SociallyGreen

Day 2: Walking & Juicing

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:10:00 +0000

After work yesterday M and I decided to go for a walk around the river. We live right next to the Charles River here in the Boston area and we never take advantage of our amazing routes.

We did 3.5 miles (7,000 steps) in an hour. Not too shabby for my first time walking without stopping. I can't find my awesome Weight Watchers pedometer (I love that thing... the only good thing that came from the program lol well $30 later!). This one was from work. They were free from United Healthcare. I can't complain. It works!

Now I just have to keep this up. I think I'll have to wake up Nicci for early morning walks around the city while at HLS in Philly... a great idea right? Lol.

I brought my juicer to work today. I realized I'm here for 8-10 hours a day, and the best thing to do is to have it here since lunch seems to be the most delectable meal for me. It's hard because when I don't shop on the weekends, I have no food for work.

Hoping the day goes by quickly. Work is extremely slow. On the other hand, here are a few things that have been keeping me happy throughout summer...

8-Minute Abs App that I just found (M's cousin does this and he said it's hard, but it works... starting today, *wish me luck*)

Cleotis, the ashy lobster from Newburyport, MA

Jack, our boat host and bartender (he treated myself and my co-workers great while serving drinks, but when the boat almost tipped over he thought it was hilarious...NOT!)

My Jack Lalane juicer

Carrots that are larger than large cucumbers... and ORGANIC!

Spring rolls from Hannaford. The sushi chef is amazing!

Future (and current) mother in-laws :)

Non-fat caramel macchiato from Starbux

and... NOT having roommates (by the way, this is awesome, Dale!!)

Until next time!

Work, StyleHouse, Juicing & HLS... OH MY!

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:15:00 +0000

Lots to do at work and so little time for personal stuff. Good thing is... hotel is booked for HLS in Philly, ticket is bought... bad thing is, I didn't buy a ticket yet. I didn't realize the financial stress in starting an online retail business. I'm starting small, yes, but there is a lot of expenses involved.

I'm still in the process of adding merchandise to the site, but it's hard when you have to deal with working a full-time job, then preparing for a presentation after work along with reading up on more technology and reading two books for another sales training during the second week in August. Wow!!

On the positive side... I've been juicing now for about a month. I feel fabulous and I lost 5lbs in the first week. I was a bad girl this weekend and went out Saturday night like I've never had alcohol before... BAD IDEA! Not only was I horribly hungover, but I ate a ton on Sunday night, making me extra bloated by Monday morning, YUCK! I had lost a ton of water weight, just to see it come back in my face. I started juicing again Monday morning and after a few days feel great already.

Today's not over yet, but I'm staying on the straight and narrow from this point forward. Maybe I'll go on a Fun-Run in Philly for HLS??? I don't know... we'll see! Maia is not here for me to run or walk with, so I'll have to go at it alone. She is in NH with my parents for this month since I'm so busy. She's had a dog walker and is meeting new friends. This is her and Maggie!

Today's lunch is spring rolls. I didn't feel like driving to Whole Foods, so I stopped at the local grocer and picked it up. The chef is great and makes it fresh for you :)

That's all for now. Back on the grind!!

Healthy Living Summit 2011- 71 DAYS & Counting!

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:38:00 +0000

Not only have I not blogged in 2 months due to work and traveling, but I've also been emersed in the social aspects of life. Rekindling the flame with M, friends, family and the co-workers.

One good thing that I did do was to finally buy myself that golden ticket to HLS 2011 in Philly. Woohoo!

Who's going???? ;)

Let the countdown begin!!!

Whole Foods vs. Trader Joe's

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 13:16:00 +0000

After work last Thursday I headed to WholeFoods because I refused to go back to Trader Joe's for gluten-free foods. I'd rather spend the extra money at WF and less time. Trader Joe's disappointed me greatly, and I had to ask a store associate every time I ended up looking for something that was gluten-free. Instead of having it all in one isle (like WF), it was scattered all over the place.

I've done a pretty good job this week of not eating as much wheat-based foods. I did have pasta, but after a few bites I was full and felt nasty. I ended up deciding that if I was going to feel this way after eating grains, I might as well just go gluten-free. There's actually a few people in my office that are gluten-free, which is great! Great way to keep me motivated too!

I grabbed my first-ever gf breads at Trader Joe's after going in circles for 15 minutes.

I didn't think I'd get through the first bag in a week, but I'm almost finished with my "home supply". I grabbed one for the office and one for the house. Then I have no excuses! This one is mainly from brown rice flour. I don't like the 'starch' part, but I'll go with that over being bloated any day.

I was 100% sure that el manzo wouldn't be too happy with my Udi's so I grabbed a wheat tuscan bread for him. He also requested snacks so I got edamame and green bean crunchies for him. I'll have to review those when the time comes, just to get his opinion of them, from someone that likes the junkfood ;)

I've never tried their frozen foods, so I'm starting with burritos.

I haven't bought milk that's opened like this in forever. It reminded me of the good ol' days before plastic milk jugs were popular.

Brown rice spaghetti pasta and tortillas. This should be interesting trying these. I'm scared, but I guess we'll see.

I'm no huge sardines fan, but on some good bread this could be yummy.

While I put away groceries I sipped on Naragansett. Haven't had this since our 'lady friends' in P-town were getting M and I drunk. Haha. Ahhh memories!

Gluten-free gooooodieeeeeeeees! I can't WAIT to make these. This comes from a local producer. I think it's important to support local brands. I did however notice that the cookies and the cake require me to add vanilla. I'll have to grab that. Not something I keep regularly. I should be making more things from scratch, but... one step at a time!

A couple of morning shakes. I'll probably drink half per day just to get my vitamins down before I head to work. They're energizing as well so that's a plus.

I can't wait to try this Fusilli!

M's tuscan bread grilled cheese came out good. My Udi's just soaked up all the cheese, and I had heartburn from the tomato soup. No more grilled cheese for this girl I guess. The soup I can't quit, but the bread didn't doo too well when headed up. Next time I'll have to toast it instead, panini style.

Overall I think Whole Foods would be the way to go for me. It's larger than Trader Joe's and even though everything at WF is $3.99 or $5.99 and it can be a bit pricey, I'd rather shop where I can be in and out and get the products that are important to me at this time which are gluten-free (in one isle), and M's Bolthouse Farms carrot juice :)

Where do you prefer to shop for groceries? Whole Foods or Trader Joe's?

Shopping Madd

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:11:00 +0000

It must be spring, or this new birth control. I'm a freaking maniac lately when it comes to seeing something that I want, and whining until I get it. I have to say though... I'm not one for material things. I know how to go about getting a good deal or matching expensive things with affordable things. Foods at Lord & Taylor matched with leggings from Forever21. Stop playin.
I got some good deals from the web this week.

These babies scared me a bit when I opened the box. First of all I got a great deal. Down from over $200 I only ended up spending $88 via Zappos and got a free shipping code via CouponCabin. All leather, prime stiching, and the inside is insulated. Also the soles are wooden. Cowboy style. It wasn't the easiest getting my foot in for the first time because of the fact that I have an extremely high arch in my foot. My baby toe also hated me in the morning, but throughout the day it got better. Good thing my job doesn't require me to stand up all day. Overall I absolutely love them! They're nice and tight and up to my knee. Usually because my legs are long and slim (the lower part anyways haha), around my calf its usually too big, but these were perfect.

These are my first pair of Seven7's and I have to say I've probably never... wait... NEVER EVER worn such a comfortable pair of jeans... in my life! Another thing that I like is that the rips in the front of the jeans are patched underneath, so they're not going to tear anymore should I get down and dirty "in da club" lol. Kidding. I should have came down to 31 on the size but I'm sure they'll shrink in the wash.

What have been some of your favorite buys so far this 2011? Any new trends for the Fall you want but maybe don't want to spend the money on?

Working from home today so I've got to get to work #TGIF :)

Fruits & Veggies 'R' Us

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:41:00 +0000

The weekend was sunny yet windy here in Boston. I chilled home with Maia on Saturday and cleaned (long overdue), did laundry, cooked, and we had a time at the dog park.

On Sunday I did a little bit of shopping and hanging with my besties... Here's the little one... she found some goodies in my glove box. Guess I should clean that out.. Hot mess dot com!

Photo shoot in the car...

No sleep due to a dog that just won't sleep in her own bed. Somehow she sneaks in between M and I. Haha he gets sooooo mad.

Trying to get on the right track with Lots of fruits and veggies for the fridge at work and my awesome company even provided bagels and fruit for breakfast. Slam dunk!

I did good with my veggie day. Usually my stomach gets soft and nauseating. But I was fine. From not being as full I actually didn't crash after lunch!

The blog design is here! I'm super excited. I know you're thinking "about damn time!" lol.

Night!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

New Blog Design Coming Soon!

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:08:00 +0000

This past weekend just flew right by. Saturday we attempted to have a girls night. Didn't quite happen that way (note to self- only go out with girls who really want to have a 'night out' ;) lol). Sunday went to Ben's all-star game in NH, head still sore from spending all day Sat in te salon. I really need to relax.

The hair was a success.

I'm still cooking and trying new things. Chicken breast in butternut squash soup my friends. Parsley, onion, Paprika, an Lawry's :) Of course!

I was excited to have some leftovers for lunch yesterday however, M came home after ball like a beast and ate it een though he knew he wouldn't be hungry that late. I guess I shoulda known better.

Maia is feeling a bit better. Thank God. Gettin her to take a half pull and meds from a surrenge is a hot mess!

Also obsessed with our new convection oven at work. This thing does it all. That'll be my net appliance after the blender. A girl has to bake!! So now I can make grilled sammies at lunch :)

Last bit of info here.. I'm getting a new blog design with help from The Pixelista (www.thepixelista.com). I was thinking about this last year, but now I know for sure that it's time! I should have it up by Monday :) I'm so excited!

Well I'm off to get to work. Happy hump day!

- Q

I Have a Case of the 'Mondays'

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:21:00 +0000

I have to say... I'm ready for a new official blog design. I would like to keep the same theme and name for now. Any suggestions for a good web designer? Do you suggest Wordpress or Blogger for management?

I've just begun my day at work and have oats and coffee to get me started. Thank God for a sweet kitchen!

I also got a new hairdo to get Spring started off right. 9:30am to 4:30pm at the salon. I'll share pics later.

Happy Monday!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Playing Nurse Q

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:47:00 +0000

I've been gone too long. Everytime I get into the swing of things with blogging and writing, something comes up.

Q's Bed and Breakfast is going to be shut down this weekend and I don't care who wants to visit. I'm exhausted and enough is enough. With M's family-owned business we get a lot of family visitors in and out which is great, but he's had a fever for four days and I've been taking care of him. I'm beat. Just exhausted and tired.

I hate getting out of my daily routines. It makes me a crazy person. Sure I like to live on the edge and be spontaneous but I can't do that when I'm tired and things aren't getting done. Plus I like to be productive at work (well not at lunch time lol).

I've been cooking soups (thank you CrockPot) which I've prepared when stopping in at lunch to check on M. Cleaning half-ass-style. Trying to give Maia as much attention as possible (more on her first day at daycare later haha). And last night we spent a few hours in the ER because M's so dehydrated. Everytime he asks for food I make it. Then he's not hungry. You should see the kitchen. Wait... maybe not. It's not pretty.

Oh... little brother scored his 1,000th point last night and last week he got a McDonald's All-American award. He's ranked #3 in NH. I'm so happy for him. I couldn't make it for the celebration last night and can't make senior night tonight. We all know graduation is the most important though ;)

I'll have some updates and pictures this weekend hopefully. I go picture happy and I get mad when I can't share them.

Back to work now. Miss y'all!

Have I Gone 'Cooking Mad'??

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Eating in moderation is something I’ve been trying to control a bit better lately. It’s so easy to say “Eh, I’ll just have a grilled BLT” at lunch. And the hardest thing is that I act on impulse probably about 50% of the time and about 100% of that activity is having to do with eating or drinking. I love my food and I love my drinks. I love to eat different foods and try different things and I love restaurants (even though I’ve cut back since now having my own kitchen to cook in).

havingcompany+havingyourownkitchen+lovingtocook+havingleftovers= gainingweight:(

Well... my weekend involved having company... again. What can I say? We like to entertain. We like to have guests. We know a lot of people. Sometimes that's a bad thing, sometimes it's a good thing.

I got two wisdom teeth out on Saturday morning and came right home with gauze still in my mouth and cut up veggies and threw some frozen chicken into the crock pot, set it for four hours, took pain killers and passed out on the couch. The runny nose began and my cold finally hit its peak. FML. Seriously.

I ate my soup, with Maia all up in my bowl. LML. Then went back into the kitchen to make my banana pudding. What’s wrong with me? Can’t I just sit down and let myself heal? Apparently not.

While I wrapped up the last stages and gave my whipping arm a rest I had one of these...

Why does my life always end up this way?? Hmm?? ;)

A friend of ours had a birthday celebration and I originally said I’d go. Then realized I should probably stay home and let my mouth unswell. With painkillers I was fine so we went out. We were supposed to bowl but Kings was packed. We played pool and had a couple of drinks. By the end of the night they were ready to bowl at 12am. Our lane was ready. I was ready for bed. We took off and hit the sack.

M had work the next morning and I slept until 10:15am. This is sooo not me. I was up all night sneezing and coughing and blowing my nose. Maia gave me the stink-eye a few times. She hates me sometimes haha. M’s parents were coming by so I knew that I needed to get up clean the entire house and go grocery shopping. I came back cleaned some more (because I’m a psycho) and got to making tacos and a spinach bread bowl in a marble bread bowl (sour dough and pumpernickel). Good stuff.

While I sat and had a glass of water (with my crazy ass self), Maia proceeded to continue to bite her fingernails. She’s sharpening them. I don’t know maybe she’s planning to kill me in my sleep or something. Psycho dog I have. Look at these claws.. why!!

Look at those nails. I had to cut them again this morning. She WILL be going to the doctor's this Saturday for her annual exam and hopefully we can check out a couple of doggy daycares in the area. This little lady needs to get off her hiney and mingle. She needs a man! Haha.

So anyways, instead of going home and having a "stress relaxer" aka "a glass of wine", I’ve made this my first night of BodyRock.tv. Zuzana Light is just insane with her workouts. I’ve decided to take it slow but this year getting in shape for summer does not need to be an option. It’s a goal that I’ve set extremely high for myself. I used to be a basketball and volleyball player. The past 9 years I’ve turned into a slob. I have no energy and I’m exhausted. It’s time for a change.

Happy Humpday!

- Q

Dinner for One

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 00:28:00 +0000

I've got the worst cold I've probably ever had. Mostly because of the sore throat. I honestly think that the infection in my wisdom tooth may have caused the sire throat. It happened go a friend of mine. I don't even really eat sweets! Like hardly ever! I think I just didn't have te best teeth to begin with. A nice smile and white teeth doesn't always mean they're healthy ;) come on... I know I have nice teeth...

See!! Hahaha I had to. Okay it's not really me with Travis Garland, it's my face in the hole of a cheerleader via www.faceinhole.com :) I love it!

I received a sweet-ass Xmas gift from a good friend last night. We had Margaritas and caught up.

How cool is this?! Haha she knows that I absolutely love social media (hence the name SociallyGreen). I love my Twitter!!! @SociallyGreen baby!

Today I tried to stick with light food. I had a salad and yogurt. I live Fit&Light... But then... I saw one of the top ingredients is ASPERTAME!!! Gag!! There's like no way to keep healthy and keep bad things out of my body. I was so proud of myself too. I guess I should have stayed with the Oikos. Mental note to add that to this weekend's shopping trip! Also, every try GlassLock containers?? Are these things not te shizzle fo-shizzle? I love throwing them in the dishwasher and not having to worry about food stains or leaks. I need to but more since I only have two.

M basically went to eat at a Spanish restaurant for dinner... THEN came home, said he wasn't hungry, so I was left to fend for my sick self :( I'm giving him hell for this lol.

Completely devoured this! Now time for tea and Desperate Housewives season two. M's obsessed. PS- you didn't hear that from me! ;)

Night!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

New Site Feed Address

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:31:00 +0000

My new site feed is below:

http://www.sociallygreenguru.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

For some reason I never figured out that it was NEVER right. I just can't believe it. It's been over a year. Haha. Yes that's my life for ya ;)

- Q

Chicken Broccoli Garlic Alfredo

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 20:13:00 +0000

Anyone who lives alone with a boyfriend knows that there will be moments when... wait... I mean 'everyday" when the man's going to ask "What are we having for dinner tonight?" I don't know if every man has this issue or if only mine does. He's constantly hungry. I used to get my nails done but I really think I'm going to have to do it more often. My hands have "HAD IT". He's lucky I'm such a good girlfriend :)

With that said there's much to be done this weekend. Let's see what I can get done today:

Clean house
Come up with a plan for curtains (make them or buy them)
Blog
Create a new budget
Finish Harvesting the Heart

I had a dentist appointment yesterday and found that not only do I need to have one wisdom tooth out but the other one and both molars :( I'm getting it done next Saturday so I'm going to have to deal with it all week. Oh well. As long as I have Tylenol I should be fine. Extra Strength, that is. So I've been indulging in yogurts for breakfast (without granola, wahhh!) and soups and salads for lunch.

Last night I made Chicken Broccoli Alfredo in a Bertolli garlic sauce. At first I was kind of "ehh" about it but it only took about 10 minutes to prep and about another 5 to keep warm while the sauce sat with the broccoli and chicken.

I started off by chopping the chicken before starting the pasta. I like everything to be done at the same time. Is it just me or are you the same way? Lol.

I didn't want to break this pasta, so I let the bottoms get a little soft for about 30 seconds then curled the rest in. A larger pot is on my grocery list but since getting back from Denver and celebrating my birthday last weekend there hasn't been time for anything. More on that later ;)

I bought fresh broccoli. Originally I was going to keep it on the side but M was screaming for it to be included. "It's not 'chicken broccoli alfredo' then!" Lol. Wah. I've never tried Bertolli brand before. I usually just get the plain Ragu alfredo sauces but I decided to mix it up and I'm glad that I did. This one had garlic and parmesan cheese. I told myself that next time I would make my own sauce but did I have time after a day at the dentist and work then rushing to the store and home to let Maia out? Nope. Maybe next weekend we'll try this again but differently? ;)

Thank God for leftovers... he won't be getting any, muhahaha *wicked laugh*.

This was M's. Not mine, just so you know! I tossed some chili powder on top of his since we didn't have any red pepper flakes. This worked out well and he did lick the plate (it's one of his things...)

Ahhh I love my stemless glasses. I knew I'd be in all weekend cleaning, doing laundry, reading, and doing laundry as well as creating a budget so I stocked up on Dos Aquis (Amber), Bare Foot's Cabernet and Moscato. M is in love with Moscato. I think it's the idea of being a guy and drinking yummy wine that tastes like juice.... possibly.

Suzie Orman, beer, and blogging. I'm getting used to the Mac. When they asked me what I wanted at work I suggested a Mac because well I have a Dell and I wanted to try something different, and I'm glad I did! I actually love it. The only problem is the "no Windows Live Writer" part :( Any suggestions on which desktop apps are best for blogging?

Oh and the whole magazine thing... The good part about a magazine is that it's like having "girl-time" without having to really listen to anyone... you can close it when you're done listening ;)

I gotta go finish watching "The Proposal". I can never get enough of this movie, and Ryan Reynolds is always delish, of course!

- Q

Seriously, Snow?!

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:43:00 +0000

So long beautiful Denver weather... hello snow!! New England, I missed you! But not this much!

Snow today, snow tonight and even more snow tomorrow night :( Why?!!! Why me?! Wait... I guess this is what I get for not ever wanting to move. I'm a New Englander, damnit!

Reasons why I love New England:

#1- Boston Celtics
#2- Boston Bruins
#3- New England Patriots
#4- Boston Red Sox
#5- I get 4 seasons, fall foliage being one of the best things that's ever happened to me. If you don't live in NE I can send ya some foliage. No?

Hello?!! And really that's about it. Many people were stuck in traffic this morning. 95 is currently a parking lot and well... I take all back roads here and my commute is 15 minutes... in traffic :D Hey, I deserve it! I'm happy to say that I'm no longer a commuter :)

So this is my first week at my new company. There's so much to learn and so much to do so I'm going to keep this short.

Last Monday I was in Denver, CO for a week of insanity. Everyone is so smart and so passionate about what they do, and the company. Who wouldn't want to work here!? I'll share some pics of the city next time, but for now, this girl is out.

Later gatahs!!

I’m Leaving On a Jet Plane…

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:55:00 +0000

What a wild wild weekend. The fam came to visit and bring Maia back home, and you know what happens when they come by… the madness breaks out! Everybody talking loud, Maia throwing her toys and chasing them, M and my dad talking over eachother about sports, my mom telling me how to scrapbook even though I know how. HOT-MESS! Hahaha.

And this is what I woke up to ^. Those 6 months when my parents had her and I was pimping all over he world and moving to the new place.. I didn’t realize how much sleep I was getting in. Not anymore! She literally jumps on my chest and pounces down and starts making semi-growling noises.

My beef stew in the crock pot was a success. We were too greedy to take pics while we ate, but I do have some before shots.

I went a little overboard on veggies, but is that ever a problem?! I added onion, green pepper, carrots, celery, and potatoes. M was asking me last night if we should have some as leftovers while we watched some movies. I declined and so he made us salad… and I’m glad because I finally watched this-

Honestly I was scared to even watch it because everyone I asked about it said that I’d never look at meat the same. I always considered going vegan due to the fact that my body is sensitive to cheese and some other milk products, but giving up meat is a huge thing for me. I grew up in the south where you have meat with every meal. After seeing what really goes on, like adding filler that’s been cleaned in ammonia to hamburger meat (aka McDonald’s and other fast food joints that purchase this meat), I was done. I’ve eaten filler without even knowing it?! That’s so disgusting!

I saw the way they treated animals such as chickens who were engineered to grow quicker than they were supposed to. They could only take a few steps, and they they’d fall. Some were laying on the ground dying. Baby chickens were dropped down a chute and picked out one by one and held down onto a machine that basically shot their head and killed them. They just kept grabbing them one by one and it sounded like someone was popping a gun repeatedly. I watched it to the end and it was insane.. but I’m glad I finally did.

With that said, M will have some leftovers while I’m gone this week because… my friends, I’ve decided to leave the staffing industry. After being mistreated by multiple managers, my #1 goal for this year will be to put myself first. I’ve treated myself with the minimum respect this year just to get through things, thinking that it would just make me stronger. But I realized… I’m already strong. I just need to surround myself with family and friends and people who will help me be a better person.

So with that said… an old friend/co-worker that I worked in ‘hell’ with back in 2008 (working for our boss was like watching Devil Wear’s Prada x2 ) made me an offer that I couldn’t refuse and asked me to work for her. Thank God we moved and this opportunity came along because now I feel like things are falling into place. This is proof that everything happens for a reason. So now it’s off to Colorado for a week of getting to know my new co-workers and my new company

M and I finally moved out together, got a place closer to the city, and Maia is coming home! Since I didn’t notice my itinerary said that I’d be back on Friday my parents had to take her back home because M has a crazy week as well It’s alright because I will get to pick her up this weekend when I return. That’s my baby!

Before I pack I’ve got to finish up my light breakfast and coffee then get my paperwork together. I’ll be checking in from Denver, friends!

- Q

Happy New Year, Happy New Life?.. I Sure Hope So!

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 13:41:00 +0000

So... my New Year's was spent packing and moving. All this time of living with the future in-laws, roomates and then the in-laws again, I'm happy to announce that M and I have finally moved out on our own, and just outside of Boston so I no longer have a crazy commute :) Comcast didn't come until last night and today we get our couches.
...and I'm blogging via BlogPress for iPhone in bed :) I did however find some sweet stuff...

My newfound Hoover love, I named her Regina.

Do you know how long I've wanted a crock pot?!! And it came with a cookbook with a ton of awesome recipes in it. Also there's a timer so I can "set it and forget it"! The spicy beef may be the first thing on the menu.

Our "to-do" list is a mile long and we still have a million things in storage. I just want curtains up in the livingroom, kitchen and bathroom then I'll feel comfy.

Eating some quick chicken soup for lunch before I get to more cleaning and organizing. Once we get fully organized I'll have a house tour and my baby Maia will be home this weekend so we'll have to celebrate.
Happy New Year!
- Quisha

Holiday Faves- Banana Pudding & 5 Cheese Mac ‘n’ Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 15:41:00 +0000

When we all come together over the holidays, there’s two things everyone knows will always be on the menu: 5 Cheese Mac ‘n’ Cheese, and Banana Pudding. This usually involves my mom screaming at everyone to get out of the kitchen so she can cook, but I’ve perfected both of these on my own time, so she was open to having me help this year

Dad had me cut bananas while he lined the pans with vanilla wafers.

We made 4 of these in 8x8 pans, so we needed 4 boxes of Jell-O vanilla pudding. This requires about 3 cups of milk per box, so 12 cups in all. There’s no substituting skim or non-fat milk. 2% the least. You need the consistency with this brand and the thickness. We didn’t need to put the pudding in the fridge either, which saved time. First step is to layer the bottom of the pan with vanilla wafers and then top it with banana slices. Do this until the pan is filled to the top. Mix the pudding and let it sit in the fridge if it’s too watery but you can usually just top the dish with it. I drop the pan a few times (or like 10 times) until the pudding gets into the cracks. When it’s finished and you take a scoop out, you want to make sure all of the wafers are coated with enough pudding so that they’re not still “cracker hard”. Top with whipped cream.

Top with whipped cream and let it sit in the fridge for at least 5 hours. I know it’s a long time to wait but trust me… it’s soooo worth it

We were all full beyond belief but every year we make space!
On to the next:

2lb box of elbow macaroni.

Mozzarella, blended cheese, feta, parmesan, and sharp white.

1 can sweetened condensed milk (if you want it a little sweeter, use two).

Mix one egg, one stick of butter and condensed milk along with one cup of 2% milk to the bowl and mix.

Add cheeses to bowl and combine (you can use fresh parmesan cheese or grated cheese).

When oiling pans, we use our fingers… southern style!!

Cover the pan for the first 20 minutes then remove for another 15-20 minutes and let it get a little brown on top. The length of time depends on the type of pan you’re using. Glass or clay dishes are best.

Ta-da!!!
We treated ourselves with holiday drinks. My sister’s boyfriend is a master drink maker so he did our Captain’s and Egg Nog drink, and we made vodka/raspberry Canada Dry as well. Gotta keep it goin!

Happy Holidays friends!! <3

I'm Exhausted and I Miss You Guys :(

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:44:00 +0000

It's been too long. This is what's going on. Let's keep it brief, shall we??!

I'm 26, soon to be 27 on January 22nd, 2010.
I bust my butt every morning to be to work on time and I'm here early, yet too afraid to go into the office because I'm scared I'll set off the alarm, so I spend money that I shouldn't while I wait for someone else to show up first.
I work live north of Boston so getting here is well over an hour... kill me!!!
I don't work out and I should because I'm experiencing crazy pains in my right hip for the past month. NOT GOOD! Ut oh :(
I miss Maia who's been with my parents for 5 months (almost 6). She will like the new place though!
We got approved for a townhouse closer to the city so I'm excited to be moving in on Jan 1st! WOOHOO FINALLY ALONE!
Maia will be coming home and I need to find a doggy daycare for her to be at a couple times a week just to get her out of the house because my hours are long and I can't be home until 6:30pm every night.
I need to schedule a doctor's appointment as soon as I get insurance because I'm starting to have ovarian pain again (sorry, TMI I know, but it's been awhile and this is as close to a huge long blog update as you're going to get outta me while I'm on break).
I just finished Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks and I realized that I'm in love with his writing style and he's inspired me to write a book- I've been writing since I was little but have realized that I'm not getting any younger.
Planning a new blog layout and focus once we move in together (you guys are gonna love this!) I'm going to make him contribute too haha.

I miss blogging and all of the fabulous people that I've met through it :( I promise to be back as I'll have my own place and M and I will finally have our own office areas and... OUR OWN KITCHEN. Stay tuned for tons of recipes because this man is hungry and let's just say we've got almost 5 years of "Q not cooking" to make up for.

Work is kicking my butt but I promise if you give me a couple more weeks, we'll be back in action. Don't miss me too much! ;)

- Q

P.S.- Sorry no fancy font today... no Writer here on the work PC.

Flax is Your Friend

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 23:29:00 +0000

TGIF!! So much has happened over the past couple of weeks. I've been relaxing and looking for a condo in Boston and I find out I'm being laid off. It's nothing bad I did, they just can't afford to keep me :( Instead of drinking my sorrows away I've decided to take my focus to personal development. This means family, work, and relationships. Oh and I found another job where I'll be starting immediately after my last day at PC. Very happy about that :)
I started eating cereal again. I heard that warm foods are best in the morning because they're easier to digest. Flax has been my friend for the past couple of weeks. It's helping keep me regular (sorry, but it does!!!) and keeps me full up until lunch, which is a MUST. I'm a Stonyfield girl, but while at Target I just decided to grab some Archer Farms organic milk. This is so good. So smooth. I'm going to stick with this for awhile for sure.

A couple of other things that have been making me really happy lately...

Coffee and protein :) Haha.

I had Chicken Mascarpone for the first time at Foccasia. It's a local Italian restaurant. I've been complaining to M that he isn't as spontaneous as he used to be, and he's been trying and this is one of the first steps lol.

The pic is pretty horrible since my iPhone doesn't have a cam, and the lights were very dim. But there was grilled chicken, asparagus, mushrooms, red peppers and cream sauce. Delish! I didn't finish it all and ate a little more at home. Love leftovers!

M made himself a salad the other night and didn't ask me if I wanted one. Now I could have been mad, but I was pretty proud of him... this is like the 4th thing I've seen him make on his own in the 4+ years we've been together haha. Must be a "man thing"... no? Lol. Oh... And he's taking me to Poland with him in October for his class reunion. So I'm brushing up on my Polish or... well I guess learning everything from point 'A' haha.

At least he keeps me entertained... Ha. And look what I found when I was looking through old emails from 2006!

Ahhhhhhhh those were the good ol' days! We go to Cape Cod every spring. This is one of the pics from our first trip there together. There's more but I'll save us both the embarrassment. I was so skinny and happy. This was actually the first weekend that I had without any Endometriosis pain in years.

Relaxation and lots of reading this weekend. Until next time...

6 Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:04:00 +0000

I’m sad to say that I didn’t take any pictures of our famous mac and cheese in the making. I’ve seen a lot of recipes out there, but this one my friends… I honestly felt like I gained 5lbs just looking at it :) haha. If you’re on a diet or trying to cut back on carbs… this isn’t for you. But I will tell you, when you make this, it’ll be the best thing that ever happened to you.

I knew a week in advance that Janet and I would be making Mac & Cheese, so after an appointment that I had made to check out a condo, I decided to stop off for some lunch to just have some alone time. I went to my favorite local spot, Nana7 Steakhouse :)

Edemame, a Philadelphia Roll, a Boston Roll, and a Blue Hawaii. It was like 12pm on the dot but you know what? It was 5pm somewhere! And who says it needs to be evening to have a drink?! ;) Haha. Afterwards I headed home and we got down to business!

Unfortunately I didn’t start taking pictures until we were here:

Here’s what you need:

1 large casserole dish or 3 small/medium sized dishes
2lb box of elbow macaroni
8 large eggs
2 cups heavy cream (or milk of your choice)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (you don’t have to add this but it adds flavor)
1 stick of butter (or 4 heaping spoons of butter)
Cheddar Jack Cheese
Sharp Cheddar Cheese- 2 (keep one to layer the bottom and top of the casserole dish)
Parmesan Cheese
Gargonzola Cheese- 1 container
Feta Cheese- 1 container (Athenos brand)
Mozarella Cheese- 1 pouch (shredded)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Boil the 2lb box of elbow macaroni, strain and put back in the hot pot, immediately add the stick of butter.
Add milk, eggs, and all cheeses. Mix together in pot while still hot to help melt everything together.
Distribute one package of Cheddar Cheese onto the bottom of the casserole dish(es) and save half for the top.
Bake for 30 minutes minimum.
VOILA!

(Don’t mind the low quality photos, these were taken via iPhone.) This mac and cheese is perfect for leftovers. Honestly it’s best when you don’t reheat it.

If you wonder why I’m eating like it’s my job well… I’m on the hunt for a new job. I had a feeling I’d get hit with the ‘L’-bomb, but I didn’t think it’d happen so soon. While I keep looking and use my last 3 weeks with this company to look for something else, I’ll be cooking a lot and hitting the gym even more than I have been (morning and night baby!)

Ever gain weight when you first start to work out? Well I have been and I don’t like it, but I realized that my jeans and leggings are fitting better, so I can’t rely on my scale right now. My goal is to get fit and keep it up.. while eating mac and cheese ;)

Quisha

Sick as a Dog :*(

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:55:00 +0000

Ever get sick and have no clue what you've got? Well that's me right now. It all started on Saturday afternoon on the way to MGM/Foxwoods. I was so excited to hit those Blackjack tables (yes gambling is bad, but not when you're good at it haha, kidding). We sit at a table and go to work, then... the sneezing begins. Uncontrollable sneezing. All I can feel is the breeze blowing over my face from the AC unit SOMEWHERE in the ceiling. These are crucial in such jam packed public places to keep air circulation going and people 'somewhat' free of germs flowing throughout the air. Lucky me... I caught something within the first 10 minutes of being in the place :(

So as people began to leave the table, and I kept sneezing and blowing my nose and pulling out the hand sanitizer... we start winning. Don't hate on our skills! Haha. M did a fabulous job and I.. well, I only got up $50 but then lost the $100 I started with, so not bad, with all of the tissue and sneezing breaks I basically made that money last :)

We head to the hotel and I took some Motrin to rid the sinus headache. Basically it felt like a sinus headache and so I just wanted to get rid of the headache at that point. Woke up and M thought I was some type of zombie. My eyes were bloodshot and dry. We decided to wake up after a 3 hour nap (it was about 9:30p). We didn't eat dinner, so a late dinner it was. I had a chicken cesar salad, he had pizza. We watched some Forensic Files in our hotel room and passed out again. Woke up around 8am to head to Six Flags and meet the friends there. I had my nasal spray and tissues on hand for the ride and only had to use it once.

When we first got to Six Flags I was so excited, but once we started to walk around I was BEAT. Who gets tired from walking quickly?! While D and M hit the water slides me and A sat in the pool with the waves and just chatted. Sun + sickness = throwing up. After a couple more rides and screaming my brains out I decided it was enough. I didn't want to ruin everyones time, but we were at Six Flags for about 8 hours and I was at my whit's end. After the ride I was soaked and slipping all over the place in my sandals and walked to the car vomiting just like this. What a beautiful site. No? Lol.

Showered and read a little and ate some more salad and bread to settle my tummy. Nyquil gel caps and liquids and I was out like a light. I think I woke up once to roll over but that was about it.

Up at 8am for work and here I am. Someone kill me. I'm not even awake and my chest and neck hurts.

Could this be the flu?

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:10:00 +0000

Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.

Shecky’s Girls Night Out 2010- BOSTON

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 13:56:00 +0000

This was my first time at Shecky’s. My friend’s been there a few times now and I was excited to finally be able to go. At first I said I wasn’t spending the $30 because I just didnt think I was that interested in viewing and buying jewelry and clothing from up and coming designers. Hair straighters, lingerie, makeup and cosmetic dealers. It was a bit overwhelming. But… a friend of mine sent me an email with s $20 deal a couple of weeks ago and they still had tix for Friday 3/26 (as long as a certain number of people signed up we could get the $20 deal and we did!!) Overall I’m glad i went.

This is what I was really excited about…

Luce taking off with her Goodie Bag haha. Me… happy… very happy. The hardest part is waiting to sift through the bag. We at least waited until we got back to the car ;)

There were LOADS of vendors there. I did not come with cash because I KNEW it wouldn’t be pretty. But I did grab a bunch of business cards and flyers so that I can look up the websites and email a few of them for some specialized goodies. The best part is that the majority of them were designers so if you saw something that you liked… more than likely no one else will have that skirt or shirt that you found there.

We signed up for the 8:30pm Anhauser-Busch Pairing. Sweets and beer. Who doesn’t like sweets and beer??!! Hello??! Lol. But we took off around 8pm so we didn’t get to do this :(

We ended the night at Clery’s in BackBay. A beer and we were outta there! Exhausted… and in need of the weekend!

I awoke to my awesome bag to really take everything out. I got two of everything! WOOHOO!!

The Goodie Bag is what everyone goes for :) Also the drinks. Everyone got 5 drink tickets that are torn from the wrist band (great idea, no one wants to carry real tickets in their pockets!)

This is what I was most excited about. The Yes to Carrots Hand and Elbow cream and Emergen-C Vitamin D & Calcium (Mixed Berry flavor). I’ve wanted to try both for some time! But today… coffee, relaxation, and more writing.

When she wants to hang out… I don’t object. She’s little, yet feisty!!

Gotta go! Happy Saturday friends!!! :)

Quisha

Channeling My Inner Jillian (Warning, tons of Pics!)

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 02:57:00 +0000

I better look like this after 30 Day Shred:

This woman is out of control. She had me down on the floor begging for mercy within the first 10 minutes! I can’t complain. The greatest part is that I was able to do it OnDemand through Comcast (which a good friend suggested) and I switched it up with some 10 minute abs and yoga. I felt sloppy after and needed to get some energy so I went to the gym and did 20 minutes on the treadmill (5-8 incline) and then 10 minutes on the bike. I kept it interesting for myself, which is something that I NEED to do in order to get a good workout or I’ll die of boredom.

I was so hungry after the WW meeting. I’m down .6 from last week and a total of 6lbs (fluctuating between 6 and 9- I know.. strange). I didn’t eat that well this weekend but my portions were smaller. Basically I grazed and just satisfied my taste for hunger just enough. I’m still not seeing how I’m down .6lbs. Not complaining by any means! However we did walk around Chelsea on Saturday with a friend. Gotta love Boston. Haha. Always something!

At the docks in Chelsea. There’s a ferry to go across the water. A lot of people take this to work in the morning. Coolio!

When I saw this I felt like I was being PUNK’D… Who does that? Honestly!

Ceviche!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Never seen anything like this. It was on someone’s doorstep. Odd but cute.

Work has been a bit stressful with trying to get my Social Media project finalized and keep up with hiring managers who tend to fall off the wagon sometimes. But it’s recruiting… what can I say?! ;)

For lunch I had Butternut Squash Ravioli again. SO GOOD. Honestly I could eat this everyday. And it keeps me full. After lunch I was still a bit hungry so I had a couple of Wheatables with a scoop of PB&Co White Chocolate Wonderful. I drank water today (w/ a drop of blueberry for my antioxidants- one dropper is the equivalent of 8 cups of green tea!!!!) like it WAS MY JOB! I’m proud of that. Not Gatorade… water! I love the juices and Gatorades but I know what my body needed today.

Dinner was a slightly weird combination. All I can say is that after the gym I was extra hungry. All in all I can consume 25 points a day on the WW program. After this meal I evened out at exactly 25 points today!

After-workout-face. You’d look the same after Jillian! Lol.

BAM! Cucumbers and grape tomatos slices with sour cream and some salt and pepper. I went alittle crazy w/ the shredded mozzarella but I didn’t have any meat today and I worked my ass off at the gym so this was my reward :) I added this to some couscous and a veggie burger over spinach fresh outta the salad spinner. P.S. I love my salad spinner.

This is my first one and I wanted to give it a try before I really invested. It was $5 at WalMart. I’ll upgrade once this one breaks. For now I’m all set.

Let’s see… oh yes and I am still an avid Wii Wednesday participant. We go to SixBurner in BackBay. This was Firefly before. No comment on the name lol. Let’s just say its alittle more masculine now! Haha.

So I invented a “green drink” for St. Paddy’s Day for the bartender. I got them for free well… because I’m awesome and I invented it!!

(Sidenote: I’m officially not doing mixed drinks anymore. I was not feeling well the next day. This girl’s sticking to wine.)

Luce, workin the remote…

This was M’s character… Jeb. He says he looks like him and he’s Polish… Haha. No comment.

This was Luce’s avie. She thought she had nice bangs or something?! Lol.

That’s my “no more pictures, seriously!”-face lol.

Okay, definitely time to go home! Haha.

Oh and P.S., I usually look at Luce this way. She’s just really a creative girl haha.

Ending on a funny note…

Lol, I think Elin was going to get a golf club back there haha. Hilarious. I love it!

Sorry for the long post. I had to review my St. Paddy’s Day Wii event. Time for bed. Almost 11p and I should definitely be sleeping already. Nighty night!

Quisha

I Just Fell in Love… with Veggie Burgers!

noreply@blogger.com (SociallyGreen) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:09:00 +0000

But first let me tell you about my day…

So at Weight Watchers… I was thinking that I’d be up a pound, but I’m down half, so that’s better than nothing, right!? Our WW meeting today focused on portion control. A lot of people came up with so many different ideas. So it was good to hear people’s tips and tricks to going easy on portion sizes. What I did to get my home workout pumpin again?

The HR Director at my company’s husband is a professional KettleBell trainer and she’s into it as well, so I asked what I should start with. Her response… The Swing! Check it out.

So I subscribed to this channel the KBellQueen, Lauren Brooks. I love the the quick to the point snippets. Just enough to show you what needs to be done.

Yoga at night and KettleBell workout in the morning… let’s see how this one goes… I’ll have to report back on that one!

On to food!

Last night was Butternut Squash and Veggie Lean Cuisine. I was beat by the time I got home from all the running around and such. I was running off of blueberry multi-grain waffles and scrambled eggs. I was so busy I forgot to eat. Not good, not good. But I think I got all the veggies, protein and whole grains that I needed plus the Apple Juice. Gahhh I love apple juice! :)

My friend usually grabs the gourmet one from the local grocer but she thinks the Lean Cuisine one is better and plus its healthier. The Spa Cuisines have me hooked. They are all natural with no preservatives. Especially for work. I can eat one and I’m full. That’s a lot. Usually I’m like “What, I can eat like three!” But with the veggies and protein in them, they keep my tummy satisfied. I try to eat before I leave the office so that I don’t eat as much at night. I had a sip of red wine and just wan’t impressed with having it last night. Instead of feeling bad for wasting it and feeling like a slob in the morning, I ditched it for some SleepyTime Tea caffeine-free :) The weather was horrible, but I put on Sounds of Nature on my Zune (for some reason the water flowing through the creek always puts me in a deep sleep, plus the people upstairs don’t know the meaning of sleep!), and I was out like a light! I woke up at 6:30am and did some stretches and crunches.

I bought a new supply of Pepperidge Farms Deli Flats. I’m obsessed. I wanted to try it with a sandwich, so I had turkey and cheese for lunch.

I washed it down with some Fuze (20 cals a bottle, 0 WW points- woohoo! and 10 cents goes to Susan G Komen per purchase) and before I left the office I wanted to finish my Bolthouse Farms. This one is by far my favorite. It’s not thick like the other ones. It has that carrot juice taste and you can taste the sweetness of the fruits as well. Super good!

Enter my new obsession:

Keeping portion control in mind, I grabbed a small plate :) I had two of the filling foods on my list as well (sweet corn- no salt added, and lettuce).

I was scared at first, so I added a slice of fat free american cheese, tomato, lettuce and a tiny bit of ketchup. Omigod, I’m hooked! So good. My dog was crying because I wouldn’t give her any haha. This was so good. If all burgers tasted like this I could definitely go vegan. But only one step at a time, I do love cheese but in small portions.

My only upset of the day… I saw that this is from concentrate and has Splenda. BOOOOO! It’s good but I can taste the sugar in it. Ugh! Does anyone have any suggestions for all natural apple juices that are not from concentrate and no sugar added? Due to a food allergy I can’t eat apples because my gums and mouth itches horribly, so when I can drink some fresh and natural AJ, I’m all over it!

I’m still working on my career development and studying for IT Project Management. It’s not easy, but I must. And it’s fun, I won’t lie ;)