for this fruit. It was still good, but not that prime watermelon ripeness that we get in mid July.

Even though I don't want summer to end, I do love the introduction to fall. Crisp fresh air, beautiful color changing trees, and……….

the very essence of the season…….

PUMPKIN!

Maybe I am more ready than I think! ;)

What is your favorite season? I have to say mine is definitely summer. I am a beach babe all the way. For me, the hotter, the better. I love the sun, heat, and of course, all of the summer produce.

Nothing Special

2010-08-17T19:45:00.000-04:00

Thank you all for your sweet wishes on our anniversary yesterday. It was truly a wonderful day and Toly and I were so grateful for every single one of them.

Today was nothing special, but simply splendid none the less.

I'm very happy to say that my run this morning was pain free. I swear by the foam roller people. After a 10 min roll last night, my knee felt absolutely fine today.

Breakfast began with a ripe pear and ended with this….

1/4 Cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch, 1/4 Cup Kashi Harvest Wheat, 1 small pear diced, 1/4 Cup Applesauce, a few spoonfuls of Greek Yogurt, Blackberries, 1 tsp Cinnamon PB

I'm not really sure why some Ruby Grapefruits are so pungently red and others are not so much, but this one was gorgeous!

I finished up this delightful breakfast, put on my new dress and was off to start the work day.

I would like to take back my previous statement of today not being very special because I forgot about a special event that I held over lunch. Today, the students that went through my college scholarship program completed their experience and I threw a big celebration award luncheon. We held the lunch at Cornerstone Coffee House, where my good friend and owner, Sue provided the most wonderful catered spread. She even had a special Veggie Wrap made just for me!

It was a spectacular luncheon and seeing Sue always makes my day. Every time I visit, she never lets me leave without giving me a special treat to take with me.

This was their "Sports Nutrition Bar" which was chock full of good stuff. Kasha, Cranberries, Peanut Butter and so much more. I immediately nibbled on the end when I got in my car.

And because Toly is never left out, she even gave him a few little treats to sample.

After work, I decided to make a date with a someone whom I have put on the back burner for awhile. Ms. Jillian Michaels! 30 Day Shred is back! I'm thinking of doing the shreds again but probably only twice a week. I really do love this workout and it's a great way to incorporate strength, cardio, and abs all in 20 min.

After Jillian reminded me how much I ~~hate~~ love her, Toly and I took the pups for a walk and then got started on dinner.

Tonight, I made a Spicy Organe Tofu Stir Fry

Frist, I prepared the tofu and marinated it in a spicy orange sauce (store bought). Then I sauteed a frozen veggie mix of green beans, edamame, and carrot stick with ginger and garlic. I added fresh broccoli, pepper and mushrooms and a little more sauce.

To go with the stir fry, we had brown rice.

Well, I had brown rice. Toly had fried rice with orange chicken.

He deemed this one of the best stir fries I have ever made. I agree, it was quite good!

Oh but one more reason why today is special, Chase Utley has returned from the DL! The Phillies are whole again (well minus Howard but hopefully he will be back soon).

Off to see my man in action! :)

Two Years Ago Today….

2010-08-16T21:07:00.000-04:00

Two years ago today, I kissed this man in front of our closest family and friends…...

Two years ago today, I cried tears of joy as we expressed our most intimate words of solum love….

Two years ago today, I married by soul mate, my other half, my best friend.

I love sharing my life with him and thank God every day for leading me to everlasting, unconditional and purposeful love.

We told each other that we were not going to do anything today because Vegas was our present to each other and we made our special dinner last night. But the more we thought about it, the less logic there was in this concept. Celebrate some more? Why the heck not?

Today, it was back to the grind. I have to admit, I was a little sad to hear my 4am wake up call. It's been nice not to be on a schedule. But, reality is what it is and I obliged to the routine and made my way on my run.

I haven't run 6 miles in over a week, and the run itself felt good, but the knee pain did not. I'm not sure if it was because I was still feeling sore from all the lunges in Body Pump or maybe I'm still adjusting to the new shoes, but I seriously hope this little pinch is curable with some rolling and stretching.

One aspect of the weekly routine that was significant missed was yogurt. It's been too many days that I've gone without Greek Yogurt and I wasn't about to spend one more morning without a cereal/yogurt/fruit bowl.

1/2 small mango, kiwi, pineapple, blueberries, Pineapple Chobani, 1/4 Cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch, Granola Sprinkle, Chia and Flax

What's missing here? Oh, nut butter!

I'll fix that!

1/2 Homemade Zucchini Muffin with Almond Butter

More fruit? Why not. Truth be told, the strawberries were in the way of the blueberries and when I pulled them out, they looked so good, so I threw some on the plate for good measure.

Yes, I eat A LOT of fruit. I never deny this, I only embrace it. You should too!

Telling you that work was busy would be an understatement. Obviously taking a week off at the start of my busy season would only come back to bite me in the butt, but I love a challenge.

I had to make a few appointment visits in the early afternoon and came home to grab a quick lunch.

I had the BEST idea of how to consume the leftover pizza.

Pizza Salad anyone?

I cut up a slice of the crab/spinach pizza and made pizza croutons for my arugula, tomato, cucumber white bean and balsamic salad. It was perfect! I didn't even heat up the pizza. Just as delicious cold.

More fruit. Yeah, surprising, I know.

When I got back to work, I had a wonderful surprise waiting for me at the front desk.

Someone sent me flowers!!!!

Gorgeous!!!

Now, what was not so gorgeous was the effect of trying to carry this gigantic vase of flowers out to my car in an el nino type of storm.

I slipped, flowers went flying, vase shattered, and I was left picking up glass in the middle of the parking lot in a torrential down pour.

I may not have survived, but at least the flowers made it.

I was down but not out because we had very exciting plans to go out to our favorite restaurant to celebrate our anniversary.

Gosh, we love this place!

I've definitely been consuming my fair share of vino lately, but there is no way I could pass up a toasting opportunity on a very special night.

I picked an unordinary choice for me.

A Sparkling Rosa Regale.

I was so delicious. Slightly sweet but not overly sweet, refreshingly bubbly and an excellent accompaniment to my meal.

Cheers to two years!

To begin, Toly and I split the Romaine Salad (which was basically their signature caesar salad)

Toly had the chef make is "off the menu" speciality. And I can't begin to tell you how many times we asked the waitress what this dish is called and how many times she told us. Do you think either of us remember remotely what it is called? Nope. We will ever? Probably not. So let's just call it "Toly's Dish."

Capatani Pasta in a garlic cream sauce with spinach and topped with crispy fried beef straws

If anyone knows what this Italian pasta dish is called, please enlighten us!!

I went with the Cioppino.

This was loaded with so much beautiful seafood. Clams, Mussels, Shrimp, Calamari, White Fish, Scallops….in the most amazing tomato and garlic broth. It was incredible!

We passed on dessert, both agreeing that we've been on a sugar overload from all of the sweets this past week.

It was such a wonderful night. I'm so happy we decided to celebrate one more day.

Thank you all so much for your sweet anniversary wishes! Toly and I are both so grateful!

Peace Love and Serendipity

2010-08-15T21:40:00.000-04:00

They often say that once you are married, the years just pass you by. Honestly, this statement is more true to me every day. I can't believe it has been two years since Toly and I confessed our lifelong commitment.

Tonight, we spent the evening celebrating the past two years together.

It started with a bottle of this….

We sipped some wine while we got started on our traditional anniversary pizza making.

Something so romantic about rolling dough, no?

We opted for individual pizzas. Mine was spinach and crab and Toly's was Buffalo Chicken.

Once the pizzas came out of the oven, I plated them and got ready to enjoy our dinner on the floor in the middle of our living room.

The dogs were quite excited to see us sitting on the floor and wanted to share the love with us. We couldn't resist!

As we nibbled on our homemade pizzas (which were delicious might I add) we sipped our wine and laid on the floor watching our wedding video. It was perfect.

A little while later, we popped in my favorite movie, Serendipity and I pulled out the most fitting mug for the event.

I picked this up at the Serendipity Cafe in Vegas. So perfect for me and words I choose to live by!

Along with some hot coconut coffee, we shared a bowl of Tiramisu for Two!

This night could have not been any more amazing!

I am truly a blessed wife and thank God every day for giving me my one and only soul mate.

Happy Anniversary Baby!