Something to (Chew?) On?

Hello, Lovely, Fabulous Readers …

So, it’s the holidays already, huh?

I know so many of us say this every year, but how the heck did it get here so fast?

Anyway, as you can tell by the looks of Eat, Pray, Run, I have not been doing a fantastic job at keeping it updated. And just like the holiday arrival, I don’t know where time has gone and how I missed so many days of writing to my lovely blog readers.

As promised (more than a week ago), Dan will be guest blogging soon, so we can get that fantastic tofu recipe to you. It really is as yummy as it looks. And in the days to come, you will be seeing lots more from me — promise.

For now, my friends, I have loads of preparing for Christmas and Hanukkah to do, so I am going to get my heiny moving.

In the meantime, enjoy this piece I wrote about my new love — the Nintendo Wii. Who would have ever thought I could be so enamored with a video game? Oh, how I love you, Wii bowling.

Happy Holidays to each and every one of you. ♥

Happy Turkey Eve!

Last Year's Thanksgiving Goodies ...

I hope you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving Day tomorrow. I am looking so forward to eating lots and lots of good food. Mmmmm….

Enjoy!!

A Hungry Bubba

Emerson — I like to call him my Bubba — woke me up early this morning by dragging his bag of cat food into my bedroom and crinkling it until I finally got out of bed.

Apparently, the Bubba is neglected and never gets to eat . . . yeah right.

Of course, the other three were following close behind him, so I walked them out into the kitchen to feed them. I discovered that he had dragged the bag of food off of the counter and broken a plate in the process. One of my favorite green plates.

It’s a good thing I love my kitties.

Go Ahead and Stuff Your Face with These Healthy Eats …

I know this is a weekend for indulging, but I must share with you a few of my newest favorite healthy foods:

1. The Peanut Butter Cookie Lara Bar

Health foodies everywhere are raving about this bar, and I feel as though I definitely need to add my two cents. This bar rocks! I am a peanut butter lover, and this Lara Bar tastes exactly like a peanut butter cookie. Too good to be true, right?

2. Lentil Salad

I made this baby with a three simple ingredients: Pre-cut veggies from Trader Joe’s, steamed Trader Joe’s lentils in a package and about 1/2 bottle of Annie’s Naturals Lite Gingerly Vinaigrette.

3. Food Should Taste Good Chocolate tortilla chips with salsa

These chips are so freaking good it’s ridiculous. The combination of a chip and chocolate (and salsa) sounds a bit strange, but the savory mixed with sweet is AWESOME. I am obsessed.

If you are looking for a tasty, healthy treat this weekend, give one of these a try. They are yummy, yummy in your tummy!

Final Day of the Challenge!

Yes, yes . . . the final 30-Day Challenge post has come. But don’t fret, I will still be blogging about food choices and recipes, reviewing new food items, and, of course, filling you in on my exercise progress. But before I give you a run-down of what I have learned, let’s go over yesterday’s meals.

Breakfast was two slices of whole grain bread with about 1 Tbsp. of almond butter and 1/2 Tbsp. of jam on each. I also had some more green grapes and blueberries. Can you tell what fruit was on sale this week? (;

I had a ton of work to do in the morning and time just flew! So, when 2 p.m. rolled around and I realized I had not yet eaten lunch, I decided to roast a mix of fresh and frozen vegetables in the oven. Everything you see is frozen except for the portobello mushrooms; those were left over from when Dan marinated them the other day. I threw a bit of olive oil on top, put the oven on 425 degrees and roasted them for about 12 minutes. I sliced some Trader Joe’s teriyaki-flavored baked tofu and put it on the side.

After lunch, I did some more work, and then went for a walk with my sister around 4 p.m. We walked (and talked) through some serious hills — yep, the one-miler! — for a little more than an hour. It was good to get out and sweat and, of course, spend some time with my sister. I will miss those impromptu walks when I move. ):

Dinner was a Boca Savory Mushroom Mozzarella veggie patty on two slices of whole grain bread. I added about 1 Tbsp. each of ketchup and Lemonaise Light, along with a few leaves of Boston bibb lettuce. This was the first time I tried this kind of Boca patty, and I really enjoyed it. I was hoping for some bigger chunks of mushrooms in the patty — I love them! — but there was a really great mushroom taste to make up for it.

So, that’s it! My last day of the Challenge. But don’t think that the everyday “challenge” stops here. I will continue to work toward living a healthy life, and I will be sure to share it here with you. But, in the mean time, a few things I have learned along the way:

1.) Portions, portions, portions! I was much more conscious of portion sizes when I knew I was going to be sharing my dietary habits with the World Wide Web. Even when I splurged, I tried to watch what I was eating for the rest of the day and/or limit my intake of whatever it was I was enjoying — except for those dang s’mores! It’s a factor I am still working on, but this experience helped me to pay more attention before digging in.

2.) Fitness is key. At least, for me it is. On the days that I got up and got moving, I ate better, was more focused at work, felt better and slept sounder. I already knew all of these things, but the Challenge helped me to reaffirm the importance of physical activity in my daily life. Even if I take a break from computer work and only go for a 10-minute walk, it helps me. I do wish, however, that I would have shared more of it with you. I feel like I was so focused on food, food, food, that I missed the emphasis on exercise in the process. Perhaps, I will to share more of that with you over the next few weeks . . .

3.) More fruit and vegetables. Seeing all of my meals on display throughout the last 30+ days has really allowed me to see food aspects that I still need to improve. For example, when I see a day with little or no color, I know that I really skimped on fruits and vegetables. I may not have eaten unhealthy per say, but I did lack produce. This is one thing I am still working on which, technically, should not be too hard because I love fruits and veggies. I will keep you posted on that progress!

So, I am curious: What is one of the best changes you have ever made? Let me know, and we can chat about it in the “Comments” section of this post.

Ready to take on a new change? Check out First30Days and make the change of your choice, including “Go Green,” “Dealing with Depression” and “Living Healthier.” Want to read about it? I am loving Ariane De Bonvoisin’s The First 30 Days: Your Guide to Any Change (and Loving Your Life More).

Well, I am saying so long to the Challenge, but hello to a healthier life! I look forward to continue sharing with you all of my efforts toward a better, well, . . . me! So, stay tuned. (:

Weekend Goodies and a Breakfast to Die For!

Wasn’t the video this morning just fabulous? I loved watching Matt Harding takes his dance moves across the world . . . just totally inspiring.

OK, folks! So, it’s time for the weekend 30-Day Challenge wrap-up. Here goes…

Friday: Lunch was one of the yummiest sandwiches I have ever had — seriously! Dan had marinated a few huge portobello mushroom caps the night before, so I roasted one and put it between two toasted slices of whole grain bread. I also added lettuce and about 1 tbsp. of Lemonaise Light. Notice the cranberry-splashed water in the background. A little bit after lunch I was craving something sweet, so I had a bowl of green grapes and perfectly-ripe blueberries. What a perfect foodie afternoon!

My brothers were visiting on Friday night because we were going to work on our bikes Saturday afternoon, so we splurged on some pizza and ice cream treats. I had two medium-sized pieces of pizza and, later, a Snickers Ice Cream Bar. We watched movies and had a blast!

On Saturday morning, I got up early and went for a 4-mile run. I forgot my watch, so I am not sure what my time was, but I think I was cookin’ it along pretty well! It felt good to be done with exercise early. After that, I was back to my usual self at breakfast— munching on one of my favorite cereals! I had a bowl of Quaker Oatmeal Squares with about 1 cup of soy milk.

Before we trekked it over to FreeRide, I had a small bowl of whole wheat shells with about 1 tbsp. of Smart Balance Omega Olive Oil “butter” spread and a few dashes of onion salt. My stomach was kind of bothering me, so I decided to keep it a little on the bland side. We worked on our bikes for four hours (more on that later!) and then headed home for some dinner.

Whew, we were tired! But we did manage to whip up some food before relaxing for the night.

The boys had chicken and tortellinis and, since my stomach was still bothering me, I kept it simple with some toast with peanut butter and hot green tea. I was feeling much better by the time I hit the sack. Must have just been a little bug.

Sunday morning’s breakfast was a huge treat: My sister, her boyfriend and I took the boys to the infamous Pamela’s! Poor Dan had to head off to work, but we thought of him with every bite! (:

Now, if you are not from Pittsburgh, you will not understand the glory that is Pamela’s, but let me try to explain. They have these amazing thin — and kind of crispy — pancakes that are as big as your plate. And strawberries and cream-stuffed crepes. And California French toast. And home fries with big chunks of potatoes. And …. oh, I could just go on and on.

I am so, so bummed, but I forgot to take a picture! Ahhh! I was so focused on eating my California French Toast (whole wheat raisin bread, dipped in egg and cooked up for your eating pleasure) that I completely forgot to snap a photo! But check out the picture (at left) of the strawberry crepes — that is what my sister ate and, boy, are they delish, too. My sister and I also shared a side of the oh-so-good home fries.

After that feast, I was so completely stuffed that lunch was definitely out of the question; especially, since we ate a later breakfast.

But, don’t worry, my eating adventures were not over just yet! After running a few errands around home — and packing some boxes (yep, it’s already moving time) — my brothers, Dan and I went to my parents’ house for our usual Sunday night dinner.

We had some great food, and I loaded my plate with corn on the cob, salad, grilled green beans and potatoes, and about a 2.5-oz. serving of ahi tuna. Again, a fabulous meal!

And, now, here I am, back to Monday, and starting the week anew. This weekend was fun, albeit a little bit indulgent, but it’s always nice to splurge!

Tomorrow is the last day of the Challenge! Meet back here to talk about some of the things I have learned, and for run-through of today and tomorrow’s meals.

Enjoy the evening! (:

Breakfast On-the-Go and a Run-In with Top Chef!

Ah, finally! Here we are, ready to blog and a computer to do it. Even Emerson, one of my kitties, is ready. Well, kind of. . .

It has been a crazy few days with my computer on the fritz. And as a consolation prize to you having missed my Challenge posts so darn much, I will be making up for the last three days with a few extra posts.

So, get ready! Here we go:

Breakfast this morning was on the run. Dan and I had a meeting to attend and before I knew it, it was time to leave. I grabbed a chocolate peanut butter Special K Protein bar and a glass of water with a dash of 100% pure cranberry juice. This was the first time I tried these bars and they are quite tasty! They did not taste like some of the other bars I have sampled — chalky, cardboard-like, you know the drill — and it actually did hold me over until I arrived home for a small snack (1 cup of low-fat vanilla yogurt). These Special K babies clock in at 180 calories, 6 g fat, 5 g fiber and 15 g sugar. Now, I don’t usually supplement meals with a bar, but they are a good emergency plan when your schedule just doesn’t allow for a sit-down breakfast. Plus, I would rather eat a bar than nothing at all!

I completely forgot to photograph lunch before I chowed down, but I had about 3.5 oz. canned tuna mixed with 1 1/2 Tbsp. Lemonaise Light and 1/8 cup dried cranberries. I put it between some lettuce leaves and two slices whole grain bread. Mmmm!

When I had finished lunch, Dan stopped home to say hello and brought some flowers he had picked on his way inside. I thought I would share … pretty, huh? What a sweetie.

After I said goodbye to Dan, I had to make a quick trip to Whole Foods. When I arrived, there was a huge Top Chef truck in the parking lot. Apparently, members from the show travel to different areas across the country, cook up some good food and put on a show for a few visitors. I didn’t have time to wait around for a show, but I did snag some yummy tuna with olive tapenade on a little slice of bread.

After the grocery store, I went home and did some more work. A few hours later, it was time for dinner! My brother, Isaac, is visiting tonight, so I made him one of his favorites — homemade Mac & Cheese! I based my recipe loosely on the one I have tried before from Ellie Krieger’s The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life.

I changed it up substituting whole wheat noodles for 1/2 of the plain pasta the recipe calls for; so, that means I had 8 oz. whole wheat and 8 oz. plain pasta. I also added a bit more cheese to make it creamier which, obviously, changed the calorie content of the dish. But that’s the way Isaac likes it and I wanted him to be happy! (: I had a bowl, and I was totally stuffed . . . macaroni is filling!

Well, that’s it for the night. Although, I did pick up some of those fabulous Whole Foods Chewy Brownie Cookies, so I may just have to have one of those!

We’ll just have to see . . . (;

Getting Reacquainted!

I am back in Pittsburgh! What a great week on my own; I learned some fabulous things about writing and myself. And it is amazing how much more quickly you can get work done when you have zero distractions! I am looking forward to applying some of these lessons in everyday life.

A recap of the last few days:

I went for an early-morning run on Thursday, clocking four miles in a little under 32 minutes. That means I was running a consistent 8-minute per mile pace, except for the last mile where I picked it up a bit. It felt good to get out and get my body moving pre-breakfast.

One tip I want to share with you: I had a little bit of side cramping, and a long time ago my mom taught me a method for easing the pain. Next time you have a cramp, try blowing against your lips as if you were blowing a gust of wind. You will feel totally goofy, but the pressure against your lips has a massaging affect on your ribs and sides. I did it for a bit on Thursday, and after a few minutes, the pain eased up.

Thursday breakfast was a morning staple: You guessed it, Quaker Oatmeal Squares! I had about 1 1/2 cups with 1 cup skim milk. I followed breakfast up with black coffee and a banana about an hour later.

Shortly there after, Dan and Luke arrived (they were my escorts home), and we made a group decision to hit up Cavallario’s one last time for the year. We decided to call it a lunch/dinner, or as my sister likes to say “linner.” But because I was extremely hungry I ate a snack of wheat crackers and my favorite hummus: Trader Joe’s Mediterranean Hummus. I had about 12 crackers with a bit of hummus on each.

“Linner” was two pieces of pizza, one mushroom and onion, and one plain piece. I could not get my favorite pesto pizza because the boys just weren’t feeling it. So, I compromised and it was still very yummy!

We did a little bit of running around after dinner, and then headed home for a movie and ice cream. I hadn’t been eating sweets while I was on my own, so I probably overdid it with the ice cream. But, oh well — It was tasty and worth it!

I did some packing after the movie, and then headed to bed. I only got about 5 1/2 hours of sleep, so I was a bit tired for traveling in the morning, but I mustered some energy and we got out of there at a decent time.

Friday breakfast: We were rushing so much that I had to eat a bowl of cereal on the road. I had my helping of the usual, as I am sure you already assumed. (: I also had some coffee about two hours after breakfast. It was sorely needed after skimping on sleep last night.

I kepy it healthy while driving despite the typical temptations of M&M’s and Twizzlers — I nixed them completely. I was also keeping in mind that I was heading to a 4th of July party later that night, and that always involves lots of temptations. Lunch was a packed PB and banana sandwich on whole grain bread.

When we got home, — it’s a 7 1/2 hour drive — I was rushing to get reacquainted with everything (I had been away for nearly three weeks) and before I knew it I had to start getting ready to head back out the door. It felt kind of weird to put a little makeup on and proper clothes after three weeks of a hassle-free bathroom routine, swimsuits and sweats!

My sister and her boyfriend, Anthony, were the hosts of the party. Check out some of the yummy food I munched on for dinner! There was pasta salad, fruit, chicken, burgers, buffalo chicken dip with bread, and a salmon spread, which looks unappetizing, but it is so, so good! That’s a recipe my sister stole from my mom and it totally rocks with some bagel chips or crackers.

Dinner was followed by chocolate chip cookies and a Fourth of July cake my sister made from white cake and icing, strawberries for the stripes and blueberries for the stars. I totally forgot to snag a picture, but it was beautiful! I hated to see her cut into it, but I was glad she did — it was delish! I had two small cookies and a small slice of cake.

We watched the city fireworks from the deck, and it was a fun night had by all. I love good food, company and a reason to celebrate!

Today has been a busy day — work and cleaning up around the apartment. Breakfast was about 1 cup of shredded wheat with skim milk while working, and I had an iced coffee and oatmeal cookie a bit later. I am way behind on eating today, so I need to go get on track; skipping meals always makes me so headache-y. Time just really slipped away from me today!

I hope you enjoy the three-day weekend that so many people are celebrating!

Breakfast on an Island and the Best Gosh, Darn Pizza Ever!

Hello, lovely people!

Vacation is winding down quickly, but I wanted to write and fill you in from where I left you last . . .

Rewinding a bit to Monday:

Breakfast was a piece of whole grain toast with almond butter and Thousand Islands Winery’s Blackberry Merlot jam. Both of these were from the wine festival we attended on Sunday, and, after tasting them, I would say they are tummy-approved buys! The jam, as you probably already assumed, has merlot in it and you can taste a faint hint of the wine with each bite. A perfect combo with the blackberries. I think I said, “Mmm…” with every bite. I had the toast with a cup of black coffee — go figure, right?

I am going to be honest with you about lunch — I have no clue what I ate, there are no photos to help me recollect and I am going to just have to assume that I flat-out forget what filled my tummy that afternoon.

But one thing is for sure: Dinner was anything but unforgettable because we went to Cavallario’s Pizza! YAY!! I had a slice of my favorite, Pesto, Feta Cheese and Artichoke, and one slice of cheese and mushroom. It was all so delightful!

After dinner, we walked around Alexandria Bay for a while, and then topped off the night with some ice cream. I got a regular-sized cone with twist soft serve ice cream and rainbow sprinkles. I felt slightly childish, but I enjoyed every bite of it!

Later that night, we went to a local natural water spring and filled up some jugs. It is so amazing to see fresh water come out of the ground like that, and it feels good to know you are putting something so pure into your body.

I got mosquito bites that swelled up my whole foot, but — despite the itchies — it was worth it!

On Tuesday, we started off the day early by taking a trip to Mary Island — a beautifully wooded campground and trails, and the infamous home to my uncle’s proposal to my aunt that I talked about earlier.

My mom packed a bunch of food for us to cook breakfast on the island, using the charcoal grills that are located at various sites throughout the park.

Some of the work was done at home; the potatoes were boiled and chopped before we left, and Dan made the pancakes, so they only had to be reheated once we arrived.

When we first set out on the boat, the weather was not looking too promising, so we had to bundle up a bit and bear the semi-chilly weather.

Once we arrived, we set up camp and then everyone got started cooking.

We made started two charcoal fires — my mom sauteéd the crazy-good potatoes that I have talked way too much about, and made toast and eggs on one, and the boys had some eggs and bacon going on the other. We also warmed up the aforementioned pancakes. Mmm … everything looked so good. Nice pj’s mom!

I munched on some grapes — hey, Luke, get your hand out of there! — and four Pringles from my brother’s personal stash while I waited.

Here is what my plate looked like:

Tasty, huh?

After eating, we hung out on the island for a while, and the weather just kept getting better and better. Look at the sunshine difference in these two pictures! The first is from when we arrived and the second about an hour after we had been on the island.

What a great morning!

After that, I was pretty stuffed, and lunch was pretty much out of the question. I did, however, snack on a cookie.

Dinner was early, but I kept it pretty light. I had a medium-sized salad with 2 slices of whole grain bread that I dipped in an herb olive oil. It was so good!

And for a snack … drumroll please! … we had s’mores. I sandwiched mine in dark chocolate again, and it was oh-so-good. Ignore the goofy face — I was lost in s’more heaven. I had three — I know you’re thinking, “Control yourself, girl!” But they were just the best. (:

By the end of the day I felt pretty filled to the brim with food. But it really was a fabulous 1000 Islands day — food and all.

More on the fabulous life and food times at The 1000 Islands later … for now, I gotta go eat dinner! I think we are hitting up Cavallario’s, again, for one last hoorah! (;

I will fill you in on all of the yummy details later …