tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23631934515430952352024-03-05T06:34:48.226-05:00Healthy and SaneElinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-30601494559411131622008-11-22T18:29:00.004-05:002008-11-23T13:16:14.311-05:00I've moved!Hi readers,<br /><br />After a little over a month of blogging I realized that I really love it! Your comments always brighten up my day and I look forward to sharing fun recipes with you!! So, I decided to get my own domain since I'm going to stick with this blogging thing for a while :D Please update your bookmarks and rss readers to <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.healthyandsane.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">www.healthyandsane.com</span></a>... and go there to check out today's eats.<br /><br />PS. This is the last post on this site. All new posts will be on <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.healthyandsane.com/">www.healthyandsane.com</a>. Hope I won't lose any of you! Thank you all for reading - it means a lot to me!Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-19964323847985616122008-11-22T11:20:00.016-05:002008-11-22T11:48:09.561-05:00Much needed rest<div style="text-align: justify;">Sorry for being MIA yesterday. After another super exhausting day at work, all I wanted to do is get in my pjs, order some pizza and drink some wine. So that's exactly what we did! :D It was the perfect night to just wind down and relax. I feel 100% better, especially after 8+ hours of sleep! I just love the weekends!!<br /><br />Here are a few eats from yesterday. Ordering pizza (well, a calzone) last night wasn't the healthiest choice but it was in the "sane" category. I just <span style="font-style: italic;">needed</span> it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Breakfast</span>: 1/2 banana, nonfat yogurt, pomegranate seeds, 1T pb, some pb puffins and chocolate granola. I was kind of too excited to eat this and mixed it all in before I took a pretty picture. This does not look appetizing but it one of the best yogurt mixtures I've ever made!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRyNTOy5VwVzVhd7qjIhA9GtfqKGntiOiUhJnmkjWPqeLS6H4grczv_u2hbdlS-pjfngfiMByV_b6x9x462dLccD8dJUItZJwi2tUBdTHQ_N4GQHJtvbCvtIVTsgonpZFJ-nB8_VAr4A/s1600-h/banana+pb+yogurt.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRyNTOy5VwVzVhd7qjIhA9GtfqKGntiOiUhJnmkjWPqeLS6H4grczv_u2hbdlS-pjfngfiMByV_b6x9x462dLccD8dJUItZJwi2tUBdTHQ_N4GQHJtvbCvtIVTsgonpZFJ-nB8_VAr4A/s400/banana+pb+yogurt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271519938704689762" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Snacks</span> throughout the day included another white chocolate cranberry bar, TJ's 100 calorie dark chocolate bar (not pictured), this little guy:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUHKUXScSFVGkntwi6sXNOrSNvE9Jsfuq1ZCLhnPlcEsjWL0hGNBSnb5gvMn4WzedvSUIFsQyopScyOF-OttX2TolcMhY6B_jcM4glXFbdj3Y1M0zVFeJoAdqwjVwFUZ4iUlGIsi1yrI/s1600-h/mr+goodbar.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUHKUXScSFVGkntwi6sXNOrSNvE9Jsfuq1ZCLhnPlcEsjWL0hGNBSnb5gvMn4WzedvSUIFsQyopScyOF-OttX2TolcMhY6B_jcM4glXFbdj3Y1M0zVFeJoAdqwjVwFUZ4iUlGIsi1yrI/s400/mr+goodbar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271519554219627394" border="0" /></a><br /><br />+ 1/2 banana & Barney butter wrap:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzAnrHZ78TcgtO6_RGfUISWRQp1SisL-E9Ob-L_5aWSaMLhiJps9WTPVIAMMbbs0Qu9LsQMcePmiAYiYzrqZbA6YCJolt03cdu-oKYTIiIxvzugL1zvY5RJr9wsze29TNP10OpdeEHBE/s1600-h/banana+bb+wrap.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzAnrHZ78TcgtO6_RGfUISWRQp1SisL-E9Ob-L_5aWSaMLhiJps9WTPVIAMMbbs0Qu9LsQMcePmiAYiYzrqZbA6YCJolt03cdu-oKYTIiIxvzugL1zvY5RJr9wsze29TNP10OpdeEHBE/s400/banana+bb+wrap.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271519439690249458" border="0" /></a><br /><br />For <span style="font-weight: bold;">lunch</span> I got a little sushi box: tuna/avocado maki + 2 tuna sushimi and 2 salmon sushimi. It was from our local supermarket but it was super fresh. It really hit the spot for my sushi craving!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGKFQuFYmL-qMyYpGAJQBG6rF6EJ7B2OMYUhbNTphKlE6SIA5_tHmzUlHx6l-2jUtvyEQx8ddVv4n4XqN4vTM2GtCZJ5rupUKdMdKx5oo5De8If-fDIyNKniIJqKLMxzCBN-LWkanIQs/s1600-h/shaws+sushi.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGKFQuFYmL-qMyYpGAJQBG6rF6EJ7B2OMYUhbNTphKlE6SIA5_tHmzUlHx6l-2jUtvyEQx8ddVv4n4XqN4vTM2GtCZJ5rupUKdMdKx5oo5De8If-fDIyNKniIJqKLMxzCBN-LWkanIQs/s400/shaws+sushi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271519650751732242" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And here are a few pics of my dinner calzone: wild mushrooms + ricotta. I <3 ricotta! I also had some wine -- about 1/2 bottle :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMJF0wN-eUZY4ZUXHMIgttSh7L6RfN4yqscGYbUJqfRE08kVFp7qxqYB9ZUrbjG-uEq7vEZ42-qNw_qjim-qRmjzQsiRrVteFCDn4x6kA4dtgUUk3-04kPTzpcLDdD3TLsVOmIEA4HvY/s1600-h/calzone+and+wine.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMJF0wN-eUZY4ZUXHMIgttSh7L6RfN4yqscGYbUJqfRE08kVFp7qxqYB9ZUrbjG-uEq7vEZ42-qNw_qjim-qRmjzQsiRrVteFCDn4x6kA4dtgUUk3-04kPTzpcLDdD3TLsVOmIEA4HvY/s400/calzone+and+wine.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271519120995132482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DmuWh4e5bDRhvU_Q4s_6f4WUc_A2Ue1ekwPL2yy76sQpOJU2xfpGELuh2mdYo6H7oT5tGwMb_mvrEq0CpnJJAHCipdyQVUdPb-rp05XBCOM9iPKooBTBzV7qggtB7IQT8J6AJ7B8TKc/s1600-h/calzone+closeup.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DmuWh4e5bDRhvU_Q4s_6f4WUc_A2Ue1ekwPL2yy76sQpOJU2xfpGELuh2mdYo6H7oT5tGwMb_mvrEq0CpnJJAHCipdyQVUdPb-rp05XBCOM9iPKooBTBzV7qggtB7IQT8J6AJ7B8TKc/s400/calzone+closeup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271519025651534178" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And let's move on to today, which is going to be another lazy day :D I am in the mood to lounge around the house, do a little blogging and blog reading, hit the gym and just relax. We do have plans to go to a bar for a birthday party so I will get out of the house, but for now, I'm just enjoying our warm apartment and <span style="font-weight: bold;">not working</span> :)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Breakfast</span> today was another awesome yogurt parfait. I just threw a bunch of stuff we had and it was super delicious. So many flavors and textures, the only thing that was missing was banana... we're all out!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fmPSUgSi30qlT1-sS66TsYuOKpPjy8f0DikEPjvW5U7oBc98rAaLef5jo4Xkw8KJzyaiHeAsGL2oW-hBDJseBNPuI_icTiJ1Nx775FK-GvsVjv3hqNueEETpcULdcmvqxZIBvA_Dcm8/s1600-h/pear+pom+pb+yogurt.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fmPSUgSi30qlT1-sS66TsYuOKpPjy8f0DikEPjvW5U7oBc98rAaLef5jo4Xkw8KJzyaiHeAsGL2oW-hBDJseBNPuI_icTiJ1Nx775FK-GvsVjv3hqNueEETpcULdcmvqxZIBvA_Dcm8/s400/pear+pom+pb+yogurt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271518562829624114" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So yeah, in this beautiful bowl there is about 3/4 c nonfat yogurt, 1/2 juicy pear, some pomegranate seeds, pb puffins, Erin's double chocolate granola and crunchy peanut butter. I didn't measure things out this morning. No counting calories today. I'm not in the mood.<br /><br />And very soon after that I dug into the pan with the white chocolate cranberry bars. These things are dangerous. I need to give them away immediately before I polish them off! Here is a little piece with some coffee. Yum!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjQiiJ95_6jYGF9XlomuZ11nxXingteJgb3qcuYdGAaUwnJ0kKuu8kuOFSvF7aW4KRbOkDw8RSn8sB7fIB5pDUYecenSxepLNUXCQ8l1q2OG2k-Cy7_zjCYa_QLKA4uVgPocIABpCq8A/s1600-h/cran+wc+bar+and+coffee.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjQiiJ95_6jYGF9XlomuZ11nxXingteJgb3qcuYdGAaUwnJ0kKuu8kuOFSvF7aW4KRbOkDw8RSn8sB7fIB5pDUYecenSxepLNUXCQ8l1q2OG2k-Cy7_zjCYa_QLKA4uVgPocIABpCq8A/s400/cran+wc+bar+and+coffee.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271518465025784050" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'll be back later today with a lunch post and probably tomorrow with the recap of dinner and the party. Hope you're all enjoying your Saturday!<br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-30266920812625117262008-11-20T21:53:00.017-05:002008-11-20T23:05:54.715-05:00Still working :(<div style="text-align: justify;">It's past 10pm and I'm still working :( I'm going to make this post quick. There was no workout today (obviously!) and my night ended with a little too many chocolate covered edamames (damn stress!). Hopefully I can get my work wrapped up quickly though and get to bed. Tomorrow is Friday so that's always good! :D<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">BREAKFAST</span><br /><br />I purchased some peanut butter puffins yesterday and could not wait to incorporate them into my breakfast! This breakfast looks very bland (and orange!) but it was actually very delicious. I think I've become a little nut butter addict :D In the container you see 3/4 c yogurt, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1 T pumpkin butter, 1 T crunchy peanut butter + about 1/2 c pb puffins.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_j0qh2xbdzqhfov5XJs4AjcDiWAR-gXWOJeRcZXCAedxQ1dan_6LT_ApxvakRyk4UqRpEwVNB4f_QTOUE3Br22Zf6yzndusX4lChB7W3F5QC_-flO4NDm7LJ1imMJ1TAacFeeAXtbpfk/s1600-h/puffins+pumpkin+yogurt.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_j0qh2xbdzqhfov5XJs4AjcDiWAR-gXWOJeRcZXCAedxQ1dan_6LT_ApxvakRyk4UqRpEwVNB4f_QTOUE3Br22Zf6yzndusX4lChB7W3F5QC_-flO4NDm7LJ1imMJ1TAacFeeAXtbpfk/s400/puffins+pumpkin+yogurt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270945285388653010" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">LUNCH</span><br /><br />I kept lunch simple today - there is very little cooking this week in my kitchen, if you haven't noticed already. I made a quick sandwich with 1/4 avocado, 1 slice of turkey (last one), 1 thin slice of Land O' Lakes white American cheese and enjoyed it with 1/2 cup of Pacific Natural Foods cashew carrot ginger soup (I think that's the name!). The soup was quite intense. The 1/2 cup was plenty! It was a very nice combo with the sandwich though.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvqv2GuHp0M1JPbkJVgcIp1FetjBTeLfVxQp8aSCDmHwmNJ_7L-oggGDW9QdGPvLCxu89hSaroZtYxhqQ7it_r-5M-xy3RKhw-3d5IcahqeCKjqUhn0PTZ75r01DNzXL3giHJwEF_t9I/s1600-h/soup+and+sand.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvqv2GuHp0M1JPbkJVgcIp1FetjBTeLfVxQp8aSCDmHwmNJ_7L-oggGDW9QdGPvLCxu89hSaroZtYxhqQ7it_r-5M-xy3RKhw-3d5IcahqeCKjqUhn0PTZ75r01DNzXL3giHJwEF_t9I/s400/soup+and+sand.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270945447502035746" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyRKu-tslTE540UCJDrd-8IfgrL0j1g9FKpePAd7U2e-ZLBnPxl_MGdlTq1JpbSX-_qfhXdFoSLM_AT9AMJCl5N4ACRx6pxnAH7mNDuspU90vMqNZ8xEWsqy-wpk6aJJ0QgFGz3cxEHA/s1600-h/turkey+cheese+avocado+sand.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyRKu-tslTE540UCJDrd-8IfgrL0j1g9FKpePAd7U2e-ZLBnPxl_MGdlTq1JpbSX-_qfhXdFoSLM_AT9AMJCl5N4ACRx6pxnAH7mNDuspU90vMqNZ8xEWsqy-wpk6aJJ0QgFGz3cxEHA/s400/turkey+cheese+avocado+sand.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270945564242099378" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Oh, this is the turkey we buy:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOeIwS9DTL93jiCv3SQCatvn3hyphenhyphenXVcDopDq5B19RM0k8rRd6r9EaIHyMVIVyUGH0g7CMboPZJE4AawC8OiD5X_K-HL_geaRc3E9t7N2PJA8gSKrpQ5m5bUc_6kYPt4LPViKqeS6__R7fM/s1600-h/turkey+package.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOeIwS9DTL93jiCv3SQCatvn3hyphenhyphenXVcDopDq5B19RM0k8rRd6r9EaIHyMVIVyUGH0g7CMboPZJE4AawC8OiD5X_K-HL_geaRc3E9t7N2PJA8gSKrpQ5m5bUc_6kYPt4LPViKqeS6__R7fM/s400/turkey+package.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270945888936569170" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">SNACKS</span><br /><br />Another chocolate craving satisfied with my new love (picture reused):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamwDRI_OW4OlywpRxkB3ur3KSNediKylr_8DYI3lYgeck0LIPQEF5kxcVEZMgvD60881A6FsgpUshbhaV_5ucXssyI1p3fSRowt9qH2RwsvLnbbo7TDpSi4qJnF7IWR0_q3k7btEbEpI/s1600-h/tj's+choc+bar.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamwDRI_OW4OlywpRxkB3ur3KSNediKylr_8DYI3lYgeck0LIPQEF5kxcVEZMgvD60881A6FsgpUshbhaV_5ucXssyI1p3fSRowt9qH2RwsvLnbbo7TDpSi4qJnF7IWR0_q3k7btEbEpI/s400/tj's+choc+bar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270946089224700274" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And later on... the best baked good I've ever made! :D It is so.freaking.good!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtqmd3zemmgTrc05t6cbaDfQDCDv_IL98S92JFHPh3vtUVVbFdA0HNNvlOvPw4-YP-stozcntjSrMrllkEtJN_YM2RSqOGQqoj090hkiAVHwwjVesy4cOnHaIMj_g3zWyIO83-7kgXRU/s1600-h/white+choc+cranberry+bar+on+plate.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtqmd3zemmgTrc05t6cbaDfQDCDv_IL98S92JFHPh3vtUVVbFdA0HNNvlOvPw4-YP-stozcntjSrMrllkEtJN_YM2RSqOGQqoj090hkiAVHwwjVesy4cOnHaIMj_g3zWyIO83-7kgXRU/s400/white+choc+cranberry+bar+on+plate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270946272236721442" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And this guys jumped into my mouth at some point...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQE2SuUkPgLFXMlQhZueop_DdaEu5JuvtflPGRVoTP7FSFSpeRcLdvTkxygQgB_vZxBvt7ZdXDREmNia9LzX_ilHAuAEWPbyJAcxgqPl-K0mwijJrUTViMRQ0ZJb5re4z8MYPxA390Er8/s1600-h/choc+turtle.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQE2SuUkPgLFXMlQhZueop_DdaEu5JuvtflPGRVoTP7FSFSpeRcLdvTkxygQgB_vZxBvt7ZdXDREmNia9LzX_ilHAuAEWPbyJAcxgqPl-K0mwijJrUTViMRQ0ZJb5re4z8MYPxA390Er8/s400/choc+turtle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270946430237737938" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;">DINNER</span><br /><br />I got home pretty late and knew there was a big chance I would have to do some work again. So to give myself a little time to relax, I grabbed dinner at UFood. I just love having this place across the street! I got one of my favorites: chicken chop cobb salad which consists of mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, turkey bacon, low fat cheddar cheese, lite sour cream and "fried" (baked) chicken. I dressed it with 1 tablespoon of Newman's Own reduced fat honey mustard dressing. Yum!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkroojbi6ehKGWyqfg9qY5jh-jWY8oJIQRDYR9CEZAk75dG0B_yLTkG_eIeKFUG3X2NrFZEjvxcK_aiqmbXRNFOVjxyZ19uL2fXLFuLI23q9MyMAKkF13adwfgUgXVmo1D5jI_41VaBk/s1600-h/ufood+chic+chop+salad.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkroojbi6ehKGWyqfg9qY5jh-jWY8oJIQRDYR9CEZAk75dG0B_yLTkG_eIeKFUG3X2NrFZEjvxcK_aiqmbXRNFOVjxyZ19uL2fXLFuLI23q9MyMAKkF13adwfgUgXVmo1D5jI_41VaBk/s400/ufood+chic+chop+salad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270946815921126562" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">LATE NIGHT SNACKING</span><br /><br />And then my boss called and I had to get back to work and I grabbed some "work buddies". A serving of my favorite trail mix (I missed it!):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDonARGFHKUnxGw4_MdAebqlZM_xTiT56dTSKCAbv3JzfxoTsw5BSFfuD96EdtBXIePLQHEUJFqtaOnneOioO-x-u3d-2OMVTTeY-TRYcwtw74WjVk8m5cCbJI4i7Acx0rGPoNbhZ0PTg/s1600-h/trek+mix.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDonARGFHKUnxGw4_MdAebqlZM_xTiT56dTSKCAbv3JzfxoTsw5BSFfuD96EdtBXIePLQHEUJFqtaOnneOioO-x-u3d-2OMVTTeY-TRYcwtw74WjVk8m5cCbJI4i7Acx0rGPoNbhZ0PTg/s400/trek+mix.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270947046384660610" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Some more puffins:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05nYgJcU8j6HJLB-y1qQb4IUusr7ncNLy830bAxDq7YkWkkSlGvY65F5V9kPUD-LLnxUkZz3AjAx18TlhvKVptPC1-Gn3i-dxhudICbht0emxMpUaAQO5iyHuTkqweXoCdkGkVEe8qJQ/s1600-h/more+puffins.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05nYgJcU8j6HJLB-y1qQb4IUusr7ncNLy830bAxDq7YkWkkSlGvY65F5V9kPUD-LLnxUkZz3AjAx18TlhvKVptPC1-Gn3i-dxhudICbht0emxMpUaAQO5iyHuTkqweXoCdkGkVEe8qJQ/s400/more+puffins.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270947182525127714" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And as mentioned before, a bunch of chocolate covered edamames that are not pictured here. <br /><br />Total calories: <span style="font-weight: bold;">2520</span> :( Can the weekend begin yet?<br /><br />Hope your week is less stressful! It's almost Friday... and then the weekend!!! Yay!<br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-27993197856006191032008-11-19T20:42:00.023-05:002008-11-19T22:31:23.043-05:00It's cold outside<div style="text-align: justify;">Man, it is cold outside! I had to stay at work later (plan on doing this until the end of the year) which meant that I had to get home on my own since my husband wasn't going to stay at work later just so he could pick me up :) I was planning on taking the train home, but then after realizing that it would actually be quicker to walk, decided to brave the cold weather. All I have to say is "wow, I don't know how you runners do it!" My <span style="font-weight: bold;">face</span> was freezing! I also didn't have gloves on so I had my hands in my pockets the entire time which made for a pretty awkward walk... I was afraid I was going to fall flat on my face! Thankfully I didn't, but I do know I have to get those gloves out of storage asap! Moving on to...<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;">BREAKFAST</span><br /><br />Today's breakfast was based on a new purchase. I bought these babies at Whole Foods the other day:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedR1VK1duAJHOS7GpKJWeTp5qA5Zhc4I7xPoeutH6XwmMwvjuyTa8EVBy2aC95WS9xk5N7aLMQ6zjiIsUYZSy096A2fa3p04J9aS-3Zu6QYqdpcJGQxMwOD8nkO4wq-8sPUdG0wpstho/s1600-h/flax+plus+waffles.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedR1VK1duAJHOS7GpKJWeTp5qA5Zhc4I7xPoeutH6XwmMwvjuyTa8EVBy2aC95WS9xk5N7aLMQ6zjiIsUYZSy096A2fa3p04J9aS-3Zu6QYqdpcJGQxMwOD8nkO4wq-8sPUdG0wpstho/s400/flax+plus+waffles.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270554593145669314" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So now, even though this <span style="font-style: italic;">looks</span> like a breakfast I've had a million times before, actually it's completely different :D Ok, not really. It was quick and delicious though, as always! 2 Nature's Path waffles, 1 barney butter packet, 1/2 banana + coffee:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2XNE6uwcJWLUTAS311zZuDS_KHp2qsdlhpapJ6GExHjcplxwzHNhCNZTcuKLlDVGrWg7QHtZuz2TMhkjFMqSv_FvmSRWnp87xbWT-uTSI-nqF-J1IV1YOtlNiPRxJnY_2EPwmRZav-w/s1600-h/open+faced+waffle+sadwich.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2XNE6uwcJWLUTAS311zZuDS_KHp2qsdlhpapJ6GExHjcplxwzHNhCNZTcuKLlDVGrWg7QHtZuz2TMhkjFMqSv_FvmSRWnp87xbWT-uTSI-nqF-J1IV1YOtlNiPRxJnY_2EPwmRZav-w/s400/open+faced+waffle+sadwich.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270553974142422146" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The waffles had seeds in them (flaxseeds?) which was kind of interesting. These are quite tasty, although the seeds didn't really do much for me. I didn't hate them but could definitely do without them. Plus if they're flaxseeds, I believe your body can't absorb them whole so really there's no benefit to them. Maybe they're fig seeds, since these are supposedly with figs. I couldn't taste the figs. Ok, I'm done :) So far, I think the TJ's blueberry waffles are my favorite. Unfortunately they also happened to be the most caloric.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">PRE-WORKOUT SNACK</span><br /><br />I brought a sweet treat to work (more on that later) which I wanted to have with an afternoon tea. To balance it out, I thought a savory snack pre-lunch was a good idea. I found some leftover veggie pancakes I made <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://healthyandsane.blogspot.com/2008/11/back-to-real-world.html">the other day</a>, and these became my snack. Sorry they look kind of scary... they were delicious though and served as good workout fuel.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkjFBHSqe7EqbH1IQpuk0T8hSxoljEsxyfoH1GDLCZgbCoJ-A1ZjaAeKVYtQEbfn27y-Hu14dEPMwtNUQls1ShwUY1RzSG9ye-22UpQ4gVwIGfe4NmltbYz8Xp8ljG6nL9dLr1Kfpa5Y/s1600-h/veggie+pancakes.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkjFBHSqe7EqbH1IQpuk0T8hSxoljEsxyfoH1GDLCZgbCoJ-A1ZjaAeKVYtQEbfn27y-Hu14dEPMwtNUQls1ShwUY1RzSG9ye-22UpQ4gVwIGfe4NmltbYz8Xp8ljG6nL9dLr1Kfpa5Y/s400/veggie+pancakes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270553394984894482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;">WORKOUT</span><br /><br />I took one of my favorite spinning classes during lunch today. The instructor is kind of crazy and sings along to most of the songs. Today he played his "worst songs mix". People actually voted last week for their most hated songs and the songs that got most votes made it to the mix. It was kind of fun actually, because the music was super diverse and it was interesting to see that some of the songs that people really hated were others' favorites. And most importantly, it was an awesome workout!<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;">LUNCH</span><br /><br />I was in the mood for a sweet potato recently, probably because I've been seeing them all over the blog world. For some reason I knew the exact combo I wanted too, despite never baking a sweet potato in my life (I made sweet potato fries once but that's different). So, I'm guessing that I've seen this combo recently somewhere but after a search of potential suspects, I could only find <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.seebriderun.com/2008/09/yay-for-running.html">this blog post</a><a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.seebriderun.com/2008/09/yay-for-running.html"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> by Caitlin</span></a> and <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://ksgoodeats.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/sunday-is-no-funday/">this post</a><a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://ksgoodeats.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/sunday-is-no-funday/"> by K</a>. So if you're reading this and recently enjoyed this exact combo, come tell me about it and give yourself credit for this creation. Until then, I'll just say I combined those 2 in my head to come up with this very delicious combo :D I present to you the "baked" sweet potato with cottage cheese and black beans.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6V1T2y-koXV8fxpLgtwrJicFeFsa-L5zaMmA0x909y5ccAoEaG0AbfJRJlnq1auCDrGkMO7AKHJLQuEwvSTQpkhw3MuxqmfCQqc-1Aajq9yNCMFGNCv9QG_-n0zr32Dx_cVvuEWocmDo/s1600-h/sweet+potato+w+black+beans+and+cottage+cheese.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6V1T2y-koXV8fxpLgtwrJicFeFsa-L5zaMmA0x909y5ccAoEaG0AbfJRJlnq1auCDrGkMO7AKHJLQuEwvSTQpkhw3MuxqmfCQqc-1Aajq9yNCMFGNCv9QG_-n0zr32Dx_cVvuEWocmDo/s400/sweet+potato+w+black+beans+and+cottage+cheese.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270561539215836530" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And one more upclose:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29lesk_T60rwx2OgcfhZgh1nwKLYqhYRPH6AwMU7pU0Smz_h7t4vYJ76dnJr22bMy9Jw_Mwj7aFaSpbADgiVTbFb_Zcqe3AVpQWyDUO62-7QMQtJWIsPnmn-phaGFhhNCcHovH6918vI/s1600-h/sweet+potato+w+bb+and+cc.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29lesk_T60rwx2OgcfhZgh1nwKLYqhYRPH6AwMU7pU0Smz_h7t4vYJ76dnJr22bMy9Jw_Mwj7aFaSpbADgiVTbFb_Zcqe3AVpQWyDUO62-7QMQtJWIsPnmn-phaGFhhNCcHovH6918vI/s400/sweet+potato+w+bb+and+cc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270552982437253218" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I brought this sweet potato to work, stabbed it with a fork a few times and microwaved it for 4 minutes. It came out absolutely perfect! I also microwaved 1/4 c of black beans for a minute just to get them warm and used a 2% cottage cheese single pod for this. Perfect lunch!<br /><br />For "dessert" I ate 1/2 of this orange, which I finished a few hours later.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_xjMzIX6vZxZb9VdBrsi8p29bTCDFJ2_ntr8_l-HKL8hiE10naJQwniZ-22eyT_EE5yi2kpznaXu2NpUx0cKJ4a_dOKeKwwg042tDTpAnRlW8bnlQOJOSs0U1kb2TLhFleARPg064WOw/s1600-h/peeled+orange.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_xjMzIX6vZxZb9VdBrsi8p29bTCDFJ2_ntr8_l-HKL8hiE10naJQwniZ-22eyT_EE5yi2kpznaXu2NpUx0cKJ4a_dOKeKwwg042tDTpAnRlW8bnlQOJOSs0U1kb2TLhFleARPg064WOw/s400/peeled+orange.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270552698986936930" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;"><br />AFTERNOON SNACK</span><br /><br />This was the part I was looking forward to the most today: trying the white chocolate cranberry bar I made last night. I followed <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://goodthingscatered.blogspot.com/2008/11/cranberry-white-chocolate-bars.html">this recipe</a> by Katie from Good Things Catered. Like I mentioned in last night's post, I've been dreaming of making this recipe since I saw it on Katie's post, and let me tell you, it was amazing! Totally worth waiting for! :)<br /><br />The only "changes" I made was using Smart Balance Omega 3 butter instead of regular butter (making it just slightly better for you), substituted 1/2 c of ww pastry flour for white and I used an 8.5 x 8.5" pan instead of an 11x7, which probably made my bars a little taller.<br /><br />Here is the pan fresh out of the oven. It took all of my will power not to dig in right away, and especially not to have a little taste when I finally cut a few pieces to pack for future snacks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMW5J4tCuSFPWrRReG14q12xSHKF2Gep0bqXehcLRjeRA2rc3InidouXwoXKG75UNPLOK_Tn99FEEiQmUWVQmH89sKpDp-DdqY-VRBRtFhStkuGYNbitLUtqY1DoXYXBYiXAGLXPSiJik/s1600-h/choc+cranberry+bar+pan.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMW5J4tCuSFPWrRReG14q12xSHKF2Gep0bqXehcLRjeRA2rc3InidouXwoXKG75UNPLOK_Tn99FEEiQmUWVQmH89sKpDp-DdqY-VRBRtFhStkuGYNbitLUtqY1DoXYXBYiXAGLXPSiJik/s400/choc+cranberry+bar+pan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270554510599782930" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here is the big guy I took to work. Ok, he wasn't big at all, quite small actually but he was very big on taste. This "bar" is 1/16 of the whole pan, making it a guilt-free treat :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkJkqpEIwkWdvTBp4wlRR7N1Hz4m9Fs6qHMVApEiStfEcS-hrjb_STfaZWOD5LLc8lKA77pOYGaKn3rriUB4wr7GnOr_A-N2cp8d-tMG5VUR5Jmi_iMHJ8kPMA0rXhz-q84uA8kAkNUs/s1600-h/white+choc+cranberry+bar.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkJkqpEIwkWdvTBp4wlRR7N1Hz4m9Fs6qHMVApEiStfEcS-hrjb_STfaZWOD5LLc8lKA77pOYGaKn3rriUB4wr7GnOr_A-N2cp8d-tMG5VUR5Jmi_iMHJ8kPMA0rXhz-q84uA8kAkNUs/s400/white+choc+cranberry+bar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270554179582997698" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I am considering making more of these for Thanksgiving dinner next week. I think I'll bring some to work to taste test, although honestly at my office anything disappears in minutes so I don't know what kind of feedback I'll really get. Hmm, I may just have to keep tasting these myself... you know, for research :D<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;">DINNER</span><br /><br />Dinner tonight was something my husband requested: burgers. He picked up some 93% lean ground beef tonight and when I came home I made 2 burger patties for us. I used 8 oz of meat, mixed with 1/4 tsp of salt, 3/4 tsp of Worchester sauce + a squirt of ketchup for 2 servings. I sprinkled the beef patties with some black pepper and garlic powder (actually I thought of adding garlic after I already made the patties and that's why the powder was on top, otherwise I'd just add some minced garlic into the mixture next time) and grilled them on a cast iron grill pan for about 4 minutes on each side. Don't forget to spray the grill pan or these guys will definitely stick and make a mess. I also did not squish them with a spatula so the juices would stay in and that's why they kind of puffed up. These were the best burgers I've ever had! I was a proud burger mama :)<br /><br />Here is my plate: 4 oz beef burger with 1/2 oz white american cheese on ezekiel english muffin with ketchup and 2 little carrots. Muy delicioso!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsCd0EFop-V5WkSQxmj-mGWb5_vDNVkgrvdKgszg8uNzHxobjNwPKIQcdgoPfSDP9LC_GhcrFTAfAlQ5clTUdvG6ZcQYXtyFzFsURwQChg4GD26xAQ4AW3EH1MoA11L8t8rFOs1ltKVc/s1600-h/best+beef+burger+with+carrots.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsCd0EFop-V5WkSQxmj-mGWb5_vDNVkgrvdKgszg8uNzHxobjNwPKIQcdgoPfSDP9LC_GhcrFTAfAlQ5clTUdvG6ZcQYXtyFzFsURwQChg4GD26xAQ4AW3EH1MoA11L8t8rFOs1ltKVc/s400/best+beef+burger+with+carrots.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270552160625499730" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I can't not post a close-up of the beauty :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAhUWF4BvnNWLzmG46gIRQcZLlx5B9OiBEQxvz7jpT5gJCInhsATMY8GUKS6YPNTXhsNIiku2xXee36km2oZDy5RcCYXN8hI0vAGbPH0o606nqOFXg4PrSVL-xqWWKXcipuAF4A8XJio/s1600-h/best+beef+burger+closeup.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAhUWF4BvnNWLzmG46gIRQcZLlx5B9OiBEQxvz7jpT5gJCInhsATMY8GUKS6YPNTXhsNIiku2xXee36km2oZDy5RcCYXN8hI0vAGbPH0o606nqOFXg4PrSVL-xqWWKXcipuAF4A8XJio/s400/best+beef+burger+closeup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270552256244627746" border="0" /></a><br /><br />For "dessert" I had a few tiny handfuls of these pomegranate seeds. They are so sweet! I love natural sugars!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWgme7_68Ht1O85S-zz0WXVcFQ_Uav4uALujZBH19soX72xy89G-boTrpo0jDkC_j7xbPKAXKvhJoUkpyY2harxEre_vaAGPScXtQbVvMy756RPplu91ktGUQt65FOB7WxpveVE-Rp74/s1600-h/bowl+of+pomegranate+seeds.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWgme7_68Ht1O85S-zz0WXVcFQ_Uav4uALujZBH19soX72xy89G-boTrpo0jDkC_j7xbPKAXKvhJoUkpyY2harxEre_vaAGPScXtQbVvMy756RPplu91ktGUQt65FOB7WxpveVE-Rp74/s400/bowl+of+pomegranate+seeds.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270552050805565010" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Total calories for the day (assuming I stop digging into the pomegranate bowl): <span style="font-weight: bold;">1484</span><br /><br />And finally the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Superior Scribbler Badge</span>!!!! Thanks again <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.thinspiredblog.com/">Lara</a> for awarding me with this lovely badge. I am super honored!<br /><br />Here it is... so cute!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXke7wFriM65aX_3i1cSDM6VTcyWRGCx-WIIDPJD2umApZU6xSeOELcQvRAyKABdF9h1okaeOpLFJVpMfMIYfHi2SY8HXcI4fUE9llpap4JgvOD2nVN9wVJ1Ig8nDRgfkxeq3ND4grTU/s1600-h/SuperiorScribbler.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 183px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXke7wFriM65aX_3i1cSDM6VTcyWRGCx-WIIDPJD2umApZU6xSeOELcQvRAyKABdF9h1okaeOpLFJVpMfMIYfHi2SY8HXcI4fUE9llpap4JgvOD2nVN9wVJ1Ig8nDRgfkxeq3ND4grTU/s400/SuperiorScribbler.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270570154158518418" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And here are the rules: </div>1. Post the award on your blog<div style="text-align: justify;"> </div>2. Link those who gave it to you<div style="text-align: justify;"> </div>3. Link the original posts <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div>4. Pass it on to five deserving people<div style="text-align: justify;"> </div>5. Post these rules for your recipients<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I don't know what #3 means, so I'll just go ahead and award this to some of my favorite bloggers. Each one of them inspires me in their own way. I read these ladies' blogs before I started my own. I know that I am a better blogger (and maybe even a better cook?!) because of you! So thank you for sharing your experiences with all of us! I award the Super Scribbler Badge to...<br /></div><br />1. Kath of <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.katheats.com/">Kath Eats Real Food</a><br />2. Tina of <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://carrotsncake.com/">Carrots N Cake</a><br />3. Caitlin of <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.seebriderun.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">See Bride Run</span></a><br />4. Jenna of <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://eatliverun.com/">Eat, Live, Run</a><br />5. Chandra of <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://onebodylifechance.wordpress.com/">Chandra's Shenanigans</a><br /><br />Ok, peace out.Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-78875474459386926362008-11-18T20:32:00.013-05:002008-11-18T22:03:24.482-05:00Snacky<div style="text-align: justify;">Where did the day go? I feel like I was running full speed today and there is still just so much to do! I'm happy to report that despite the craziness I've been able to eat healthy. I was bored a few times and looking for chocolate but there was none in my desk drawer so I stayed away :) Let's start with breakfast...<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;">BREAKFAST</span><br /><br />Wow, I actually forgot what I had for breakfast until I looked in my camera. Is that why bloggers take pictures of their food? Haha, jk. We all know that pictures are what make these posts fun :) Anyways, so for breakfast I had a yogurt "parfait": ~3/4 c TJ's nonfat yogurt (all we had left), 1/2 banana, some raisins and Back to Nature granola to go. I received this little sample a while back when I went to Whole Foods and last night I thought it was a good idea to finally give it a go (since I'm out of my favorite trail mix... so sad!). Here is the little packet of the granola:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCITapG0hOmZBkeqNG7QPSbHKuBr6t6-REEgHdFnLMb_0RiitktxmZuFMuwv3sfWrNHIAhXKBh4PJl440JUzxY_JEJgj8UtvbKh9N7Gk8Qq3gBs9mantr4utkpeygYaIXM-8G70eW2jj8/s1600-h/granola+to+go.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCITapG0hOmZBkeqNG7QPSbHKuBr6t6-REEgHdFnLMb_0RiitktxmZuFMuwv3sfWrNHIAhXKBh4PJl440JUzxY_JEJgj8UtvbKh9N7Gk8Qq3gBs9mantr4utkpeygYaIXM-8G70eW2jj8/s400/granola+to+go.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270176036031914658" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And here is my yogurt after mixing in this goodness:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Lv6qHNF_P8MTpZb6JVsN-lZOYYHHI17YHA69ueXn_whlRW5uIgI97FiC5vduPGPnxJIGC-BalikhoVidmRvtswPGRfXTAVOVVb7LoBAi7UNEyTMXcq-TXhkpCUuElTn1O_APDWBI3bg/s1600-h/yogurt+with+granola.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Lv6qHNF_P8MTpZb6JVsN-lZOYYHHI17YHA69ueXn_whlRW5uIgI97FiC5vduPGPnxJIGC-BalikhoVidmRvtswPGRfXTAVOVVb7LoBAi7UNEyTMXcq-TXhkpCUuElTn1O_APDWBI3bg/s400/yogurt+with+granola.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270176134189083794" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This was quite delicious but actually almost too sweet. There was some honey and maybe cane sugar (I forget now) in the granola, that combined with the raisins was a lot of sugar (I know, that's coming from the girl who's obsessed with chocolate, but yes, too sweet even for me!). It did have a very nice almond-y flavor and there were even a few whole almonds in there. Not bad! I wouldn't buy this stuff but I did enjoy it today :D I also had a cup of my usual coffee (with 1 half & half pod & 1 tsp of agave nectar).<br /><br />About 4 hours later I couldn't decide whether I wanted to eat or work-out. I chose to eat so that I could continue working. Which brings me to...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">LUNCH</span><br /><br />I had a few slices of the Baker bread left and this inspired my lunch today. Simple but so so good. I am absolutely in love with this bread. When I opened the ziplock bag today with the bread, it just put a smile on my face. I could smell the nuttiness of the bread and I could not wait to assemble today's combo: 2 slices of The Baker bread (you can find the picture of the package <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://healthyandsane.blogspot.com/2008/11/leftovers-arent-boring.html">here</a>), 2 slices of turkey, 1 light laughing cow wedge + a simple salad of mixed greens, grape tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of Annie's low fat cucumber dressing. I cut the sandwich into bite sized pieces because they were fun to eat last time :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0e0YeooaPGPP5Nx8bUAvf_wzlM8Igd9svT9TJgZHiodPWRWeIGvFMU1LbBg1XH4e6iihdlJyk4ghUVLwfB9MtSjEhhdidjk4-YglpngaFLFrj0LLFbiHJhe16HrLLpJk433UwTcyacB4/s1600-h/turkey+laughing+cow+sandwich.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0e0YeooaPGPP5Nx8bUAvf_wzlM8Igd9svT9TJgZHiodPWRWeIGvFMU1LbBg1XH4e6iihdlJyk4ghUVLwfB9MtSjEhhdidjk4-YglpngaFLFrj0LLFbiHJhe16HrLLpJk433UwTcyacB4/s400/turkey+laughing+cow+sandwich.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270185585327327906" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Mmm, nutty turkey/cheese bites...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLuAfZyJCKmISajqMGa0Unfs2fUmT779inKnG6SXUJ75m-XwcE1BlDTptQCIZcV4yvZNd_hgpPjFVhfMir9duZnpqHDbnzIKJ_Gfx3MFhv1cRRG6cOcAX2EO-DbYOH-b8keG5Iu7H6jM/s1600-h/turkey+sandwich+bites.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLuAfZyJCKmISajqMGa0Unfs2fUmT779inKnG6SXUJ75m-XwcE1BlDTptQCIZcV4yvZNd_hgpPjFVhfMir9duZnpqHDbnzIKJ_Gfx3MFhv1cRRG6cOcAX2EO-DbYOH-b8keG5Iu7H6jM/s400/turkey+sandwich+bites.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270185483149428338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I also took a picture of the turkey package we use, but I can't find it... and now it's all gone :( I'm going to have to take another picture next time we buy it. Also, I do <span style="font-weight: bold;">not</span> like Annie's low fat cucumber dressing. I used some today because I hate wasting food and cannot throw it away, but actually that's the reason why I started using full fat dressings. They are much better and you can use half as much and be twice as much satisfied for the same amount of calories.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;">SNACKS - LOTS OF SNACKS</span><br /><br />I was kind of in a snacky mood today. I wasn't hungry. Actually both my breakfast and lunch were very satisfying, but I just felt like snacking and since I knew I was still within my calorie range, I let myself indulge in a few extras today. They were all healthy, so we're still good :)<br /><br />Snack #1: Ellie Krieger's energy bar<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7u5qJqzYXU4d6MpHIPY2KHjZ2MefT5wdNPbGahfPrePzub6xb682_jJakasY8z1lgJos2mMet1ptirLIttjBiW305tqVu-OR6omsBBKaQiGer9ubkl4bsAUe4UeDY9aG71g-8A0LXHo/s1600-h/EK+energy+bar.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7u5qJqzYXU4d6MpHIPY2KHjZ2MefT5wdNPbGahfPrePzub6xb682_jJakasY8z1lgJos2mMet1ptirLIttjBiW305tqVu-OR6omsBBKaQiGer9ubkl4bsAUe4UeDY9aG71g-8A0LXHo/s400/EK+energy+bar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270177141971663090" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Snack #2: a very juicy pear - yum!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsSqoMqKPx_8FUnLjYfYon6XsHFeanvMDD94uRsA-C_YnQErOJcaIirg4XzKo1sEqo0tGYlUBiYKC1qlvZEiNpKfZDXFJ0n1K4IRz3brZlqa91aO4tqLWOQ7JMh5GLpoKP5DdzpUgQZo/s1600-h/green+paer.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsSqoMqKPx_8FUnLjYfYon6XsHFeanvMDD94uRsA-C_YnQErOJcaIirg4XzKo1sEqo0tGYlUBiYKC1qlvZEiNpKfZDXFJ0n1K4IRz3brZlqa91aO4tqLWOQ7JMh5GLpoKP5DdzpUgQZo/s400/green+paer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270176870177714962" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Snack #3: 1/2 clif nectar bar. Today I actually liked it - it tastes like a bunch of dried fruit compressed into a bar. I probably wouldn't buy it again though... I'll just eat a bunch of dried fruit, uncompressed next time :D<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpwHa4q2D3lj3i1YyM5bszl7oB2dwSbxTeJsnvk7_aM3GW5F7_fC11UuRqEXBx0hmdxPlYcdDkb5jqzJIZ4aNOf6trJLAOnQ26AWjU5N_apccCSYzC7aUMFM0tGCywO6ObnCMG2cpXxHM/s1600-h/clif+nectar+bar.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpwHa4q2D3lj3i1YyM5bszl7oB2dwSbxTeJsnvk7_aM3GW5F7_fC11UuRqEXBx0hmdxPlYcdDkb5jqzJIZ4aNOf6trJLAOnQ26AWjU5N_apccCSYzC7aUMFM0tGCywO6ObnCMG2cpXxHM/s400/clif+nectar+bar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270176789915608946" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Immediately after snack #3, came snack #4 because I was looking for a pen in my desk drawer and found these...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhky5zUNEknUbQwaSorbDnYj7qXueDhZakw0-5d3iDEl_A7F_dZ88T346s_ZtdHF2FCgBrptXQt81WMF55uDgFj6nk5ra3ppVY0xqFxEoJ3l8ZDoi11_cURGtk0eJ7gJBMBC1ZKJkaVL8U/s1600-h/candy+corn.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhky5zUNEknUbQwaSorbDnYj7qXueDhZakw0-5d3iDEl_A7F_dZ88T346s_ZtdHF2FCgBrptXQt81WMF55uDgFj6nk5ra3ppVY0xqFxEoJ3l8ZDoi11_cURGtk0eJ7gJBMBC1ZKJkaVL8U/s400/candy+corn.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270176481327163202" border="0" /></a><br /><br />That package is so cute! I actually love candy corn and I figured the extra sugar was a great pre-workout snack. Right?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">WORKOUT</span><br /><br />About 15 minutes after consumption of snacks 3 and 4, I took the Jump & Burn class at my gym. This class is taught by the same instructor <a href="http://healthyandsane.blogspot.com/2008/10/only-3-minutes.html"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">I won the personal training session from</span></a>, the super tough one! I absolutely love her classes and today I liked it especially. Maybe I should eat candy corn every day before a workout?! I had so much energy and felt really strong. The class is basically jump rope interval training. It started by jumping for 3 minutes and then we alternated between 1 minute jumping and 1 minute "off the jump rope" (different lifting moves, pushups, squats, jumping jacks, etc.). The finale of the class is another 3 minutes of jump rope straight. It was awesome! 60 minutes well spent, but I needed a little something extra so I did another 10 minutes or so of abs by myself. Great workout!<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;">DINNER</span><br /><br />Dinner was very quick and easy today, no recipe, just a bunch of stuff we had on had thrown together. I made some ww pasta, sauteed some mushrooms, rehydrated sundried tomatoes and grilled some chicken sausage on the George Forman. All that was tossed with organic tomato sauce (I actually was going to use some white wine sauce I made and froze but it looked funky so I tossed it) and dinner was made. It very filling and delicious. The picture of the pasta before I mixed the sauce in looked better, so here it is:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6eGAFmRV8uTKYtFZop6eDc8_-D4DDz0PkCPyBdzulQ1ZCrqIwZD8xflGDOmPgdK9arnYVB6B72KzTdJJdQ32n0_yF7W-lCVPhqikFhUWf1XlIQhhuwT0d6Ljdu7Nx7nFGiyG2Ioi8m-Q/s1600-h/pasta+with+sausage.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6eGAFmRV8uTKYtFZop6eDc8_-D4DDz0PkCPyBdzulQ1ZCrqIwZD8xflGDOmPgdK9arnYVB6B72KzTdJJdQ32n0_yF7W-lCVPhqikFhUWf1XlIQhhuwT0d6Ljdu7Nx7nFGiyG2Ioi8m-Q/s400/pasta+with+sausage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270176703672777586" border="0" /></a><br /><br />By the way, the chicken sausage I used today was the Whole Foods organic garlic and parmesan chicken sausage. I used 1/2 of it, but I was kind of jelous of my husband who got a whole link :) It was super juicy and delicious! I can't wait to make a sandwich out of one!<br /><br />And for dessert, I had some Hershey's snacksters...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Py_a-sdBU_l7MOxlDUTPhPRMczh22AVJOu0ZkocTKGA4L01KAGiRes5Xm-yi8SaQUeiG46KrDQOoKVrgQGbES1n-xZEQoMAsPkYp_QR98cPJ1RuF7OCpQtZk5NUAbJVN5XfEJ65ddDw/s1600-h/hershey+snacksters.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Py_a-sdBU_l7MOxlDUTPhPRMczh22AVJOu0ZkocTKGA4L01KAGiRes5Xm-yi8SaQUeiG46KrDQOoKVrgQGbES1n-xZEQoMAsPkYp_QR98cPJ1RuF7OCpQtZk5NUAbJVN5XfEJ65ddDw/s400/hershey+snacksters.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270176313043060642" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is the package:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6HnwZZVkbBXwj0CM8YBoelEF4mYzxEYoTBNea1c_924tGDK9WHssRlIeit_QEqnQm-_mS6O3JlU1qSk7w9Uv0HkkQBAc-Wj-8sQ0uqNOla-xzcOo7XFZfFklgCIi2t8nvEvXyMMeDtY/s1600-h/box+of+choc+hershey+snacksters.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6HnwZZVkbBXwj0CM8YBoelEF4mYzxEYoTBNea1c_924tGDK9WHssRlIeit_QEqnQm-_mS6O3JlU1qSk7w9Uv0HkkQBAc-Wj-8sQ0uqNOla-xzcOo7XFZfFklgCIi2t8nvEvXyMMeDtY/s400/box+of+choc+hershey+snacksters.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270176223411064482" border="0" /></a><br /><br />If you can see on the top of the box it says 0 trans fat, but in the ingredients list it has less than 2% of partially hydrogenated palm oil (i.e. trans fat) so this just shows you how important it is to read labels. It also had some high fructose corn syrup. We bought this stuff a while ago before I cared about any of this natural/whole food business and today I decided to have some as a little treat. These guys are actually super yummy but I will definitely not be buying them again (we still have a bunch which I'll eventually eat, since as mentioned previously I cannot throw away food!).<br /><br />Today's calorie total: <span style="font-weight: bold;">1637</span><br /><br />Oh, I also baked something super yummy (I hope!). I've been dying to make these since I stumbled upon the recipe and that day has finally come. They are cooling so you and I will have to be patient. I'll reveal the treats tomorrow! :D <br /><br />One more thing (man I talk/write a lot!) I was awarded the Scribbler Badge award by <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.thinspiredblog.com/">Lara.</a> Thanks Lara, I'm so touched (and a little shocked since really, I'm no writer)! I'll award a few of my favorites tomorrow. It's time to do some work around the house..<br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-31678097984997383382008-11-17T20:56:00.017-05:002008-11-17T21:40:10.979-05:00Back to the real world<div style="text-align: justify;">It's so tough getting up in the morning after a really fun vacation... even though it was only a weekend in NY, it was so action packed that it definitely felt like a longer vacation. Well, it was back to reality this morning when my husband had to peel me out of bed. I so wanted to stay in!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">BREAKFAST</span><br /><br />We had no bananas in the house and I kind of get lost without bananas but I thought of a quick breakfast this morning that actually, to my surprise, ended up being <span style="font-weight: bold;">very</span> delicious. Here is the spread: apple cinnamon oats with apples and <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.barneybutter.com">barney butter</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUcBbtUMRpUjnYBEsRA_YYZReh82vZP49xY6mN6QOjLHFGn-RtaoyljohHgkpv7RyNGfbygRkLVQlYLz2RtQHAS3od3r7o7UsJeL1-P7aOuZNPXTtiZM_KlmHHs1HBDAjCKF_hrHq_gg/s1600-h/baked+apple+oats.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUcBbtUMRpUjnYBEsRA_YYZReh82vZP49xY6mN6QOjLHFGn-RtaoyljohHgkpv7RyNGfbygRkLVQlYLz2RtQHAS3od3r7o7UsJeL1-P7aOuZNPXTtiZM_KlmHHs1HBDAjCKF_hrHq_gg/s400/baked+apple+oats.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269811185549327042" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And my bowl up-close, with bb mixed in:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCI6rP3TPRmk2Yr3NW2PR6yUiLVlBxuq-h2l5oznYczlYyjpqxTkG71ftoSJO4E-kA4vtaBmx8mAoFadwU48-4TDF3wu4yxDpC9dEyEiOAfAYMsIIihb2QcBcKvgyv3UtFRgajKk9Fn78/s1600-h/baked+apple+oats+upclose.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCI6rP3TPRmk2Yr3NW2PR6yUiLVlBxuq-h2l5oznYczlYyjpqxTkG71ftoSJO4E-kA4vtaBmx8mAoFadwU48-4TDF3wu4yxDpC9dEyEiOAfAYMsIIihb2QcBcKvgyv3UtFRgajKk9Fn78/s400/baked+apple+oats+upclose.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269811399059068450" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I cut up 1/2 a large apple into little chunks and microwaved them for 2 minutes. I then added to the bowl the <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.naturespath.com/products/hot_cereals/nature_s_path_r_hot_oatmeal/apple_cinnamon_hot_oatmeal">Nature's Path cinnamon apple instant oatmeal</a> and a little over 1/2 cup of water. Microwaved the whole thing for another 75 seconds, topped it with some bb and voila. De-licious! On the side I had the rest of the apple, sliced. It was super creamy and satisfying. I was surprised to like it as much as I did, since there was no banana. You'll see this combo again, I'm sure. It also kept me full for over 4 hours, although it could also be work stress. It's just crazy busy and it's not going to slow down until next year. Yikes!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">SNACK</span><br /><br />Around noon or so I still wasn't really hungry but my mind started wondering. I definitely was in the mood for some chocolate. So despite bringing a different snack to work, I dug into my emergency 100 calorie chocolate bar. It's my last one... I need to get more of them asap!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLuM99qQuNksmpdeo4SaMrCb0qk6e4VTFwGWEXVF88aLvssKTZNH6Ds-fWeHJXrYtaRULWyzm_RmfWMp5kwyyFsPVdGhfvFoV1wZzG17gxfbsIfulNUNw8MGpZF57VFEtapzYXQRKwjA/s1600-h/tj's+choc+bar.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLuM99qQuNksmpdeo4SaMrCb0qk6e4VTFwGWEXVF88aLvssKTZNH6Ds-fWeHJXrYtaRULWyzm_RmfWMp5kwyyFsPVdGhfvFoV1wZzG17gxfbsIfulNUNw8MGpZF57VFEtapzYXQRKwjA/s400/tj's+choc+bar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269811673234365938" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;">WORKOUT</span><br /><br />Like I said before, work was crazy busy. I considered skipping my usual lunch workout but decided to just cut it short instead. I just feel so much better when I exercise and I didn't want to have to drag myself to the gym after a long day at work. I'm so glad I made that choice! I'm going to have to deal with the same dilemma on daily basis. *Sigh*<br /><br />I felt like running today so running I did. On <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://healthyandsane.blogspot.com/2008/11/working-on-my-day-off.html">the running schedule</a> for the day was 5x400 interval run. I warmed up by walking for about 2.5 minutes, and then got right to business... about 1/2 mile run at 6.3mph and then the intervals began. I did five 1/4 mile intervals at 7.5 mph, 8 mph, 8.3 mph, 8.7 mph and finally at 9 mph. In between the intervals I rested by jogging at 6.2 mph for about 0.15 to 0.25 miles. I ran for a little while longer at around 6.5 mph for a total of 30 minutes, then walked for a minute and jumped on the ET for another 14 minutes. Total workout time: 45 minutes. Not bad!<br /><br />Back to work...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">LUNCH</span><br /><br />Lunch were some leftovers. I made some turkey lasagna <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://healthyandsane.blogspot.com/2008/10/catching-up.html">about a month ago</a>, and froze 1/6 of it for later. Last night I took it out of the fridge when I was searching for something to eat for dinner. As the previous post notes, we ended up going out so I brought it for lunch today :) Here it is with some baby carrots on the side. It may not look appetizing but it was actually very delicious! Good to know that this stuff freezes well..<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7OOQP25mgO7Ain-CGrqrq8mXSzzYjuzwJdl6EWFvgjr8Q_R1ii1F6v8kwTGKLergGPN-dk17SZ0981gtMmt9_nQ-mmDUi3zjuyNSJgtOciagMZDWAqPftLJosxXA78n10JojLchqzaw/s1600-h/lasagna+with+carrots.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7OOQP25mgO7Ain-CGrqrq8mXSzzYjuzwJdl6EWFvgjr8Q_R1ii1F6v8kwTGKLergGPN-dk17SZ0981gtMmt9_nQ-mmDUi3zjuyNSJgtOciagMZDWAqPftLJosxXA78n10JojLchqzaw/s400/lasagna+with+carrots.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269811755731309250" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And a close up:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfy1xEqIn2rtDmy53dhnsWRmrQavb0B-VWktXeh3Hjx29-Zfkc1Y_977RNyCNuusIBFpfW1IMlYlgVXAuJNdVHPL27PKpbOvS4Ap6hBejI2Umr-pb_o6KywaHmlmeyhoviFf2ZqQtAfg/s1600-h/lasagna+upclose.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfy1xEqIn2rtDmy53dhnsWRmrQavb0B-VWktXeh3Hjx29-Zfkc1Y_977RNyCNuusIBFpfW1IMlYlgVXAuJNdVHPL27PKpbOvS4Ap6hBejI2Umr-pb_o6KywaHmlmeyhoviFf2ZqQtAfg/s400/lasagna+upclose.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269811846073586450" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Still looks gross? Sorry. I had an <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.adoracalcium.com/">adora disk</a> for dessert :D<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtjBZRx88iu4z4qRAXmKOMeGU_zsKPcMWq-YZaK-2Z3ZfoUvnkDbnEIWjZvSDAvGdhGC9sH8oAk-NVy0cc7IGyuRualkMBKMCOFNTJ2-6wmmeDqukda0Szb25u_kStoMRAQng4Jw0AYU/s1600-h/adora.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtjBZRx88iu4z4qRAXmKOMeGU_zsKPcMWq-YZaK-2Z3ZfoUvnkDbnEIWjZvSDAvGdhGC9sH8oAk-NVy0cc7IGyuRualkMBKMCOFNTJ2-6wmmeDqukda0Szb25u_kStoMRAQng4Jw0AYU/s400/adora.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269811959180959458" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">DINNER</span><br /><br />I never got hungry for a second snack. Works for me! Dinner was a recipe I've wanted to make for a while. In fact, I bought the root veggies a few weeks ago and they've been waiting for me patiently in the fridge. I finally dug into the stash tonight! Here they are pre-shredding: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3pOkS5NME_AixkHvKmt-2j3F5FAXGWB7B9oWuufaIkdFOk9OFky1rz7nCrQxA0BP1DS7jrc36SFeQn4IHepJgusNSPYUgGoqGrjSbZseZZXxmqWhCk_ijvW2eiNv3qxGWWuWmVth3yv4/s1600-h/root+veggies.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3pOkS5NME_AixkHvKmt-2j3F5FAXGWB7B9oWuufaIkdFOk9OFky1rz7nCrQxA0BP1DS7jrc36SFeQn4IHepJgusNSPYUgGoqGrjSbZseZZXxmqWhCk_ijvW2eiNv3qxGWWuWmVth3yv4/s400/root+veggies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269812039832075922" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I don't know the name of all of these. I can recognize the carrots but that's about it. The recipe I made tonight was for the shredded <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/root_vegetable_pancakes.html">root vegetable pancakes</a> from Eating Well. They have a whole article on root vegetables in the December issue and I wanted to make every single one of them. I have a bunch more veggies left, so there will definitely be another appearance of these beauties :D At this point my camera died, so while recharging it I put everything together. No step by step pics, sorry, but here is the final product:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9PBvx8x0t-RQ9oGObrZLKSpw_mxNkqmKQCk4TCzgK4DSdhHo9WmReUJdbRx2d72lYvwS02L_smjQkh8kA8YpEdIdInMr_M9bF1ENYgA0DIPIgpgjHW2L-b9HrGQIOZ2I_bX5xnPxiWU/s1600-h/rv+pancake+dinne+with+salad.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9PBvx8x0t-RQ9oGObrZLKSpw_mxNkqmKQCk4TCzgK4DSdhHo9WmReUJdbRx2d72lYvwS02L_smjQkh8kA8YpEdIdInMr_M9bF1ENYgA0DIPIgpgjHW2L-b9HrGQIOZ2I_bX5xnPxiWU/s400/rv+pancake+dinne+with+salad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269812494203909874" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My dinner was 3 of the pancakes with 2 tablespoons of reduced fat sour cream and a salad with mixed greens, grape tomatoes, TJ's golden berry medley and sunflower seeds (tossed in a little less than a tablespoon of Annie's goddess dressing). Very veggiful!<br /><br />Close-up of the pancakes...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrluXlHV-rFnPdMKWrwp4vUqHEzUSMSfA848vc2TGp9KlIT3wfgMAixyfX56hJHEyEI5P44xjx8epD4P3xZUZBNK7WvA8_GQ3WU9D5IWeSoFJ6tvItBORlAmS6AHy3wcX3lvKZx4NI9rE/s1600-h/root+veggie+pancakes+with+sour+cream.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrluXlHV-rFnPdMKWrwp4vUqHEzUSMSfA848vc2TGp9KlIT3wfgMAixyfX56hJHEyEI5P44xjx8epD4P3xZUZBNK7WvA8_GQ3WU9D5IWeSoFJ6tvItBORlAmS6AHy3wcX3lvKZx4NI9rE/s400/root+veggie+pancakes+with+sour+cream.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269812117747717618" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And my salad:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9eu6ywHlmnftxapruvPrkxKMSy95ieNApMv2KQBNWyzpFWBoKrTpKd0HXLtvmCb4wPkAs6THkSPBBrApGNR1D8TvUMP-Xu2BXDJg971NVIjtwi2C5yPWvwhQ5AITlfWtkeCovLuMR9-I/s1600-h/simple+salad.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9eu6ywHlmnftxapruvPrkxKMSy95ieNApMv2KQBNWyzpFWBoKrTpKd0HXLtvmCb4wPkAs6THkSPBBrApGNR1D8TvUMP-Xu2BXDJg971NVIjtwi2C5yPWvwhQ5AITlfWtkeCovLuMR9-I/s400/simple+salad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269812589897629618" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I knew I was still low on calories for the day. I was planning on baking but it was getting late so I made a quicky healthy "dessert." I was kind of low on protein today so that's how I ended up with a yogurt base.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8e3utbqx3Qx1784_cIcH0q9HiOem4KJXCJwnSw2c31pzz2kfi_P8UIUAr927yZyTuG_9NNRZEz-JDJqanqFRnegZt7He5B9U1ntk6a1g3RwvKBKPg_r9zwHes5xnZZuZoaOOY8mt-U9M/s1600-h/pumpkin+yogurt+dessert.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8e3utbqx3Qx1784_cIcH0q9HiOem4KJXCJwnSw2c31pzz2kfi_P8UIUAr927yZyTuG_9NNRZEz-JDJqanqFRnegZt7He5B9U1ntk6a1g3RwvKBKPg_r9zwHes5xnZZuZoaOOY8mt-U9M/s400/pumpkin+yogurt+dessert.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269812708771092610" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In the ramnican is some nonfat yogurt, pumpkin puree, pumpkin butter and <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.bbcookies.com/pages/Products/Granola/granola_home.html">Erin Baker's double chunk granola</a>. Pretty yummy, but I'm definitely making some real dessert tomorrow!<br /><br />Btw, I find that counting calories really helps me with staying on track. I'm going to post my stats here to keep myself accountable. Today I ate about 1410 calories. It's a bit on the low side (still within my range) probably because I ate so much during the weekend that I'm still living off the weekend storage :)<br /><br />K, gotta prep for tomorrow. I have no idea what I'm eating and it's getting late. Good night!<br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-361457465118231742008-11-17T20:08:00.007-05:002008-11-17T20:39:59.266-05:00Last day in NY + dinner back in Boston (Sunday update)<div style="text-align: justify;">I'm a little behind on posting, but yesterday's eats were so good that I just have to post some pics and reviews. I'll try to make it as brief as possible. So here it goes...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">BRUNCH</span><br /><br />For our last day's meal in NY, we headed to <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.schillersny.com/">Schiller's</a> for brunch. My sister lives in such an awesome neighborhood filled with unique restaurants. I'm glad they do a lot of dining out (especially brunching) because we would never have found this place on our own and it was incredible! After about a 25 minute wait we were seated.<br /><br />I got a cup of coffee and some water. Both were so cute I just had to take a picture :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXI2Lqxi_A34xpJ-3xUafSn93p7FdVFpyBye3uZD24uJNDsoZKR42e0BaaHhahggT3WOK8EO4Yp8eqx7_SZxweXGEqqdEDVtq3R6NKjv6uOYocMbEzxBTOschxcMyMFhZEafe-jVn0aME/s1600-h/schillers+coffee.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXI2Lqxi_A34xpJ-3xUafSn93p7FdVFpyBye3uZD24uJNDsoZKR42e0BaaHhahggT3WOK8EO4Yp8eqx7_SZxweXGEqqdEDVtq3R6NKjv6uOYocMbEzxBTOschxcMyMFhZEafe-jVn0aME/s400/schillers+coffee.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269799352886354338" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcNdSVU0LkLuedQNCXpSbJVUg4gp1IZIcK4y9a5tYk_L4V4DunKLqPI9UncqeNtO5lqlnxGrY_JY0vsosZAx2VQEX3BdHE1ITJgG6jWeIIpXw6MlNqf0-_WI6emrJwaDLW3l99Cs2L0A/s1600-h/schillers+water.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcNdSVU0LkLuedQNCXpSbJVUg4gp1IZIcK4y9a5tYk_L4V4DunKLqPI9UncqeNtO5lqlnxGrY_JY0vsosZAx2VQEX3BdHE1ITJgG6jWeIIpXw6MlNqf0-_WI6emrJwaDLW3l99Cs2L0A/s400/schillers+water.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269798947995674098" border="0" /></a><br /><br />(I was going to make a joke that I started with some vodka, hehe).<br /><br />Onto food... My sister ordered their bread basket. I only had a tiny bite of the fruit & nut bread and a little tiny bite of the chocolate bread, but again, I just had to take a picture of this beauty. Just look at it! She couldn't wait for me to take a picture and dug right in... :P<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlPJFH-XnaKrlqh726yPOjYZXpItpzrAavoxCfKHYtgAt2p5mDlp1Q02w62qF2Aobn1q2OMrZDNANmg7Rmnfe8AhyphenhyphenxbLVWS1GnC2QDp5ien1xtUIbZRECuiFWrvlzrXJhQuCzT5gdLJg/s1600-h/schillers+bread+basket.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlPJFH-XnaKrlqh726yPOjYZXpItpzrAavoxCfKHYtgAt2p5mDlp1Q02w62qF2Aobn1q2OMrZDNANmg7Rmnfe8AhyphenhyphenxbLVWS1GnC2QDp5ien1xtUIbZRECuiFWrvlzrXJhQuCzT5gdLJg/s400/schillers+bread+basket.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269799257970902066" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I have never seen a bread basket like this! Impressive stuff!! She said she planned on finishing it up that day. Very, very doubtful that that's humanly possible. There were a lot of goodies in there, and these are not mini pasties - this is full sized stuff!<br /><br />For my food I ordered the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Croque Madame</span>. For those of you who have never tried this genius invention (I haven't until yesterday) it's basically an open faced ham and cheese sandwich, baked and topped with an egg (the Croque Monsieur is sans the egg). Here is my giganto plate! Hmm, I had a lot of gigantic foods this weekend :D<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7B5mrNMH3RUlBadm4JI12i087jD_so2K-trmfXtqcTUYnYtAiU1mCLOW_aUS7C_EeLesz_Hzdj5VYNicCLQBEFLl6mY1VM2JnV1IYn9Q6mlUFvzfKfme15x5QgbtbhIWMuVIFCVJKN8k/s1600-h/schillers+croque+madamme.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7B5mrNMH3RUlBadm4JI12i087jD_so2K-trmfXtqcTUYnYtAiU1mCLOW_aUS7C_EeLesz_Hzdj5VYNicCLQBEFLl6mY1VM2JnV1IYn9Q6mlUFvzfKfme15x5QgbtbhIWMuVIFCVJKN8k/s400/schillers+croque+madamme.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269799169137004722" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This was absolutely unbelievable incredible! I could not get over how amazing it was. Seriously! I very rarely get this excited about non-chocolate foods. A.mazing! I ate the whole thing minus a few bites my husband stole from me. It kept me full for most of the day... well that and the rest of the cookies/banana pudding I've consumed on the bus ride home.<br /><br />So yes, as referenced above, my lunch was the rest of the sweets purchased the day before. My husband and my sister and her boyfriend took a few bites of each, but I finished them off.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">DINNER</span><br /><br />When we finally got to Boston I wasn't hungry. This was about 6 hours after the brunch, but I was snacking on the cookies throughout the day. I considered skipping dinner altogether but after a few hours of wondering around the house, it just felt weird not to eat. I wanted a salad, but we had no groceries at home. So we spontaneously decided to go to a restaurant in our apartment building, <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.burtonsgrill.com/">Burton's Grill</a>. Ahh, we were still in vacation mode I guess. We've been to Burton's a bunch of times... you just can't beat the location! I checked out their menu on line and was happy to see the beet salad - chopped red beets tossed in mustard vinaigrette, layered with goat cheese, onions, micro greens and candied walnuts. Sounded perfect! (well except for the onions but that could be easily modified... or so I thought) I decided I'd add some chicken to the salad and make a meal out of it.<br /><br />When I ordered it without onions, the waiter said they prep it in the morning and because of the elaborate tower presentation the onion is premixed. I was so dissapointed and told him that was the reason I came to the restaurant and asked him to see the chef could make it fresh for me. He did!!! Now that's great service! I was so happy, especially after finally getting it and tasting it. It was exactly what I was craving. Light and refreshing but still very flavorful! I couldn't have asked for a better ending to this weekend's eats. Oh yeah, I also had a glass of wine with dinner :)<br /><br />Here is the beautiful salad tower with grilled chicken. Yum!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZT7p238aJm8eaCktnR6_M-jJ3Vll8ic2K_UtMgOTNmvULavrHEHh_XnQxuHX5kwZUANsZuIe6Gven9kae9nY2Jq36vYZIBZyL29CpclawfP0fQxvJHi4q2lZy0vSsJTRxBZv26Wy58Y/s1600-h/burton's+beet+salad.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZT7p238aJm8eaCktnR6_M-jJ3Vll8ic2K_UtMgOTNmvULavrHEHh_XnQxuHX5kwZUANsZuIe6Gven9kae9nY2Jq36vYZIBZyL29CpclawfP0fQxvJHi4q2lZy0vSsJTRxBZv26Wy58Y/s400/burton's+beet+salad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269799091298869234" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I was so happy with this experience at Burton's that I think we're going to start going there more often, especially when it gets very cold out and we get super lazy :)<br /><br />And that's that! Now back to regular blogging. I'll start a new post with today's eats.<br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-91059485919661355672008-11-16T22:05:00.030-05:002008-11-16T23:42:47.325-05:00Brunch, cookies, dinner & drinks = perfect day in NY (Saturday)<div style="text-align: justify;">I'm back with a recap of Saturday's activities. There was so much going on, I just have to share it with all of you. I don't think I have any NY readers (except for my sister, but of course she was around this weekend) but I'm sure many of you travel there so maybe some of my experiences and reviews will come in handy.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">BRUNCH</span><br /><br />We started the day with a nice brunch at <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.chefjoedoe.com/">Joe Doe</a>. I can't have breakfast without coffee and this one came beautifully presented :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDK0W2IAK1KlZ2emb92s2uCQWLMfg1TpCFkj04V4FgFqU9cU7orTQDWEddjqLrdGN-qjgoj0805g4bflG0i1liigW_xW85xeYVtVoQh-inytfr7Z_GOvRr7NQ-uHZq8oERjVVwA8pX518/s1600-h/joe+doe+coffee.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDK0W2IAK1KlZ2emb92s2uCQWLMfg1TpCFkj04V4FgFqU9cU7orTQDWEddjqLrdGN-qjgoj0805g4bflG0i1liigW_xW85xeYVtVoQh-inytfr7Z_GOvRr7NQ-uHZq8oERjVVwA8pX518/s400/joe+doe+coffee.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269458307076547266" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The coffee itself wasn't that good, but I appreciated how pretty it was. That and it did have caffeine so it served it's purpose :D<br /><br />We were also served some hot biscuits on the house. They were cravable. So good! (That butter dish was for the whole table... I had a few smears)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqA05mxlxefGjiCjZRMdZ-0gzBiVd7N8SlIn9FXozGkdJPXMPUp4l6kLkYjrfb65f0c_-v4nhTp67CCRS6D2p2T0SOmr6fi39P_PISBO4_fjZuuax3GPbssePD1daTsDu1MUZEcRBDIP0/s1600-h/joe+doe+biscuit.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqA05mxlxefGjiCjZRMdZ-0gzBiVd7N8SlIn9FXozGkdJPXMPUp4l6kLkYjrfb65f0c_-v4nhTp67CCRS6D2p2T0SOmr6fi39P_PISBO4_fjZuuax3GPbssePD1daTsDu1MUZEcRBDIP0/s400/joe+doe+biscuit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269458456648163058" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Knowing I had a cookie tour coming up later in the day (yes, we planned our day around bakery visits... I'm obsessed with dessert that much and my husband loves me :P ), I wanted to order something savory for brunch (a <span style="font-style: italic;">very atypical</span> move). The corned duck hash sounded good, but unfortunately it was premixed with onions, so I got the Chilaquiles at Tulum - <span style="font-style: italic;">chorizo, avocado, tortillas and eggs.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmffqa6_ayvj2azXSnkB6sh6ad1YIjbThti2APhIufOAXUVViZae2eJhgwuHJWTPzDe_ON5JsjklbHv550dBE0digpjftwTvMBRwSFv-ywVPmugD81SpwcRhTrmqNIx6AJgLCnW54FTU/s1600-h/joe+doe+entree.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmffqa6_ayvj2azXSnkB6sh6ad1YIjbThti2APhIufOAXUVViZae2eJhgwuHJWTPzDe_ON5JsjklbHv550dBE0digpjftwTvMBRwSFv-ywVPmugD81SpwcRhTrmqNIx6AJgLCnW54FTU/s400/joe+doe+entree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269458593323854082" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It was quite delicious but I think not warm enough. The temperature threw me off a bit. I didn't looove this dish, but I ate every bite and like I said, it really was quite good. Not to fear, there were plenty of amazing treats in my near future. With that, let's move on to the really good stuff...<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;">THE COOKIE TOUR</span><br /><br />I've been reading food blogs for about 9 months now, which has opened a whole new wonderful world of food to me. I lived in NY for 3 years and never knew about some of the famous bakeries (some of which were just blocks away from my house) but thankfully I was prepared this time! We planned our day around <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/?p=2433">Anna's cookie tour</a>, which just happened to be in our old neighborhood. Fun!<br /><br />1st stop: <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.bouchonbakery.com/">Bouchon</a> at the Time Warner center in NY. I've passed by this little stand a million times while living in NY, but I was always on a diet of sorts and always talked myself out of buying one of their treats. Not this time! I stood in a short line to purchase the peanut butter cookie sandwich, as suggested by <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.blogger.com/www.cookiemadness.net">Anna</a>. The place had so many moms with kids and other tourists, it was a bit hectic, but the service was fast and super friendly. I found out fast that the sandwich was actually named "The Nutterbutter" but the girl behind the counter didn't hesitate for a second when I asked for it by the wrong name.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI2PyQQwtOU5hD1kV1XcrD8AVMxglWz1SwbG3IXbPc_UVPPpnaFVZPT42VeyhZ7MJlhd_u4-J38a2e1JvelSO-LaAS-BHG_utZ1Zo13Yrh-2R_bn44gydR3yb6etD64BVQ1lEHHihMQw/s1600-h/bouchon+nutter+butter.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI2PyQQwtOU5hD1kV1XcrD8AVMxglWz1SwbG3IXbPc_UVPPpnaFVZPT42VeyhZ7MJlhd_u4-J38a2e1JvelSO-LaAS-BHG_utZ1Zo13Yrh-2R_bn44gydR3yb6etD64BVQ1lEHHihMQw/s400/bouchon+nutter+butter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269458811498373186" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I behaved... I took a picture of this monstrosity (afraid it may get crushed in its travels all over Manhattan) and moved on. This cookie's time didn't come just yet. *PS - when I did finally have a few bites of it that night, it was amazing! Super peanut buttery, though, so make sure you're in a serious peanut butter mood. I always am :D *<br /><br />Next up: <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.magnoliacupcakes.com/"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">Magnolia Bakery</span></a> on the Upper West side. I frequented Magnolia quite a bit during my life in NY. I think I first found out about it on Sex and the City, but the long lines were well worth it every time because seriously those chocolate cupcakes cannot be beat! So, I kept on coming back, usually stocking up like there was no tomorrow. I've stood in line for those babies in the freezing cold during a snow storm, and did not regret it! Every single time my expectations were high, and it didn't dissapoint. With that said, I've tried their vanilla cupcakes and they weren't my favorite. Go for the double chocolate cupcake if you're ever in the area (chocolate cake + chocolate frostin). I think they put crack in those, because they are definitely addictive!<br /><br />This was my first trip to the bakery on the Upper West side. They opened it after I moved to Boston, and I think this is may be a good thing for my hips. The place was beautiful... much bigger too, with a shorter line (inside, not outside like in their original shop). I couldn't resist a little taste of my favorite treat since we were in the area :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfdFDGAxtu3ihRtHfk40xqA9ykv_jRL79krVieUbqdsGLCFzLADm8_dh3ZYQ-zvFEGiVzs9AljJIETUW1Gr1MFepFjHC9M_N4KO7GkZjM_RkJthPaYKoKkK26ps-R4bhQABrDoAehdH0/s1600-h/magnolia+choc+cupcake.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfdFDGAxtu3ihRtHfk40xqA9ykv_jRL79krVieUbqdsGLCFzLADm8_dh3ZYQ-zvFEGiVzs9AljJIETUW1Gr1MFepFjHC9M_N4KO7GkZjM_RkJthPaYKoKkK26ps-R4bhQABrDoAehdH0/s400/magnolia+choc+cupcake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269458918588378338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I ate this guy right away. Again, it was worth every calorie (god knows how many are in these things, it's probably chocolate colored whipped butter in that frosting) and I was a happy camper!<br /><br />I also got a small banana pudding. I've had it before years ago, but after reading so much praise about it, I had to re-try it. Here is a picture of the pudding. I didn't taste it until Sunday morning.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_4lmNbyss65nLD1lY3bJPRvW-amptJuhs4PTB5-y-Z7t3ltn21aaWgEU8d6Tp5XT5tivMSHnrVYN4YJxM3rL2gJOksGAfKuBhiy_sPYpkgywTlUseyOyC43cK8S2f04VC1voKXKtMGIQ/s1600-h/magnolia+banana+pudding.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_4lmNbyss65nLD1lY3bJPRvW-amptJuhs4PTB5-y-Z7t3ltn21aaWgEU8d6Tp5XT5tivMSHnrVYN4YJxM3rL2gJOksGAfKuBhiy_sPYpkgywTlUseyOyC43cK8S2f04VC1voKXKtMGIQ/s400/magnolia+banana+pudding.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269465923243071202" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It was very yummy, but you guys probably know by now that I'm a chocolate person, so the cupcake is better in my opinion if you only could pick 1 thing to order. My husband helped me out quite a bit with this cup (maybe 1/3??) and I had the rest all throughout Sunday (finally finishing it on the bus ride home to Boston).<br /><br />Next stop: <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.mrchocolate.com/">Jacques Torres Chocolate</a>. All I can say is wow! I bought a very large mudpie cookie (maybe 5" in diameter), but once again after snapping a photo tucked it away.<br /><br />* I tried this cookie on Sunday morning and it was THE BEST! If you're ever in the area, do not pass by this place without treating yourself to a little something.*<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7pTFW95k7G_7HoZ-T282P8JS5hMdUi-ysoPtwRpV4PTUWAQmv7pR0vG2kd-ONtMrWc66fBTGbkBmXa7mNPfyQ00AoiCBuVlDuLy4h8XYywF49YSYLEkIblXYC28aZ5_lnKNHmzxv3g0/s1600-h/jacque+torres+cookie.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7pTFW95k7G_7HoZ-T282P8JS5hMdUi-ysoPtwRpV4PTUWAQmv7pR0vG2kd-ONtMrWc66fBTGbkBmXa7mNPfyQ00AoiCBuVlDuLy4h8XYywF49YSYLEkIblXYC28aZ5_lnKNHmzxv3g0/s400/jacque+torres+cookie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269459034705473410" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After almost leaving the shop at this point, I decided I wanted to try their hot chocolate. I have never liked hot chocolate, but I knew there must be a hot chocolate in this world that I would love (being a serious choco-holic) and this place definitely had all the potential. Here is my hot chocolate cup:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinPtJ4rub8o7xzJWB32KHIxYRT05AGixwD9iQCXBx773FOjFXQOrNi9Qj40HwCC1xDn2_HDIyuR5VTCIClScDvEMu6fB_JyFQFKNRuGK0DrtNwxM42ky9lFIDuE9k5juQP7yfagWuSiV0/s1600-h/jacque+torres+hot+chocolate.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinPtJ4rub8o7xzJWB32KHIxYRT05AGixwD9iQCXBx773FOjFXQOrNi9Qj40HwCC1xDn2_HDIyuR5VTCIClScDvEMu6fB_JyFQFKNRuGK0DrtNwxM42ky9lFIDuE9k5juQP7yfagWuSiV0/s400/jacque+torres+hot+chocolate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269459137640764498" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sorry I realize I should have taken a picture of the actual inside of the cup, but I'm not very smart sometimes. I relaxed on a comfy coach, chatting with my husband, sipping on this baby, and let me tell you it was absolutely incredible! I was so blown away by how amazing this was, being that I've never found hot chocolate I even tolerated. This was high quality chocolate basically melted and served in a cup - now that's my kind of hot chocolate! They have different kinds, some with chilly peppers ("the Wicked") and orange... there are a few other flavors (I think 5 altogether) but I forget now. The classic was great and I'll definitely be back there for more (maybe next time I'll try something new).<br /><br />Only about a block away was the <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.levainbakery.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Levain Bakery</span></a>. This was the place on the top of my list! I've seen a few shows featuring this bakery and was happy it made it to Anna's cookie guide. I had to get the original chocolate chip walnut cookie. They have 3 other kinds and a bunch of other goodies that looked great! It was so hard to control myself in all of these places, but I had a lot of ground to cover so I did my best. Here is the ginormous cookie. I put it next to a splenda packet to show you the size of it, but I think even this picture still understates how large this thing is. I took a tiny bite of it and once again put it away for later. We had very important dinner plans and I didn't want to spoil my appetite. I basically had a cupcake and a hot chocolate before dinner, and it was the perfect amount of food and replaced lunch!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0bc2qQab1yYgubN0s6yaj9Jj-vftNoamO64loe86OEPyEvmZ9436Obo4wD0K3bgU6EHZ7h_0tuEGyPji-E-lcGbB-jRV7n6Arl6_51z1OJSORkXdusqAR4UtfxEMZLZ3UganHuCNJIM/s1600-h/levain+bakery+cookie.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0bc2qQab1yYgubN0s6yaj9Jj-vftNoamO64loe86OEPyEvmZ9436Obo4wD0K3bgU6EHZ7h_0tuEGyPji-E-lcGbB-jRV7n6Arl6_51z1OJSORkXdusqAR4UtfxEMZLZ3UganHuCNJIM/s400/levain+bakery+cookie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269459256695679090" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Btw, this cookie was very delicious! I can't wait to try their other kinds next time! Yes, there will definitely be a next time.<br /><br />We also went to an Italian gelato place, <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.grom.it/eng/index.htm">GROM</a>, that we frequented on our honeymoon in Italy. It was so fun to be there because it brought up wonderful memories of our honeymoon, but I didn't order anything... this time it was my husband that enjoyed a treat. Here is a picture of the store front in case you ever run into one. I'll try to dig up a picture of the one we took in Florence or Venice (we've been to both, a few times). This one looked identical to those ones... even the menu was in Italian. Very cool!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirseW44nQfMaTXC9so-5hcPqLn-0kKaTU6i4UMq5iRC0bNRvKAV8unwQCipXujBg5JjkP2NpvIdc5R8NWDFYnUjBzOyeyi_Yw2XWUPMl8Z4rXqct9RAkaKcVvE-jppG8JFpBJ20UVHI34/s1600-h/Grom.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirseW44nQfMaTXC9so-5hcPqLn-0kKaTU6i4UMq5iRC0bNRvKAV8unwQCipXujBg5JjkP2NpvIdc5R8NWDFYnUjBzOyeyi_Yw2XWUPMl8Z4rXqct9RAkaKcVvE-jppG8JFpBJ20UVHI34/s400/Grom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269459451498071426" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Btw, Anna suggests going to the Buttercup Bakery for a cupcake, but I know from experience (I've been to both places many times) that Magnolia's cupcakes are way better. I believe both places are actually owned by the same people, but something about Magnolia's cakes is better. Now that there is a shop on the Upper West side with minimal lines, I'd suggest going with Magnolia's. I've also been to the City Bakery (it's great) and saved a repeat treat there for my next visit to NY.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">A LITTLE SHOPPING</span><br /><br />We also did a little bit of shopping, but that wasn't that exciting. What was exciting were the cute doggies in 2 of the shops.<br /><br />Doggie #1: she could not stay away from my husband. SO cute!! Doesn't she look like a toy?! There were 2 of them in the store.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGDx_Ydy87Y96u_HUj0RTtxGTpAjwf6eOnz8SfyZ9RgGePagcXuwOZb5dHmNcs2sAP_hneEzgmW7fhexvIyN-PzhElvdb7HGvpVG7Txz51o_0Zcx6yfiR6ps96mI8xUFMBaJ6Ub3EywQ/s1600-h/adam+with+dog.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGDx_Ydy87Y96u_HUj0RTtxGTpAjwf6eOnz8SfyZ9RgGePagcXuwOZb5dHmNcs2sAP_hneEzgmW7fhexvIyN-PzhElvdb7HGvpVG7Txz51o_0Zcx6yfiR6ps96mI8xUFMBaJ6Ub3EywQ/s400/adam+with+dog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269458703697668546" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Doggie #2 - OMG, THE cutest! She was 3 months old and absolutely adorable. This picture does not do her justice. I wanted to take her home, badly.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPHN0F92amzpU9Bqi2ag2Yap9o-6FQ4b5-sRZQ_r7SFtuWm_k2XkAHESpiDL50J8tTYlk0ZrzEwSZzGS2JkDNVHmpfYZb7cZ-hefnCIL0LwIt6vBDMPgImmlnGqSS8N08WNsgnXRk1yU/s1600-h/white+doggie.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPHN0F92amzpU9Bqi2ag2Yap9o-6FQ4b5-sRZQ_r7SFtuWm_k2XkAHESpiDL50J8tTYlk0ZrzEwSZzGS2JkDNVHmpfYZb7cZ-hefnCIL0LwIt6vBDMPgImmlnGqSS8N08WNsgnXRk1yU/s400/white+doggie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269459732984942258" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">DINNER</span><br /><br />We got a gift certificate to the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.rivercafe.com/">River Cafe</a> in Brooklyn as part of our wedding gift. This place is kind of hard to get a reservation at on short notice so last time we were in NY we didn't plan ahead enough, but this time we actually planned our trip around this reservation. It was really fun having the most expensive dinner of our life, for free!<br /><br />The restaurant is located under the Brooklyn Bridge. The views were spectucular but unfortunately the pictures didn't come out. I'll have to keep a mental picture of the place :)<br /><br />The dinner is a 3-course pre-fixe. We got a little espresso cup sized pumpkin soup a few minutes after sitting down. It was excellent! I love it when restaurants bring little treats on the house. They don't have to do that, but it's always a welcome touch!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5pFM4e95-Cxf0DMGnQiQmjz_mvhv2Ay_l9EUXQiXAK4_dRYRJ4vuoT1tdYihcy0AOafcs7ITG66gT4VrBXfZhUEJHr_CXTgFxe34m5As2iRG9Z_u_pln-mPXys4qd4rMjwdazfvYDD4/s1600-h/river+cafe+pumpkin+soup.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5pFM4e95-Cxf0DMGnQiQmjz_mvhv2Ay_l9EUXQiXAK4_dRYRJ4vuoT1tdYihcy0AOafcs7ITG66gT4VrBXfZhUEJHr_CXTgFxe34m5As2iRG9Z_u_pln-mPXys4qd4rMjwdazfvYDD4/s400/river+cafe+pumpkin+soup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269460103158960514" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Of course we got a bottle of wine to share. I probably had 1/2 of the bottle... my glass was being refilled at all times so I really have no clue how much I actually drank.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfl4oEtQfh7hK8Z_SSQyExq544S7GoQOcuTunVF786IWldIAHwVoecUanIwyhPr4Clc3z2gBk9yw_SpNTH7UA12ppkhjAgltXDtYlWi6ODjY4UjSgeYYhbczDQucxNxQAtSMnVFV6yEo/s1600-h/river+cafe+wine.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfl4oEtQfh7hK8Z_SSQyExq544S7GoQOcuTunVF786IWldIAHwVoecUanIwyhPr4Clc3z2gBk9yw_SpNTH7UA12ppkhjAgltXDtYlWi6ODjY4UjSgeYYhbczDQucxNxQAtSMnVFV6yEo/s400/river+cafe+wine.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269472657371107138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Next came the bread guy with 3 different types of bread (a whole grain roll, which I got, a sourdough roll and a garlic stick, I think). It was very nutty, warm and delicious! Again the butter is for the table and I had few smears of it with my roll :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm7a8VIGkamTL8G6JsEk0Xy26bpKlWFcLNTi-p5ItYvCmQYpKvwaFTgNZP229w68kRU_FsICzs0Q2NgfzCfEMJYYlWB_dwzfak6rxY9z-LYAfu_WPzf9gS96gB5iygkeIVf3olYywzgUQ/s1600-h/river+cafe+roll.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm7a8VIGkamTL8G6JsEk0Xy26bpKlWFcLNTi-p5ItYvCmQYpKvwaFTgNZP229w68kRU_FsICzs0Q2NgfzCfEMJYYlWB_dwzfak6rxY9z-LYAfu_WPzf9gS96gB5iygkeIVf3olYywzgUQ/s400/river+cafe+roll.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269472796468612402" border="0" /></a><br /><br />For an appetizer I ordered the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Rainbow Trout</span> - <span style="font-style: italic;">house smoked with horseradish crust, tender red beet and herb salad, trout caviar and sunny side up quail egg</span>. Super fancy, complex and delicious! I ate every bite.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJG3k8uqRvTV512EfE5qiu-ORcEwIlFWwmKuhcJIaREDbL2ghE83YJ0exTGlOEUM0Tb2_TIJKvMwrYjPR8psewhfJNpgS7e6tW1LWvqupTApGGQNDg-pDSI-tbK6wbXu1GG1wssDjL9Q/s1600-h/river+cafe+trout+app.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJG3k8uqRvTV512EfE5qiu-ORcEwIlFWwmKuhcJIaREDbL2ghE83YJ0exTGlOEUM0Tb2_TIJKvMwrYjPR8psewhfJNpgS7e6tW1LWvqupTApGGQNDg-pDSI-tbK6wbXu1GG1wssDjL9Q/s400/river+cafe+trout+app.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269472900295247938" border="0" /></a><br /><br />For my entree I was feeling like meat, so I ordered the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Crisp Duck Breast</span> i<span style="font-style: italic;">n a truffle honey and fennel pollen glaze, duck leg and potato croquette, organic carrots and julienne bok choy</span>. The meat was absolutely perfectly cooked. I ate everything except a few bites I gave to my husband and some of the bok choy. Again, this was absolutely delicious! I still had room for dessert though :P<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBanPs0ZBV3nY99wopYVYgZxmJFVMbnwRKWhY2BLE4BF4pWQj1ReVlUkAUOE0nP6dgJFMDBt7JTEvclSe2OG3QN5EsEqqBcQOvy8szqadIjUpvm1zXNtW77eGHjdel8ypMA7WynpgzCg/s1600-h/river+cafe+duck.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBanPs0ZBV3nY99wopYVYgZxmJFVMbnwRKWhY2BLE4BF4pWQj1ReVlUkAUOE0nP6dgJFMDBt7JTEvclSe2OG3QN5EsEqqBcQOvy8szqadIjUpvm1zXNtW77eGHjdel8ypMA7WynpgzCg/s400/river+cafe+duck.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269473151028473042" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Surprise, surprise, I ordered the chocolate dessert: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Chocolate Marquise Brooklyn Bridge</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">with terrine of hazelnut and vanilla ice cream</span>. Look how beautiful this thing was. Definitely just like the Brooklyn Bridge!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKA5UKkTei8bh5_jG_2N1eqAISkjVF0ftWHbyZgKyhp9RBYZbE1Edc3nYV53Y1aUdOnymAmDWxol0QBUEeFub2OsMTAfhyphenhyphenyqgX8phOuOyCM5jO-Jjw1XolkReminTUN69xGT1LNWpWys/s1600-h/river+cafe+dessert.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKA5UKkTei8bh5_jG_2N1eqAISkjVF0ftWHbyZgKyhp9RBYZbE1Edc3nYV53Y1aUdOnymAmDWxol0QBUEeFub2OsMTAfhyphenhyphenyqgX8phOuOyCM5jO-Jjw1XolkReminTUN69xGT1LNWpWys/s400/river+cafe+dessert.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269473021585729538" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I actually ate only about 1/2 of the cake, some of the hard chocolate and most of the ice cream. I could definitely eat the whole thing, but I didn't want to be in pain (+ I knew I had plenty of cookies waiting for me at my sister's place) so I stopped myself while I was ahead. Good move!<br /><br />Overall, this was a really great experience. If I had all the money in the world, I would probably go back there. Otherwise, I suppose there are plenty of other great restaurants for less money. This was really fun though!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">DRINKS</span><br /><br />We were quite tired after dinner (done around 11pm) but we didn't want to be lame like the night before and met my sister and her friends at a local bar, <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.tapeo29.com/">Tapeo 29</a>, a few blocks from her place. It ended up being so much fun! They need to have more bars like that in Boston!<br /><br />I ordered a vodka tonic to start:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3xEsO-NWNCoaidJi50jFcrjKIrY076aesc6Bh5T9L8ja_gGsypK8Y_OFO38QLW37T_sgRIur2l2Bh3kCVCAt5Al0kgkoC24a1qj4BT8J7TkkErsuE_dez1LChUzjDmVU8MIC7Q6JTIs/s1600-h/tapeo+vodka+tonic.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3xEsO-NWNCoaidJi50jFcrjKIrY076aesc6Bh5T9L8ja_gGsypK8Y_OFO38QLW37T_sgRIur2l2Bh3kCVCAt5Al0kgkoC24a1qj4BT8J7TkkErsuE_dez1LChUzjDmVU8MIC7Q6JTIs/s400/tapeo+vodka+tonic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269477132171702626" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And then a Hoegaarden with an orange wedge:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGU0XEeIQRjaKg7aHhPJVPTeWZnRLeRKfP8vlzQocYi-camMGF63baN7cJhJmADGjaymmvjrFgsoAS2vFzP_qko4_6djhTMtpYkEHc8R8NTqK993ZCjOhBcy1IU_-3yQIH5Qx3USNV6uk/s1600-h/tapeo+hoegaarden.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGU0XEeIQRjaKg7aHhPJVPTeWZnRLeRKfP8vlzQocYi-camMGF63baN7cJhJmADGjaymmvjrFgsoAS2vFzP_qko4_6djhTMtpYkEHc8R8NTqK993ZCjOhBcy1IU_-3yQIH5Qx3USNV6uk/s400/tapeo+hoegaarden.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269478245080047426" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I also had about 3 olives from this spread they ordered, just because they were in front of my face. They were really good olives!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ofMuGfEFYdNnRJWUH5KNG1at5L0NSTz8Tpv7lNOoQf6LRKfIYRXQS9T7KPLjDRFN6MXFycfTwJ4UtCwCnGg87TseNXGwHaCe_X1xJMxE1d9ZFiqstbMdlduarKnKBKRou-7BgiLnhYY/s1600-h/tapeo+apps.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ofMuGfEFYdNnRJWUH5KNG1at5L0NSTz8Tpv7lNOoQf6LRKfIYRXQS9T7KPLjDRFN6MXFycfTwJ4UtCwCnGg87TseNXGwHaCe_X1xJMxE1d9ZFiqstbMdlduarKnKBKRou-7BgiLnhYY/s400/tapeo+apps.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269477471104090850" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Oh, I have to share 2 more fun pictures. This was me and my sister at the bar:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_T_Yhs1L5C3kDg-xY-NKyLIAggrRMdfOVZnJfOxK-H5wcFn-8W0vITvYPJpIv-eL2Z0e9OThoWyxvUI1IjgCivqNmTRRdRmdS-WS9pxCjmeUIv6EfWznFq9SMKXRX8sXK2kjyoLcRelE/s1600-h/inna+and+i+at+tapeo.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_T_Yhs1L5C3kDg-xY-NKyLIAggrRMdfOVZnJfOxK-H5wcFn-8W0vITvYPJpIv-eL2Z0e9OThoWyxvUI1IjgCivqNmTRRdRmdS-WS9pxCjmeUIv6EfWznFq9SMKXRX8sXK2kjyoLcRelE/s400/inna+and+i+at+tapeo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269478088404590882" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And this is a picture of our friend Tony who covered his arm with a napkin because my sister kept on spitting on him while talking. We decided it was somewhat food related. Haha. Sorry Innz, hopefully you remember giving me permission to talk about this on my blog :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhyphenhyphenyoSwkmzDPBgOB16b714Quw6ju4NRLWi4uHQwRpQpdwIilYnBH-H5pYlgyhVaeeCRa1pBbNaiywH0BziNivlF8owOobs5W_iq-2ouDCbH-GLzqY8QlLsmtsjOAzjxKzeKsYARGIFXM/s1600-h/tony+at+tapeo.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhyphenhyphenyoSwkmzDPBgOB16b714Quw6ju4NRLWi4uHQwRpQpdwIilYnBH-H5pYlgyhVaeeCRa1pBbNaiywH0BziNivlF8owOobs5W_iq-2ouDCbH-GLzqY8QlLsmtsjOAzjxKzeKsYARGIFXM/s400/tony+at+tapeo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269477708699519810" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We stayed there until about 2am and then headed "home." This was basically the most perfect day, minus some of the nasty weather (boo rain!). I'll post tomorrow about Sunday. There was more great food!<br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-91077522514088365142008-11-15T11:05:00.019-05:002008-11-16T22:05:22.330-05:00Fun night out in NY (Friday)<div style="text-align: justify;">Wow, another awesome weekend in NY! It never gets old. I do miss it a lot (I lived there for 3 years after graduating from college) and visiting it brings up a lot of fun memories. Being a tourist, however, does have a lot of positives too. I went to bakeries and restaurants this weekend I've never been to despite living minutes away from them, just because I thought I could go there any day... Anyways, I have a lot to share about this wonderful weekend of fun and food (!), so I'll spread my recap over a few posts just to not overwhelm you too much :D So I'll start with Friday night...<br /><br />After blogging on Friday evening from my sister's apartment, we headed straight to dinner. We were craving nothing in particular so when my sister and her boyfriend suggested a tapas place down the street, it sounded like fun! We ended up at <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.paladarrestaurant.com/">Paladar</a>, a Pan-latino restaurant and immediately ordered some drinks :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LXAi65rqiqsbFI-vYMLjFUmPDnsirhllYiBNN5cR_fQqZ9rkRFxYW5kWSUYBAMgHWHzMKUrWAqR-bwDsXqR65sE0_YbjcRl2TJ-SFfMK5kY7mLKzWPHRqJyBLUms-yExc8tRLRkL5Pc/s1600-h/paladar+front.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LXAi65rqiqsbFI-vYMLjFUmPDnsirhllYiBNN5cR_fQqZ9rkRFxYW5kWSUYBAMgHWHzMKUrWAqR-bwDsXqR65sE0_YbjcRl2TJ-SFfMK5kY7mLKzWPHRqJyBLUms-yExc8tRLRkL5Pc/s400/paladar+front.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269451953846331266" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My first (of 2) sangria:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjWKth5o9zYNiDRiZWrGANBT9OdzsSLuX_vyJGMP-SCIeLdXPjDplBTDJhFvgWYoDJmW6W5Ibss-yn1OxBTyP9QREnSaAXEsRstSxPqyy_h98elRN_jDWt1jnIacZAZzrkSN_PcYJZI0/s1600-h/paladar+sangrilla.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjWKth5o9zYNiDRiZWrGANBT9OdzsSLuX_vyJGMP-SCIeLdXPjDplBTDJhFvgWYoDJmW6W5Ibss-yn1OxBTyP9QREnSaAXEsRstSxPqyy_h98elRN_jDWt1jnIacZAZzrkSN_PcYJZI0/s400/paladar+sangrilla.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269452098243945090" border="0" /></a><br /><br />While we were waiting for the drinks and our order to be taken, the waiter served us some yummy tortilla chips with a black bean and a cheakpea dips. I had about 5 chips... they were awesome and I was a little hungry...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTlJ1ivnTnl-sasINYM0vmZCDLnSHzi9TQbP669suEDOpKhcl7HpECzIKdAO5q3kI2WsRgt1FPrsnMKwDYEM6GbchK4fRVc8HjKnvWv_DOv9lm87KYws2KhFuxLNn-A7RK5u0IlG3XyDQ/s1600-h/paladar+tortilla+chips.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTlJ1ivnTnl-sasINYM0vmZCDLnSHzi9TQbP669suEDOpKhcl7HpECzIKdAO5q3kI2WsRgt1FPrsnMKwDYEM6GbchK4fRVc8HjKnvWv_DOv9lm87KYws2KhFuxLNn-A7RK5u0IlG3XyDQ/s400/paladar+tortilla+chips.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269452645739820018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >For dinner we decided to go with some tapas over large entrees. I started with a seasonal salad that sounded just way too good to pass up: </span><span style=";font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">Ensalada de Calabaza -</span><b style="font-family: georgia;"> </b><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Roasted pumpkin, walnuts and Cabrales cheese over bitter greens with pomegranate vinaigrette</span>.</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUr1cjupXEqujojgHjSsoYxZxpzXFa2DSPW1CRz_dcsa0Zx0Q1GyQ2CPzj-y1fjm3herpjMbT5Se_tcpRnric67c88xjR57l6FVBYwqfezcqReZmFHHBR3nvgBiGXMCDJOAZuHJnUwhNE/s1600-h/paladar+salad.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUr1cjupXEqujojgHjSsoYxZxpzXFa2DSPW1CRz_dcsa0Zx0Q1GyQ2CPzj-y1fjm3herpjMbT5Se_tcpRnric67c88xjR57l6FVBYwqfezcqReZmFHHBR3nvgBiGXMCDJOAZuHJnUwhNE/s400/paladar+salad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269452449041276066" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >The salad was very salty and the Cabrales cheese I've never heard of before, but it was basically a blue cheese (which I don't like). I picked off all the roasted pumpkin (best ever!), walnuts and some pomegranate seeds... and ate some of the greens. It was still a nice starter :)</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >We also got 4 tapas to share. We were afraid it was maybe a little too much food (apparently the waiter gave my husband a look when he was ordering, like "Are you crazy ordering that much food?" I didn't see it, and with my super onion hatred, I knew some of the dishes may be uneatable, so it was ok to have some variety. Here is the spread:</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ><b>Marinero - </b>F<span style="font-style: italic;">ish, habanero, lemon & citrus segments:</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpp6I1kmkTuGdQrCpQ3CtcgXfPclKK6SPi1RUNyr-zIsvHZ2t3KrIcY9Z1JHFQVMsHx4sxJuCOZO_W5ia5BPGsWk-1N2UBWyMdgZzeZ9SGZgTeBP-xLo0x23GOdAFYZGqqQBVSSm1hns/s1600-h/paladar+ceviche.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpp6I1kmkTuGdQrCpQ3CtcgXfPclKK6SPi1RUNyr-zIsvHZ2t3KrIcY9Z1JHFQVMsHx4sxJuCOZO_W5ia5BPGsWk-1N2UBWyMdgZzeZ9SGZgTeBP-xLo0x23GOdAFYZGqqQBVSSm1hns/s400/paladar+ceviche.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269453297347267042" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >I didn't even touch this because my husband said it was extremely onion-tasting. It's ok, we had 3 other dishes to choose from, no biggie...</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >Next up, </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ><b>Costillas 'LES' </b><span style="font-style: italic;">Pork spare ribs with guava BBQ sauce, served with mango, jicama & cabbage slaw</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-k-ULeZm2TgpM_aoaopz2uUW6NLKRoPyFNsaQ5To7sLo1KWZBPsmC6UPSBcSNphPnMAAtubub0Did2u-IbFHzcQa0GcVhC0V6PtQ2MZDv8RekzlP1acK8zuXRIBa4BqXrhd144sGbKKI/s1600-h/paladar+ribs.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-k-ULeZm2TgpM_aoaopz2uUW6NLKRoPyFNsaQ5To7sLo1KWZBPsmC6UPSBcSNphPnMAAtubub0Did2u-IbFHzcQa0GcVhC0V6PtQ2MZDv8RekzlP1acK8zuXRIBa4BqXrhd144sGbKKI/s400/paladar+ribs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269453797315471602" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >This was the best dish! I had one of the smaller ribs and a bunch of the slaw. Very flavorful and onion free :)</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ><b style="font-family: georgia;">Arepas </b><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;">Venezuelan corn cakes topped with caramelized onions and roasted duck </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">(I'm making up this description because it's not online but that's basically what it was... except it didn't mention the onions in the description otherwise of course I wouldn't have ordered it)</span>.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuoQ9a3Cog2Sam4PYMQnwlaga5OCBOIMZxWtn-R0E00W1jkzn0oMhXstFyXelESQ19eb_Gb0UPIE3-aoZXBJBLe-jSSNtYBVPkfyGEXO5bLmQbI22Z9bMvgGwPsKDs1086pTDcrC0xqk/s1600-h/paladar+arepas.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuoQ9a3Cog2Sam4PYMQnwlaga5OCBOIMZxWtn-R0E00W1jkzn0oMhXstFyXelESQ19eb_Gb0UPIE3-aoZXBJBLe-jSSNtYBVPkfyGEXO5bLmQbI22Z9bMvgGwPsKDs1086pTDcrC0xqk/s400/paladar+arepas.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269452804691112930" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >I ate one of the cakes (dry) after discovering the onions (and removing them) + a little chunk of the duck that was over it. No bad.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >Lastly, </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ><b>Tacos de Pescado </b><span style="font-style: italic;">Marinated swordfish with chipotle-lime glaze, avocado & mango salsa</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4UHlW0vO8aXkuBALBu4EWK2WmFHERQWBrNs_PrIYDHe3LMljWMnxXn2sqqW5CV0I78nOJBiLyIY27uyOQYuHsocXHW2HWLhWuOL7Zu5OI0VT4Ux991sTT20FSfY76eVF_TGHRDepZ-is/s1600-h/paladar+fish+tacos.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4UHlW0vO8aXkuBALBu4EWK2WmFHERQWBrNs_PrIYDHe3LMljWMnxXn2sqqW5CV0I78nOJBiLyIY27uyOQYuHsocXHW2HWLhWuOL7Zu5OI0VT4Ux991sTT20FSfY76eVF_TGHRDepZ-is/s400/paladar+fish+tacos.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269453971743210226" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >Not a bad dish. I picked at the fish and ate one of the tortillas.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >And then I was going to have dessert but my husband needed an energy drink asap! (We're getting old, I think!). So we took the check, got him a <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://monsterenergy.com/">Monster</a> and then went for a search of dessert for me. I can't finish a meal without dessert. It's kind of a problem.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >After a lot walking around, looking for a place that would "speak to me" (yeah, I'm weird) we ended up going to a little deli/bakery and ordered a pain au chocolat (it was still warm out of the oven).</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DWBa0QJhxmtaUn-N1g9mraY4ubln87VPMVyFG3KVvgudOj71TjDZCR_KiFTSVDandtato9Y6s0fqfmWpzj6SYpMtPm0GRFQm7AvJ4akoVbqMfws-YD7bRf6IwiO-ELUiRoAir5lXYss/s1600-h/pain+au+chocolat.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DWBa0QJhxmtaUn-N1g9mraY4ubln87VPMVyFG3KVvgudOj71TjDZCR_KiFTSVDandtato9Y6s0fqfmWpzj6SYpMtPm0GRFQm7AvJ4akoVbqMfws-YD7bRf6IwiO-ELUiRoAir5lXYss/s400/pain+au+chocolat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269454160758056146" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >It did the trick and I finally was ready to go to the club my sister's boyfriend was spinning at (Citric).</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >I had a vodka tonic there, one of my stand-by drinks. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1m0EcIyfhuPtR5IMXnxVIKhcYmOKD6LbVp9J5gv9i1Vp9-1EqRR12QEsopNv1WWLgyF-BVUL1QGNgYCEqzG5m5D-wBeSTSQmYWmegeTZumLQJFacvLFTOEJdzntvzx1vzuFLKi5A-7o/s1600-h/vodka+tonic+citric.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1m0EcIyfhuPtR5IMXnxVIKhcYmOKD6LbVp9J5gv9i1Vp9-1EqRR12QEsopNv1WWLgyF-BVUL1QGNgYCEqzG5m5D-wBeSTSQmYWmegeTZumLQJFacvLFTOEJdzntvzx1vzuFLKi5A-7o/s400/vodka+tonic+citric.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269454326764044018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >This was followed by a bottle of water. I was planning to alternate between alcoholic drinks and water, but we actually ended up heading home after this round. It was a little after 1am and since we were up since 6am, we were beat. I told you I'm getting old! :D</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >That's that for our Friday night. Another post coming up on Saturday activities, which included an awesome brunch, a self-guided cookie tour, a fancy dinner + drinks with friends... a perfect day, really :)</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" > And then the recap of Sunday's brunch and dinner. Thanks for all your comments while I was gone!</span></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-68976804731105569582008-11-14T20:12:00.015-05:002008-11-14T20:32:11.378-05:00Reporting from NYC...I’m blogging from my sister’s apartment in NYC – so cool! This is my first mini-vacation since starting this blog (well I guess I did go to Maine a few weekends ago but there was no usable internet access there), so it’s kind of fun trying to sneak in a little time with my blog.<br /><br />We are about to head out to dinner and then to a club, but I’ll give a quick review of today’s eats until now.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;">BREAKFAST</span><br /><br />I woke up extra early to pack for the trip and while packing I realized that I was absolutely starving. I didn’t have an option – I had to stop and make breakfast. Thankfully I knew exactly what I wanted: oats! I haven’t had oatmeal in what seems like forever, but today the craving was back and I was happy to comply. Today’s bowl included 1/3 c rolled oats, 1/3 c skim milk, 1/3 c water, ½ banana, all microwaved for about 3+ minutes. *I noticed that when I make oatmeal right after putting it together it takes a lot longer to get the liquid all absorbed. Usually I either put everything in the bowl the night before or that morning (and microwave it at work which is probably 30 minutes later) so the oats have time to absorb some of the liquid before getting cooked and only need 2 minutes, sometimes even less, in the microwave to get to the consistency I like… Good to know!*<br /><br />I topped the oats with some shredded almonds, some chocolate chips and shredded coconut + a spoonful of nonfat yogurt mixed in with agave nectar. I love the mixture of yogurt and oats, especially when the yogurt is sweetened. It really tastes like frosting on top of a dessert. Yum! Another discovery this morning: bananas and coconut do not really work together. I’ve made the same bowl before without banana and it was to-die for (btw, the original mixture needs to be credited to <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://carrotsncake.com/">Tina of Carrots ‘N Cake</a>)… definitely just like the almond joy candy bar. However in general I prefer my oats with a banana (they’re just so much creamier!) so today I combined the two. Note to self, not an ideal mixture. I’ll keep them separate going forward.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkx4H7NMWqiGVI7rFuG_8n8yD2i2iFO-o9A29uHuFTXRU1RZH18BJ0x0jeCnwaFk9PskAQhRba7L2LIxmj0o3OZkMeNigtUxEttuecWRk9d0OkN7umSHfs5Ut_6fPQmfd0tTZeTC_Ff9I/s1600-h/IMG_3031.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkx4H7NMWqiGVI7rFuG_8n8yD2i2iFO-o9A29uHuFTXRU1RZH18BJ0x0jeCnwaFk9PskAQhRba7L2LIxmj0o3OZkMeNigtUxEttuecWRk9d0OkN7umSHfs5Ut_6fPQmfd0tTZeTC_Ff9I/s400/IMG_3031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268687505209583154" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">SNACKS</span><br /><br />Breakfast was really early. After doing a bit of work this morning I got the munchies. I had a pear + coffee as the first snack.<br /><insert pic=""><br /></insert><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbRWBFhHxY8FEX9IE2fKD7Z1VCBRZ_TqzVwx03QX7KNYgNQg92VjQe7oArnKkN2-tVKvpRFviQoKV2QkT_cPYUcbkj2hHKFAio3rw09ARZKFveCVpgzZv08AM8I_NGDkCVstaYsoy5lY/s1600-h/IMG_3033.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbRWBFhHxY8FEX9IE2fKD7Z1VCBRZ_TqzVwx03QX7KNYgNQg92VjQe7oArnKkN2-tVKvpRFviQoKV2QkT_cPYUcbkj2hHKFAio3rw09ARZKFveCVpgzZv08AM8I_NGDkCVstaYsoy5lY/s400/IMG_3033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268687754910502226" border="0" /></a><br /><insert pic=""><br />And then right before hitting the gym, I was hungry so I grabbed 2 prunes (the idea was to give me energy without sitting in my stomach like a rock). I was still kind of hungry waiting for the class to begin, but forgot all about it once I started moving :)<br /><br /><insert pic=""></insert></insert><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOj7V8J2PliUhC_LsGVkZ9JmCHr5NQfYBgD4oBB9eYf4AxJV9PCip1qFwuVT_L_vjuXc3PV6OVZpHbTd6joMZ8i3sOKvPqovegEKUkq0OiAmYJ6zP1bIxptfk39diFJ5HlWvfaCwQFzo/s1600-h/IMG_3034.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOj7V8J2PliUhC_LsGVkZ9JmCHr5NQfYBgD4oBB9eYf4AxJV9PCip1qFwuVT_L_vjuXc3PV6OVZpHbTd6joMZ8i3sOKvPqovegEKUkq0OiAmYJ6zP1bIxptfk39diFJ5HlWvfaCwQFzo/s400/IMG_3034.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268688683965990066" border="0" /></a><br /><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;">WORKOUT</span><br /><br />I took the same class at the gym as last Friday, called Journey to the Core. For some reason today it seemed harder. It was the same exact class (same set of exercises and all) but I was dripping sweat today like crazy! I’m not complaining though, hopefully I just pushed myself harder and that’s why.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">LUNCH</span><br /><br />Lunch today was just leftovers, nothing exciting, really. I made a little eggplant parm sandwich with broccoli on the side. Mid-way through eating I realized there was too much bread, so I threw away about ¼ of the English muffin and about ½ of the broccoli. I just wasn’t feeling it today and preferred to have a snack later instead of just finishing my plate, like I’m “supposed to.” Surprisingly despite being very low in calories, my lunch still filled me up quite a bit :)<br /><br /></insert></insert><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWY8h87BW3YTFEKOenQ1doszaZOA6Re-9H0f5-tWFKJW_EeGMeHs2-rv6esGq61S78wT0VfPmR5f_oRfolRxPuAE2kcD1H6KO0g-L9B9VIGw89BQDQIQrI9FEyh-06GvYAVoACtDcAS6I/s1600-h/IMG_3035.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWY8h87BW3YTFEKOenQ1doszaZOA6Re-9H0f5-tWFKJW_EeGMeHs2-rv6esGq61S78wT0VfPmR5f_oRfolRxPuAE2kcD1H6KO0g-L9B9VIGw89BQDQIQrI9FEyh-06GvYAVoACtDcAS6I/s400/IMG_3035.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268688966552229314" border="0" /></a><br /><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><br /><insert pic=""></insert></insert></insert><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUWCOO0nGNTV2ysr9zXMUC1rN4VOPy6ku4rgvaN5Rl9jFKaZ-zNed0l42HLm8pZycDs7z8A75FN_77uirjueVjxRH5yNndXYFVBCW9MP-SZZnhofQrAnVcNjn4HVqAmmBYxvOkBXntsg/s1600-h/IMG_3036.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUWCOO0nGNTV2ysr9zXMUC1rN4VOPy6ku4rgvaN5Rl9jFKaZ-zNed0l42HLm8pZycDs7z8A75FN_77uirjueVjxRH5yNndXYFVBCW9MP-SZZnhofQrAnVcNjn4HVqAmmBYxvOkBXntsg/s400/IMG_3036.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268689219501652626" border="0" /></a><br /><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;">MORE SNACKS</span><br /><br />I was definitely fighting the urge to switch to “vacation mode” when I left work a little after 1pm. I passed by a few bakeries but kept on reminding myself that there will be plenty of treats once we get to NY. I did bring a few snacks with me for the train and couldn’t help myself and had a few of them…<br /><br />Another TJ’s 100 calorie dark chocolate (sorry the picture is so blurry). Portable and delicious!<br /><br /></insert></insert></insert><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrxnBzOtRVllb82QiWbUdxjM38xvJ5Jq76i0Md_9LV00NEWaty4YN3zzkJZZgWgWyXkbCmwbKV5Me2tbCukfKK3YjIUWslaYLRYPOKDwB9OugtWJSPGBsJq7K3F3DBpTwaEr15pFbt54/s1600-h/IMG_3040.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrxnBzOtRVllb82QiWbUdxjM38xvJ5Jq76i0Md_9LV00NEWaty4YN3zzkJZZgWgWyXkbCmwbKV5Me2tbCukfKK3YjIUWslaYLRYPOKDwB9OugtWJSPGBsJq7K3F3DBpTwaEr15pFbt54/s400/IMG_3040.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268689492251696178" border="0" /></a><br /><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><br />And a little bit later I was really dying to try this new kind of larabar, so I dug into it too :P<br /><br /></insert></insert></insert></insert><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIT26mNEutmxxUhmlvghWu6YF3AH-l24KqEA_qi7e_mg1OL9tHrlBLs2c8_kM2MTbM5Lz4NjG6ZPmMknGpodagOK5UUTVYPa3CKcOxUohSBKkbkS5SizVxgmNfmUadiT1vV4jvdoB9I4/s1600-h/IMG_3043.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIT26mNEutmxxUhmlvghWu6YF3AH-l24KqEA_qi7e_mg1OL9tHrlBLs2c8_kM2MTbM5Lz4NjG6ZPmMknGpodagOK5UUTVYPa3CKcOxUohSBKkbkS5SizVxgmNfmUadiT1vV4jvdoB9I4/s400/IMG_3043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268689772880830210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOha9oAB3DHpfFg2UJgtjFQu0MYTdnZZJDLU2d-aOmDq1cjRyNUY5blTRkBEelu9-eu0zjagfsx_k5YLkONhgplCyzIld_qBJ5MONEAAVRrdt_BbsXc2Vxsyl0M2DWP_qHOcYJM2HWoA/s1600-h/IMG_3044.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOha9oAB3DHpfFg2UJgtjFQu0MYTdnZZJDLU2d-aOmDq1cjRyNUY5blTRkBEelu9-eu0zjagfsx_k5YLkONhgplCyzIld_qBJ5MONEAAVRrdt_BbsXc2Vxsyl0M2DWP_qHOcYJM2HWoA/s400/IMG_3044.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268690020030055618" border="0" /></a><br /><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><br /><insert pic="">It was pretty good. There were a few larger chunks of almonds, which I really appreciated being a huge nut fan. I’d buy this one again :D<br /><br />And when we got to my sister's, she had brownies made for us!!! Well, actually she made them for herself but she was nice enough to save some for us! These were made from the TJ's brownie mix, but she brilliantly replaced 1/2 of the oil with nonfat yogurt and added dried cherries. OMG, these were incredible! If I was left in the dark room with these babies, well, let's just say there wouldn't be any left anymore :D I had some green tea with it. Awesome snack! Thanks, Innz!!!<br /><br /></insert></insert></insert></insert></insert></insert><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslAqsAQHhIiq2v-6dbRNh1-QmpIeWsjVJhwjD6kwsOXpY-GZvTe48wlnHit-D7U0cuxVx-ybNWpN5dpGuDjrxI5-8tQGa6dHKyBqRyMNUq8-ZitIlgJlYzNjn31_GCvcI24YgI0L-N1k/s1600-h/IMG_3045.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslAqsAQHhIiq2v-6dbRNh1-QmpIeWsjVJhwjD6kwsOXpY-GZvTe48wlnHit-D7U0cuxVx-ybNWpN5dpGuDjrxI5-8tQGa6dHKyBqRyMNUq8-ZitIlgJlYzNjn31_GCvcI24YgI0L-N1k/s400/IMG_3045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268690657606400418" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><insert pic=""><insert pic="">Ok, my husband is getting antsy... gotta go explore NY and all the delicious food it has to offer!!</insert></insert></insert></insert></insert></insert>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-34258743954156269292008-11-13T21:05:00.015-05:002008-11-13T22:09:18.102-05:00Sweat it out!<div style="text-align: justify;">OMG, can I just say how much <span style="font-weight: bold;">I love the gym</span>?!!!! I started the morning with the same stomach ache, trying to stay optimistic but the same symptoms of the last few days made me feel a little hopeless. I was just going through the motions, ate my breakfast, a snack and contemplated skipping the gym. Well, I'm so happy that I actually went, because I totally sweated out whatever bluh feeling I've had all week! I felt strong, I felt energized, I was totally back to my normal self. It felt SO GOOD! Anyways, let's go back to that breakfast and snacks...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">BREAKFAST</span><br /><br />I put this concoction together last night: pumpkin pie yogurt :D<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUF2JpiMaU2k0Dx9_KkXqHFIKefVn7n9jNVFsHZksicGFlanqDmHkxvnNYsWaB_4SMYjqp87R1aPxv2IQCnzmBZ_3xCqxxbycCVI1efZWLUW0uGwAM-9GXrjAvO3_w6kHbtgZjRvzeLI/s1600-h/pumpkin+yogurt+parfait.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUF2JpiMaU2k0Dx9_KkXqHFIKefVn7n9jNVFsHZksicGFlanqDmHkxvnNYsWaB_4SMYjqp87R1aPxv2IQCnzmBZ_3xCqxxbycCVI1efZWLUW0uGwAM-9GXrjAvO3_w6kHbtgZjRvzeLI/s400/pumpkin+yogurt+parfait.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268331875112420098" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This bowl had about 3/4 c of TJ's nonfat yogurt, 1/3 c pumpkin, 1/2 banana, 1 tablespoon of pumpkin butter and some Erin Baker's peanut butter granola. Oh, and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice :) Not bad! I missed the chocolate and nuts in my breakfast but I wanted to start the morning on a fresher note.<br /><br />After finishing this bowl I wanted to continue munching, so I grabbed 1/2 serving of reduced fat wheat thins (actually it's a different organic brand but it tastes the same and I forget the name of the brand) with 1/2 packet of Barney Butter. I forgot to take a picture right away, so here is a shot mid-way through eating :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8TULGCdhMd4DbCLZ65ZY5L9NxFUowtVBLF5QEJTW_fcf-9OjA1tvxKR3-w3c5pjajYicjTxFH1Bbqzt7QOh78QZVfrUkydiGfsfaJVl51s7odyiaUbcIJfj97kS6Kawh93O7-Npagyc/s1600-h/crackers+with+barney+butter.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8TULGCdhMd4DbCLZ65ZY5L9NxFUowtVBLF5QEJTW_fcf-9OjA1tvxKR3-w3c5pjajYicjTxFH1Bbqzt7QOh78QZVfrUkydiGfsfaJVl51s7odyiaUbcIJfj97kS6Kawh93O7-Npagyc/s400/crackers+with+barney+butter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268333614032437122" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">SNACK</span><br /><br />As always I got the urge for chocolate, so I immediately grabbed the closest thing I could find: a zbar. Carrot sticks and cottage cheese (my originally planned snack) just wouldn't do it today.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04jl6LXQbXJQi8qzqtNx8Tlq5RXwlJ_dp_E9GvQKi1M-JzxdvTfwxbHFTXWY2DJiNTEL8to1OYTFuZC6DcuyKem8akI_kcOWjlWokgWpGPB0tP87NNoe98a2oxc6Rd-Has9Qah6NNdWo/s1600-h/honey+graham+zbar+open.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04jl6LXQbXJQi8qzqtNx8Tlq5RXwlJ_dp_E9GvQKi1M-JzxdvTfwxbHFTXWY2DJiNTEL8to1OYTFuZC6DcuyKem8akI_kcOWjlWokgWpGPB0tP87NNoe98a2oxc6Rd-Has9Qah6NNdWo/s400/honey+graham+zbar+open.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268333991432694066" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is the honey graham kind... it was my first time trying it. I liked it! I can't quite make-up my mind about zbars. The first time I tried one (the fudge brownie flavor) I thought it was the best thing ever and ordered 2 huge boxes of them on Amazon.com. Many months later I'm still working on my second box, because I never really crave these things (and I keep buying other bars to try out). I like them when I eat them, but for some reason the idea of one never appeals to me. I think the brownie kind is still my favorite, but this definitely was a good one.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">WORKOUT</span><br /><br />As mentioned at the beginning of the post, my workout kicked butt! I was just so happy the entire time; I could not believe what a difference it was making.<br /><br />I originally was going to skip it altogether, then I thought about just going to the gym to take a shower and straighten my hair to make myself feel more refreshed. Finally I decided since I was already there, there is no reason not to jump on a treadmill and just do my 3 mile run. Fastforward to the end: I ran for 40 minutes (~ 4.5 miles) and did 20 minutes on the elliptical. I was feeling amazing! I could have kept going, but unfortunately I had to go back to work :(<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">LUNCH</span><br /><br />As mentioned before, we're leaving for NY tomorrow so lunch was a few leftover items... it was very satisfying and perfectly refreshing after my refreshing workout!<br /><br />The star of my lunch was a smoked salmon/laughing cow and cucumber sandwich on a ww British muffin... and the side dish was simple but super delicious: mixed greens, grape tomatoes, cucumbers + 1 tablespoon of Annie's goddess dressing. Perfect! Here is the sandwich:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6AdqaTlbs7DYfc_SD8tNDTHZVCAysKLa6q-9psDq-gnO5zjC8g-V5nPNZSEZqS0vCqTE50WuJqVUajIl2s8m-DqoODZN2CuPgYhKoBDkmxQJ31N-Do8vbpWb8kwDNqoCbmtjKP_oCCZQ/s1600-h/low+sandwich+with+laughin+cow+closeup.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6AdqaTlbs7DYfc_SD8tNDTHZVCAysKLa6q-9psDq-gnO5zjC8g-V5nPNZSEZqS0vCqTE50WuJqVUajIl2s8m-DqoODZN2CuPgYhKoBDkmxQJ31N-Do8vbpWb8kwDNqoCbmtjKP_oCCZQ/s400/low+sandwich+with+laughin+cow+closeup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268336289673929202" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And lunch altogether (dressing was mixed after the photo was taken - a dressed salad isn't very photogenic :D )<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLdGiIwgZsmuLdiCXBZlComnUUu60ioZqwCaBJ9gT8roT1-bGpkhSH4LY3qlGeBVWTmrhl_HgvgFYpP0Jo2juYxbcN-IbL3QEvegSfeOxiuIl_AJYmCiqfNWU6ubUHYue2xpiURMcP0k/s1600-h/lox+sandwich+plus+salad.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLdGiIwgZsmuLdiCXBZlComnUUu60ioZqwCaBJ9gT8roT1-bGpkhSH4LY3qlGeBVWTmrhl_HgvgFYpP0Jo2juYxbcN-IbL3QEvegSfeOxiuIl_AJYmCiqfNWU6ubUHYue2xpiURMcP0k/s400/lox+sandwich+plus+salad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268336163136366098" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This lunch was kind of late (around 3:30) but it kept me full for hours. I met up with a new friend after work at Starbucks where I got a vanilla coconut tea (sorry I forgot to take a picture in all the excitement). I sipped on that while we were chatting away about food and boys and I never got hungry until it was time for dinner.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">DINNER</span><br /><br />They are opening a <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.chipotle.com/">Chipotle</a> in our building and today was the grand-opening day, where they were giving out free burritos. My husband warned me that we were going weeks ago, so I was mentally prepared (and excited!) about dinner at Chipotle. Well, there was a slight change of plans because this is what was outside of Chipotle today:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUF9aFkg0U7tX3o6YBw6PKknad2F3rZNnNKrkBu-aQl2Og1YF6duWatzXM9gEUcDFv0SJaw1CTulKAAU23e2DVoFS-DUvSvEiniGqeCTYnPXuLQlf_0KsAimvRg4c4T91lsAkttaCTZOc/s1600-h/chipotle+line.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUF9aFkg0U7tX3o6YBw6PKknad2F3rZNnNKrkBu-aQl2Og1YF6duWatzXM9gEUcDFv0SJaw1CTulKAAU23e2DVoFS-DUvSvEiniGqeCTYnPXuLQlf_0KsAimvRg4c4T91lsAkttaCTZOc/s400/chipotle+line.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268339206848180946" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Yeah, a HUGE line! This goes waaay back and it was dark and raining. No thank you, I can have it tomorrow, or next week. Man, people really love free food!<br /><br />We quickly re-evaluated the situation. With me having no second snack and an overall relatively calorie-light day, I agreed to go out for some sushi. Sushi is quite healthy, you just have to watch how much of it you eat, because it definitely adds up. I knew I had some wiggle room and I haven't had sushi in forever (actually we were planning on having it tomorrow in NY, but we'll figure something else out). We tried a new place (new for us), <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.finsboston.com/">Fin's Sushi</a> in Kenmore Square.<br /><br />This place was great!!! We have a really nice sushi restaurant across the street from our building and hardly ever venture out to other ones, but I'm so glad we did today. It was small, but very modern and the sushi was super fresh. It is also BYOB, which we didn't know today but will be cool for future visits. I could have eaten 3 times as much, but I was still in a really great healthy mentality so I kept my portions reasonable.<br /><br />I started with some seaweed salad:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExTFs_O4slC8fS4Jf2tZZz-EAuH3tZyHlaFDwKRTF8-qIIVceXP3Mnysic02Zpk9mlA-ECSzxQCJiiXv3pTFn-kUxoQKp0iMYWeKnsQ_XbfiLc_ug8o9jXQEsfoxodvWJlLVh_Ea60tw/s1600-h/sea+weed.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExTFs_O4slC8fS4Jf2tZZz-EAuH3tZyHlaFDwKRTF8-qIIVceXP3Mnysic02Zpk9mlA-ECSzxQCJiiXv3pTFn-kUxoQKp0iMYWeKnsQ_XbfiLc_ug8o9jXQEsfoxodvWJlLVh_Ea60tw/s400/sea+weed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268341055222835570" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is the whole dish... I probably ate 3/4 of it. I kind of picked at it throughout dinner.<br /><br />And this is the sushi we ordered for the 2 of us:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWqmSCvgdlWhnOW_T0eF7kj7h5yyveN-p34WD4oEhUJFWHIJJK-LFlhcYwZ38IJr6IsQ4R_6wgu7T_97czJWpoNf-JmYtlBORUU5S1JVVr4ANCNz7dmXCiBA202qW6MgdarLtNt7C1Ao/s1600-h/sushi+at+fin.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWqmSCvgdlWhnOW_T0eF7kj7h5yyveN-p34WD4oEhUJFWHIJJK-LFlhcYwZ38IJr6IsQ4R_6wgu7T_97czJWpoNf-JmYtlBORUU5S1JVVr4ANCNz7dmXCiBA202qW6MgdarLtNt7C1Ao/s400/sushi+at+fin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268341404444328274" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Mine is the alaskan roll (salmon/cucumber/avocado), 1 tuna nigiri, 1 unagi nigiri and 2 yellowtail nigiri. I tried one of my husband's spicy tuna maki for exchange of 1 alaskan maki and then my husband didn't eat his salmon nigiri, so I had to help him out with it :) It was soooo delicious. I missed sushi!!<br /><br />When we got home I wanted dessert so I had another raspberry brownie. I'm sure you guys are sick of seeing these but I'm still not sick of eating them :) Don't worry, there are only 2 left and I think my husband will take care of them :D<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4Y0B2U8PCcjca8DAF4BDHK9rVMZsons_2nelpkyc4KVpY6RW9uBHOjxCsSoblIXi6JHR3kwNLA6WouaZMnagjzyFfnSnHmeBL2TBMqC3tQEpaBrRjZVTbKodvN4ndKdSqS2IIFTWXM8/s1600-h/today's+raspberry+brownie.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4Y0B2U8PCcjca8DAF4BDHK9rVMZsons_2nelpkyc4KVpY6RW9uBHOjxCsSoblIXi6JHR3kwNLA6WouaZMnagjzyFfnSnHmeBL2TBMqC3tQEpaBrRjZVTbKodvN4ndKdSqS2IIFTWXM8/s400/today's+raspberry+brownie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268342308975241890" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And I finished off my day of eats with some hazelnuts:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7N8bO3zHJ_3H0yTidQFYY8g_yOQPH4MpuCWyR02SHAMr6OpIbkc74s0Zg__wpYIVeOOJkqRUwUWe-iWc9WWfTyveRG7XphN-2WTHVt0ZIxpS0U2iXlhAYc0jS19Nfa7PyWHg41B0IVE/s1600-h/handful+of+hazelnuts.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7N8bO3zHJ_3H0yTidQFYY8g_yOQPH4MpuCWyR02SHAMr6OpIbkc74s0Zg__wpYIVeOOJkqRUwUWe-iWc9WWfTyveRG7XphN-2WTHVt0ZIxpS0U2iXlhAYc0jS19Nfa7PyWHg41B0IVE/s400/handful+of+hazelnuts.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268342492214310562" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There was another handful after these, but I put them away now and I'm very satisfied. What a great day!<br /><br />Btw, I probably won't be able to blog until Sunday night, but I'll try to take lots of food pics when I'm in NY. There should definitely be some good eats there!<br /><br />Thank you all again for your nice comments. You guys are the best!<br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-69709642908124213022008-11-12T20:33:00.011-05:002008-11-12T21:11:36.662-05:00Feeling lazy<div style="text-align: justify;">Whoa, that last post took too long. Finding people that haven't been tagged before was quite the challenge! I'm going to make this post short and sweet because I need to relax. I'll let the pictures speak mostly for themselves. As you can see, I didn't cook today. I just didn't feel like it so I caved and bought things I was craving. I was trying to make some healthy choices although a few sweets snuck their way onto my plate too. I think I gained about 10 pounds this week. *Sign* I'll do better after this weekend. This week is lost on me. I think a pre-Thanksgiving challenge is in order starting next Monday. "Rules" to be revealed later in the week.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">BREAKFAST</span><br /><br />This guy was gone <span style="font-style: italic;">waaay</span> too fast. I just love yogurt combos! Today's bowl included TJ's nonfat European style yogurt, 1/2 banana, some double chocolate granola, kashi golean cereal and pomegranate seeds.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKU5-7SOfQLCfHJ_-3tHBxgXmMGThzv_nbTw9ZqNDTSw-VmuYYH6_1_50dWTQrAyTCEAWgsAR1gF_OnKYAGy4y4AYrBFEXWrNru11bpe_2rojEfQBWySJi7J1_e6APDoo-n45WzIHSJo/s1600-h/yogurt+with+banana+and+pom+seeds.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKU5-7SOfQLCfHJ_-3tHBxgXmMGThzv_nbTw9ZqNDTSw-VmuYYH6_1_50dWTQrAyTCEAWgsAR1gF_OnKYAGy4y4AYrBFEXWrNru11bpe_2rojEfQBWySJi7J1_e6APDoo-n45WzIHSJo/s400/yogurt+with+banana+and+pom+seeds.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267953201929051826" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">SNACK 1</span><br /><br />I forgot about this until I saw this picture. These were office treats and I was feeling weak. You can find on this very classy paper plate a slice of banana bread and some kind of pie. I don't know what it was. Neither one was very good but I ate it to be polite. I hate that! (and no, they are not from Pizzeria Regina, just the plates were :D)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNLj6MoG7620SJmUfZ7DR9RmNGWhvKsYrv5WrqpCs17zVVc7f7hAxne8Mx0oQZqUV9WnFlobTDoYlJW-mScyPxmmd9RJGme9POL-2Fobb0IlTQw2AJr0IQu8No2-ct-3noP6GH7PmIjY/s1600-h/office+treats.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNLj6MoG7620SJmUfZ7DR9RmNGWhvKsYrv5WrqpCs17zVVc7f7hAxne8Mx0oQZqUV9WnFlobTDoYlJW-mScyPxmmd9RJGme9POL-2Fobb0IlTQw2AJr0IQu8No2-ct-3noP6GH7PmIjY/s400/office+treats.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267954309018288882" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">SNACK 2</span><br /><br />Leftover tart from Saturday.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTMganCSlCUEWoCFjFs12G24T6dpY4eDUcwxsbqgctMN5vwlnplMoPchz9hqNOmfnhZK0m9sMgIADlQAgQPj5S7lmNHWMFPr8VNXBY9qH9ROVHjhUiwokHqetOl-eO5FBTXWP5Yaez5Q/s1600-h/leftover+tart.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTMganCSlCUEWoCFjFs12G24T6dpY4eDUcwxsbqgctMN5vwlnplMoPchz9hqNOmfnhZK0m9sMgIADlQAgQPj5S7lmNHWMFPr8VNXBY9qH9ROVHjhUiwokHqetOl-eO5FBTXWP5Yaez5Q/s400/leftover+tart.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267954735869647346" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This was supposed to be part of my lunch but after eating it I realized I really didn't want salad. I wanted chocolate! So this brought me to my next meal...<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">LUNCH</span><br /><br />I wanted chocolate so I left the office in search for some goodies, but I didn't know what I wanted. I decided that I wanted cookies so instead of buying a bunch of cookies I figured that maybe I was just hungry. I bought a southwestern chicken sandwich from Paradise Bakery - no mayo. This was HUGE but I ate the whole thing. Between the giganto slices of bread (the guy said it was supposed to be whole wheat, but this was definitely white bread... eek!) were grilled chicken, tomato slices, tiny bit of avocado and cheese. It also came with a cookie, which I thought I took a picture of but it's missing... I did eat it though.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgR6JF1vI_1qUKXjnwHcMJEQKJwb2KhId3QBk6NS3W8XPFGCamNfIxCTb8RvQY8kXN0MVWBp3vfY-YHku0iXX8CBOFVdORWGaTAP2CeQIL-WYnX3KvVoOXBZC_ufNSTYrl4zsclAS0U8/s1600-h/paradise+cafe+chicken+sandwich.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgR6JF1vI_1qUKXjnwHcMJEQKJwb2KhId3QBk6NS3W8XPFGCamNfIxCTb8RvQY8kXN0MVWBp3vfY-YHku0iXX8CBOFVdORWGaTAP2CeQIL-WYnX3KvVoOXBZC_ufNSTYrl4zsclAS0U8/s400/paradise+cafe+chicken+sandwich.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267955520434121010" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The sandwich + cookie combo kept me full for many hours. I also went to a <span style="font-weight: bold;">sports yoga class</span> that helped my mood :D<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">DINNER</span><br /><br />After less than stellar eating I was hoping to keep dinner on the light side. Instead, I hit up UFood Grill and got a chicken parm wrap with some unfries (the "fries" are baked, not fried). This is healthy, kind of. I don't recommend combining it with my previous eats if you're trying to lose weight. Otherwise this dinner was delicious and nutritious (although after taking the first bite I realized it tasted a lot like my dinner from yesterday since I made eggplant parm... sans the fries).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwtKWQWWA8vSKZ1Qyyw7NJEhqYmk7rDn6a1rDIUmrxTxTomr2tksmK6AzDpo7SL61abuYhi8FKqHocqczoGjGsumLn6uDQJv7KeqDw7ib55BcghtAanBPPQqlWtD7VlVR5dYsGCytqnw/s1600-h/ufood+chicken+parm+and+unfries.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwtKWQWWA8vSKZ1Qyyw7NJEhqYmk7rDn6a1rDIUmrxTxTomr2tksmK6AzDpo7SL61abuYhi8FKqHocqczoGjGsumLn6uDQJv7KeqDw7ib55BcghtAanBPPQqlWtD7VlVR5dYsGCytqnw/s400/ufood+chicken+parm+and+unfries.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267956287313984146" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhovvy8kznPaOfXuSilGvBA_S8yisqrziV3uAKfMIKzX7xXRoVAuf9_67UADLw3hQubo8gUCUjsqAiDsK3LSOhI2WMVAckchzcd53gRFXyYbWYa3dEyIvp6Ce3QMOXiLAtBHNwHYeuLwo4/s1600-h/ufood+unfries+closeup.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhovvy8kznPaOfXuSilGvBA_S8yisqrziV3uAKfMIKzX7xXRoVAuf9_67UADLw3hQubo8gUCUjsqAiDsK3LSOhI2WMVAckchzcd53gRFXyYbWYa3dEyIvp6Ce3QMOXiLAtBHNwHYeuLwo4/s400/ufood+unfries+closeup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267956522267200082" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipM4g0b3j-7iCcKwkbiNZ75ck2cm8UFHfbqL96Qh5VRacpbH7dqc0uCsYWa6eqYbbXpaRxr4blg1Wl4bnObhe9WMPWFym6ernWOOF9fldxuFQ7ZE7OuGnVKvGqEyReyrai6Shttvv4cZ4/s1600-h/ufood+chicken+parm+closeup.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipM4g0b3j-7iCcKwkbiNZ75ck2cm8UFHfbqL96Qh5VRacpbH7dqc0uCsYWa6eqYbbXpaRxr4blg1Wl4bnObhe9WMPWFym6ernWOOF9fldxuFQ7ZE7OuGnVKvGqEyReyrai6Shttvv4cZ4/s400/ufood+chicken+parm+closeup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267956738137636162" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And then I remembered that we have nutella at home (almost gone now!) so I had a TJ's blueberry frozen waffle with a healthy shmear of it + hazelnuts for you know, some healthy fat. Yeah, let's pretend like this day never happened. I won't tell anyone :D<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gjjuSptwGZqxbKbSXWe22Bp55XMBOa5UcTvKRgafh-oSUMOhCi5M7KOnN8-od6a_LiPLyP1WUk2jooP0VJVox9kw7oylVNRy7f4CreGUF9Dhmb82AlysOBsqfsbF8MjY9yF57fi3RQk/s1600-h/waffle+with+nutella+and+hazelnuts.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gjjuSptwGZqxbKbSXWe22Bp55XMBOa5UcTvKRgafh-oSUMOhCi5M7KOnN8-od6a_LiPLyP1WUk2jooP0VJVox9kw7oylVNRy7f4CreGUF9Dhmb82AlysOBsqfsbF8MjY9yF57fi3RQk/s400/waffle+with+nutella+and+hazelnuts.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267957270501108530" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And now I'm seriously stuffed and really am done eating. I can't promise about tomorrow's healthy habits. Seriously, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! Good night! :D<br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-11185771298341257802008-11-12T18:39:00.005-05:002008-11-12T20:26:02.121-05:00I've been tagged! 7 things about me...<div style="text-align: justify;">I've been tagged by the beautiful Kelly from <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://kellyspinkapron.blogspot.com/">The Pink Apron</a>, so here are the rules (I'm sure you all know about these by now, but I'll still post them to comply :D):<br /><br />1) Share 7 things about yourself;<br />2) Include link to the blogger that tagged you;<br />3) Tag another 7 bloggers and leave message for them so they <span style="font-style: italic;">know</span> they've been tagged.<br /><br />Sounds like fun!<br /><br />Since I'm a brand new blogger, there are many basic things you don't know about me. So here are some basics:<br /><br />1) I was born in <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moldova">Moldova</a> (yes it's a real country!), went to middle school in Israel and moved to the States when I was a sophomore in High School. I speak Russian, Hebrew and English.<br />2) I got married on July 5, 2008 :D I met my husband, Adam, our freshman year at UMass Amherst. We were friends all through college but started dating a year after graduating.<br />3) I hate onions with a passion!!!! See how this comment is in the basics section? It's seriously in the top 5 things to know about me :)<br /><br />And a few other random facts about me...<br /><br />4) I cry when I laugh. I tear up when the jokes aren't even that funny, which is quite embarrassing sometimes :D<br />5) I don't know much about music. My favorite music is music I can get pumped about at the gym.<br />6) I don't know how to ride a bike. We moved a bunch when I was little, so I never learned.<br />7) I get super excited when I get comments on my blog. It must be a new blogger thing but I feel like the cool kid in school :)<br /><br />Ok, hopefully that wasn't too boring. It's actually hard to think of 7 things that people may want to know.<br /><br />So now is another hard part... picking another 7 bloggers. I feel like so many bloggers have been tagged recently, so I'm going to try to find some that either have never been tagged (as far as I know) or at least haven't been tagged in a while :) <br /><br />These ladies are all wonderful bloggers and continue to inspire me in their own ways. Without further adieu, I tag the following...<br /><br />1) Heidi from <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/">101 Cookbooks</a><br />2) Amanda from <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://runtothefinish.blogspot.com/">Run to Finish</a><br />3) Lara from <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://larasblog.siteb.co.uk/">Thinspired</a><br />4) Alexia from <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://doodlebugsjourney.blogspot.com/">My Journey</a><br />5) Summer and <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://bread-and-honey.blogspot.com/">Alicia from Bread & Honey</a><br />6) Katie from <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://goodthingscatered.blogspot.com/">Good Things Catered</a><br />7) B_Hlthy from <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://runlmo1.blogspot.com/">Body.Mind.Soul</a><br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-79296650250659544312008-11-11T22:37:00.015-05:002008-11-11T23:23:17.014-05:00Working on my day off<div style="text-align: justify;">Today was another crazy day... I need my life to slow down asap! I was supposed to have the day off today but then my boss gave us the option to work today instead of the day after Thanksgiving so I had to take her up on her offer. Working the day after Thanksgiving feels like punishment since pretty much everyone else in the country gets the day off. I did it last year... it's no fun!<br /><br />Anyways, the good news about coming in to work today was that I got to wear jeans (!) and it was quiet so I got a lot of work done :) Onto foods now...<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">BREAKFAST</span><br /><br />I've been kind of lazy/tired the last few nights and didn't prepare my food ahead of time, so this morning was another grab 'n go game. Today I was really brave... I actually brought a fresh egg to work. I wanted to make an egg and cheese but didn't want the english muffin to get soggy by the time I got to work, so I figured I'd just make it <span style="font-style: italic;">at</span> work. I was gentle with my bag and it arrived there safely. It worked perfectly!!!! Pretty cool!<br /><br />I microwaved the egg in a mug for about 1.5 minutes, while the english muffin was toasting. I then added a slice of cheese over the egg and zapped it for a few more seconds in the micro... put it all together and here is my beautiful breakfast :) Yum!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3c6leR08yNuta6TQQNNLlYb_kp5zJN7ekPHwW6HdVEAZ5pfpAp6srpufu-swUmSRB9qwXYyeQpzCo1SotWhiwsKKhqTSged0GYOoYEmSF8NN69nWrYHrR4LqPD-hZKdq95cwJ6Ii12Jc/s1600-h/british+muffin.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3c6leR08yNuta6TQQNNLlYb_kp5zJN7ekPHwW6HdVEAZ5pfpAp6srpufu-swUmSRB9qwXYyeQpzCo1SotWhiwsKKhqTSged0GYOoYEmSF8NN69nWrYHrR4LqPD-hZKdq95cwJ6Ii12Jc/s400/british+muffin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267611943295433890" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A few hours later I had my cup of coffee. Here it is next to my running schedule... it's taped to my desk for reference. Whenever I have a run "scheduled" I do the mileage/time it says on there and cross it off when I'm done. Today I was itching to do a run when I got to work, but unfortunately I never got to it. It's ok, I'll definitely get it in tomorrow :) ! As you can see, I have a 3 mile run next... easy!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH18rkKKitkQqHwatUfbiNpeaGwO5FKJCl25M7b3ZxjgEf66aMqXor5JTaFoY71UgO9eQ3_5LsghUnS_IxMrmcHxr1n39QLHlpa7G3i7O1XY7AMzpcYWovKS_ebddT-X4NiPBjnUr6q9Y/s1600-h/coffee+with+running+schedule.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH18rkKKitkQqHwatUfbiNpeaGwO5FKJCl25M7b3ZxjgEf66aMqXor5JTaFoY71UgO9eQ3_5LsghUnS_IxMrmcHxr1n39QLHlpa7G3i7O1XY7AMzpcYWovKS_ebddT-X4NiPBjnUr6q9Y/s400/coffee+with+running+schedule.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267612492902671858" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9if6fqs4F_iPHQEgBbVtH89D4ado43xA5aycowjqulPoZ3wY5yoZdLhYJhO5Z9u2LpbXZk9flxm0nknCVdYzznUvs6eDkxpFR9ZvTEQqyglx1-nW6hDOdaFWUd59c4-hNdlTJ2313bUI/s1600-h/running+schedule.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9if6fqs4F_iPHQEgBbVtH89D4ado43xA5aycowjqulPoZ3wY5yoZdLhYJhO5Z9u2LpbXZk9flxm0nknCVdYzznUvs6eDkxpFR9ZvTEQqyglx1-nW6hDOdaFWUd59c4-hNdlTJ2313bUI/s400/running+schedule.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267612612127795282" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">SNACK 1</span><br /><br />I was planning on going to the gym during lunch, so I had a pre-workout snack of pear + Ellie Krieger's energy bar. I was trying to be all artsy with that pear picture but I think I missed it this time :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZCn91j9AA_o0FwTcy9z7C94zqlu7lOuPkKH0988yrpJBXBVnk0VBKuuI82mnL9JHKk4I32wXTVWGrAAHoYZhvPEV459sQZodrDfWIbPZd-peHI9KGVCl0OrSZRRZ0S2Fo3BB0jznrRs/s1600-h/pear.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZCn91j9AA_o0FwTcy9z7C94zqlu7lOuPkKH0988yrpJBXBVnk0VBKuuI82mnL9JHKk4I32wXTVWGrAAHoYZhvPEV459sQZodrDfWIbPZd-peHI9KGVCl0OrSZRRZ0S2Fo3BB0jznrRs/s400/pear.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267613077452764450" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuIjYQUQ6cSLXlDl7jKr76C_9HiRUJkQEOV9B4N6T8b9y8NJe4bbclQQsOM4yU5dEEODkAeTZfyGlfL2TB4uU4tCFj9iqbNLlY9UTBSgpywyh59wpZqcbNBKFBNixT3eqxrSVHWDDXIs/s1600-h/energy+bar.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuIjYQUQ6cSLXlDl7jKr76C_9HiRUJkQEOV9B4N6T8b9y8NJe4bbclQQsOM4yU5dEEODkAeTZfyGlfL2TB4uU4tCFj9iqbNLlY9UTBSgpywyh59wpZqcbNBKFBNixT3eqxrSVHWDDXIs/s400/energy+bar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267613202074877266" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Well the workout never happened. My stomach was freaking out so I kept on pushing the workout, then work got busy... you know how it is. Tomorrow... seriously! It's going to be glorious!<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">LUNCH</span><br /><br />For lunch I made another quicky salad. Sorry it's been kind of boring lately... like I said, the last few days it's been hectic in the mornings. Leftover salmon and thai string beans from last night, which was amazing + mixed greens, grape tomatoes, cucs + 1 tablespoon of goddess dressing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6MxbTmrUQgF28j_9iHLN4mqv0zBsGmrZWtcmg4iKJi7lq7VpN2CKW08q_1CaEaDOlEFVeBcDKkRuYPZ3xKOFKPdAU6gPDhJRLqzfR_E7SGjiIC1sIHcYVFBEgTq3bx8UUT8Su5JQsec/s1600-h/salad+with+salmon.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6MxbTmrUQgF28j_9iHLN4mqv0zBsGmrZWtcmg4iKJi7lq7VpN2CKW08q_1CaEaDOlEFVeBcDKkRuYPZ3xKOFKPdAU6gPDhJRLqzfR_E7SGjiIC1sIHcYVFBEgTq3bx8UUT8Su5JQsec/s400/salad+with+salmon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267614105879283106" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Btw, I followed <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=438526"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">this recipe</span></a> for the salmon. It was very delicious. I highly recommend it! And the goddess dressing, well we know how obsessed I've been with it lately. It hasn't gotten old yet!<br /><br />I wanted to be bad all day and I had a few close calls. I actually stood in front of the vending machine with a dollar in my hand at some point, trying to decide between a snickers and a mars bar. I couldn't decided whether I wanted it, or would feel bad about. Just trying to make that decision made my stomach hurt, so I knew there is no way I would eat it guilt-free. So I put my dollar back in my pocket and stepped away from the vending machine (and left the kitchen!).... small victory #1.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">SNACK 2</span><br /><br />1/2 banana + 1/2 packet of Barney Butter. Is it just me or does this look dirty? My husband thinks I'm crazy so I'm posting this picture despite being a little unsure about it... It was delicious though!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLv-PWqV199NGHHd2SNhdqHuMXIDzPJkbv2-d2uq6ztnAYhe0Qz4XsJIp6ZB_KPyB0r87GCZsSQETqHzOx9RUBGrkyuYfBCxA0zaTNXI_uXo47Wu94I2YQ2hijHhT_ue-Zmj3GpREqutE/s1600-h/dirty+bananad.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLv-PWqV199NGHHd2SNhdqHuMXIDzPJkbv2-d2uq6ztnAYhe0Qz4XsJIp6ZB_KPyB0r87GCZsSQETqHzOx9RUBGrkyuYfBCxA0zaTNXI_uXo47Wu94I2YQ2hijHhT_ue-Zmj3GpREqutE/s400/dirty+bananad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267615469578193330" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Another close call later in the day... I went to get my nails repainted and wanted to grab a sweet from Starbucks. I thought I'd just take a look at the case and see if anything looks "worthy." There was a small line, so I thought this was my sign. I knew this was a bad idea. I was just in one of those moods today. Anyways, I walked past the Starbucks and now I'm happy I did!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">DINNER</span><br /><br />I had no plan for dinner tonight except I knew I wanted to use up the rest of the huge eggplant that I bought for the tart I made on <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://healthyandsane.blogspot.com/2008/11/busy-day-cooking-for-company.html">Saturday</a>. I was thinking about maybe making something with goat cheese but my husband proposed eggplant parm (he doesn't like goat cheese... or eggplant really so this was the only way he would consider eating it). I looked at a few recipes but they all seemed way to complex and time consuming, so I decided to just wing it.<br /><br />I cut up the eggplant into rings and roasted them in the oven at 350* for about 10 minutes (I sprayed the pan and the eggplant rings with some EVOO). I then dipped each ring in egg beaters and bread crumbs and put them back in the oven for another 15 minutes or so. Then I topped them with pasta sauce, put them back in the oven for maybe 10 minutes and the last step... topped them with part skim mozzarella and broiled them until the cheese was melty (~3 minutes on high broil). This is the pan:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ajMzWz6HG-hDpiqmILrlyRS5EpvWdY3oubAHUzMYdDlUeyzNn6cRriQwGVLJgh8wuXWYxjIdZ5kLQQc-nU6HN5z9sl5KDmsIgD9Ku7p6Iw0JkEGplgRfxLDi9OT5G2YIpaZdyZixC3c/s1600-h/eggpant+parm+in+pan.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ajMzWz6HG-hDpiqmILrlyRS5EpvWdY3oubAHUzMYdDlUeyzNn6cRriQwGVLJgh8wuXWYxjIdZ5kLQQc-nU6HN5z9sl5KDmsIgD9Ku7p6Iw0JkEGplgRfxLDi9OT5G2YIpaZdyZixC3c/s400/eggpant+parm+in+pan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267617515526170978" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And my plate with some steamed broccoli:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4gJgvLVg58nxymYn9OKcQ2eTgHZI_npXbvAwl3CsPbuXrVEc4yS0VZHtBOdxtH6IU_ZqbfBiaQSLg_LmSpZe3uXH0hWera9vngib_GWIi5ujub9ZjI38IHag55K8UPE4TYigClo3350/s1600-h/eggplant+parm+%2B+broc.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4gJgvLVg58nxymYn9OKcQ2eTgHZI_npXbvAwl3CsPbuXrVEc4yS0VZHtBOdxtH6IU_ZqbfBiaQSLg_LmSpZe3uXH0hWera9vngib_GWIi5ujub9ZjI38IHag55K8UPE4TYigClo3350/s400/eggplant+parm+%2B+broc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267618544184451986" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Midway through dinner I decided I wanted some more carbs, so I toasted an english muffin and made a little sandwich with the last ring. Yum!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjd62xyYTGggKD1fIH2c-Mvpnbi4JSQYKAx9vW8IMjZgV9aq8nVbj8GB9Lx2MuFbSpouC6QbKDqucl2ypiIkhPX1K1xVxCsGoTq0y-aAF2nYTug0Uo4sizAGeSjVrUgkVP4sEftlf01_I/s1600-h/eggplant+parm+sandwich.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjd62xyYTGggKD1fIH2c-Mvpnbi4JSQYKAx9vW8IMjZgV9aq8nVbj8GB9Lx2MuFbSpouC6QbKDqucl2ypiIkhPX1K1xVxCsGoTq0y-aAF2nYTug0Uo4sizAGeSjVrUgkVP4sEftlf01_I/s400/eggplant+parm+sandwich.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267618685200415618" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And then the munchies hit and I gave in :(<br /><br />Raspberry brownie I blogged about on <a href="http://healthyandsane.blogspot.com/2008/11/busy-day-cooking-for-company.html">Saturday</a>:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz69xjh3eGDyygxPra2TXo7C0X_02VxD7YK1jrZac7h3fS1wnvb8lcKpWJYzdPq41yw-QG5KrvtO1H5u3jKRct5SAESuCSChc9b07Jf0uLy2t8heLh7S7xgPWoO2UlU_TcfVDliv_bRfM/s1600-h/rasp+brownie.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz69xjh3eGDyygxPra2TXo7C0X_02VxD7YK1jrZac7h3fS1wnvb8lcKpWJYzdPq41yw-QG5KrvtO1H5u3jKRct5SAESuCSChc9b07Jf0uLy2t8heLh7S7xgPWoO2UlU_TcfVDliv_bRfM/s400/rasp+brownie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267618829054778722" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Trailmix straight out of the bag:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFUKEOmvPiW7g4KD9Ze5eVtp26Zr7pECKpqSrz2e_SybFn1OMubXocRdruJVee_aBsx-FcOKi0FkYVnUGlC6BiQ4jEa6fm6ytvQRq7F03275YCBF0nC1CNawqj_VZKYSiJCIw30ZZpPE/s1600-h/trek+mix+out+of+bag.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFUKEOmvPiW7g4KD9Ze5eVtp26Zr7pECKpqSrz2e_SybFn1OMubXocRdruJVee_aBsx-FcOKi0FkYVnUGlC6BiQ4jEa6fm6ytvQRq7F03275YCBF0nC1CNawqj_VZKYSiJCIw30ZZpPE/s400/trek+mix+out+of+bag.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267619178583842322" border="0" /></a><br /><br />100 calorie chocolate stick:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdJNOwlyDjhJHVkn3lcdx9VOBPj6tFWjZhyphenhyphenFde9DzwfIIK7WPLwUkRWoiwzWQR52G7SaRIBk6vujY-wYhvBxe-SAWKlVE07UvFY9Ex6xvOb3uGq-hWtgeKVOo7z6NvCJwiQn3RK4vPys/s1600-h/tj's+choc.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdJNOwlyDjhJHVkn3lcdx9VOBPj6tFWjZhyphenhyphenFde9DzwfIIK7WPLwUkRWoiwzWQR52G7SaRIBk6vujY-wYhvBxe-SAWKlVE07UvFY9Ex6xvOb3uGq-hWtgeKVOo7z6NvCJwiQn3RK4vPys/s400/tj's+choc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267619333286994594" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Organic hard cider:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvp0xJ05yOrysPHiG2gtcuHNFbkRie2O3Qmdaz9KOHIWwLuZWRPSz9FSDeNRVD4uePCoBQIScP5ipeQ0e-uNegUj910yCg5vkN-jPzeCDX2P6L39W4PmGMzM5Wokv0kSBf3FEQkgTYpUk/s1600-h/organic+hard+cider.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvp0xJ05yOrysPHiG2gtcuHNFbkRie2O3Qmdaz9KOHIWwLuZWRPSz9FSDeNRVD4uePCoBQIScP5ipeQ0e-uNegUj910yCg5vkN-jPzeCDX2P6L39W4PmGMzM5Wokv0kSBf3FEQkgTYpUk/s400/organic+hard+cider.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267619492566763506" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And chocolate covered edamames and 2 chocolate chip cookies (not pictured).<br /><br />I've been in a bit of a funk the last few days as exhibited by my little binges on trailmix, etc. BUT all of your comments made my night and I have a renewed excitement about this blog and my healthy eating. Yay!!!<br /><br />Also, I've been tagged by Kelly from <a style="color: rgb(255, 153, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://kellyspinkapron.blogspot.com/">The Pink Apron</a>!!!!! My first tag ever! I feel like a real blogger now :D Thanks, Kelly!!! I'll think of some fun facts about myself tomorrow! Don't give up on me, ok? I'm still sane, not that healthy today, but tomorrow is a new day :)<br /><br />Good night!<br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-44391346201109561812008-11-09T15:57:00.025-05:002008-11-11T08:13:27.541-05:00Crazy Sunday, recovering MondaySorry for not posting last night, I ended up going out. So here is the recap of the last 2 days...<br /><br />I woke up yesterday with nothing on the agenda. I still can't sleep past 9am even on a weekend, but that's ok because that means a longer day off :)<br /><br />I started thinking about breakfast. I prefer to make something a bit more complicated on weekends because I have the leisure of time on my hands, but yesterday I woke up craving a lox sandwich. You've seen this before a few times over the last few weeks, and it still hasn't gotten old :) I did try to make it a little more exciting by trying a new presentation (I know, fancy!).<br /><br />Just like last time I used <a style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(51,0,153)" href="http://www.the-baker.com/Default.aspx">The Baker</a> wholegrain flaxseed bread with 1 tablespoon of Philadelphia whipped cream cheese and 1 oz of smoked salmon. Today I cut it into little pieces to make it more visually appealing, but actually it made it really fun to eat too! Completed with a cup of coffee with skim milk and about a teaspoon of agave nectar.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmnks33aqL11s3sjMa_qmC9XGAREaQ5ikpYP6UdfvbsjjqS9USTuaSKzrcSSoB78SM58TYzDX89MgGjUByfHRvOCh08isJoRoVZcyMcEzeHnVG8OyUyzHNzNG97BJoPqV2fa6vy-M5eJQ/s1600-h/lox+sandwich+bites.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266766306525756210" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmnks33aqL11s3sjMa_qmC9XGAREaQ5ikpYP6UdfvbsjjqS9USTuaSKzrcSSoB78SM58TYzDX89MgGjUByfHRvOCh08isJoRoVZcyMcEzeHnVG8OyUyzHNzNG97BJoPqV2fa6vy-M5eJQ/s400/lox+sandwich+bites.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dLzViv9v8YWRQm-cGgbdiMolD5SREe3Whd-JJaRf8F8_Cj9bC2ke912CXlkJIM3CVbJwGQrMaFBA5_4hzCx5li1FBJMtTAhxd54QPGvn4matCQ122Tdy6lmEESNSwr8SimJkZdpWfcg/s1600-h/lox+sandwich+bites+upclose.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266766534103469858" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dLzViv9v8YWRQm-cGgbdiMolD5SREe3Whd-JJaRf8F8_Cj9bC2ke912CXlkJIM3CVbJwGQrMaFBA5_4hzCx5li1FBJMtTAhxd54QPGvn4matCQ122Tdy6lmEESNSwr8SimJkZdpWfcg/s400/lox+sandwich+bites+upclose.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This was uncomplicated but totally hit the spot! Great breakfast! I'm sorry to tell you this but you're going to have to see this one again. I'm still kind of addicted to this nutty bread combined with the creamy texture of cream cheese and lox.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(153,51,153)">LUNCH</span><br /><br />As expected, for lunch I utilized the leftover peanutty chicken from <a style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(51,0,153)" href="http://healthyandsane.blogspot.com/2008/11/busy-day-cooking-for-company.html">Saturday's lunch</a>. This chicken combined with my Annie's goddess dressing obsession inspired a simple salad:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLera-fVIo0oVP4GAEG8-mPgIx5qwenCPB3Ag5tVrDo3M1dRmZu_YImEtj4Sg_1ODb95qxhBo9Tj6lgSUOLzQVC6GP87BzsAvIBRjK8bLOOmgpPTWaLy01l-TBLM-uNzmCGO9hBt9-omA/s1600-h/salad+with+peanutty+chicken.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266777597811545266" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLera-fVIo0oVP4GAEG8-mPgIx5qwenCPB3Ag5tVrDo3M1dRmZu_YImEtj4Sg_1ODb95qxhBo9Tj6lgSUOLzQVC6GP87BzsAvIBRjK8bLOOmgpPTWaLy01l-TBLM-uNzmCGO9hBt9-omA/s400/salad+with+peanutty+chicken.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This salad included spinach, grape tomatoes, cucumbers and the chicken + 1 tablespoon of Annie's organic goddess dressing. Pretty nice!<br /><br />And then this is when it all turned around. My husband and I were watching a local restaurant review show (Phantom Gourmet) and we were both just drooling over everything they were showing. I usually like to watch these shows while eating, because I'm not hungry, but this time this trick did not work. I felt so defeated and slightly depressed because I just desperately wanted to eat out. I felt like this whole week when I thought I was happy by eating healthy I was really just lying to myself and waiting for a chance to eat out again. This was not a good way of thinking so I made an executive decision (after all, I make all the rules about my diet!) and decided that this was the right time to go out. We both really wanted it, I've been very healthy the last week, I exercised and I'm healthy in general (I'm trying to lose weight for aesthetics, not for health reasons). My husband was very happy to hear the news! So we started looking for a restaurant and narrowed it down to a few and decided to not eat anything else until then so we're really hungry and are truly enjoying our night out!<br /><br />Fast forward to dinner...<br /><br /><span style="color:#993399;"><strong>DINNER</strong></span><br /><br />We ended up at a restaurant just a few blocks away from our house, <a style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(51,0,153)" href="http://www.easternstandardboston.com/ES_viewer.html">Eastern Standard</a>. This place is highly rated and had the vibe we were looking for. So here is my review...<br /><br />By the time we got to the restaurant, I was absolutely starving. I was actually in pain I was so hungry (this wasn't by design... it kind of hit me out of no-where). Luckily they brought the bread right away and I started with a ww roll:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZw-qySvmwRlCBaITjdpnKRjT-HHS7u0XuWeBK1uJYAjKUad3NSu9EmBtEv-HRs59KaYvmRXeKpJS0mKHE4z_YWYGq4cPsvn9Rcxlx9gXYiSV7Rc86XV8rUrgAir8ZQsveQkUIeeCbdE/s1600-h/ES+roll.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267192138099725586" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZw-qySvmwRlCBaITjdpnKRjT-HHS7u0XuWeBK1uJYAjKUad3NSu9EmBtEv-HRs59KaYvmRXeKpJS0mKHE4z_YWYGq4cPsvn9Rcxlx9gXYiSV7Rc86XV8rUrgAir8ZQsveQkUIeeCbdE/s400/ES+roll.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We also ordered a bottle of wine and while waiting for that and our appetizer I ate another piece of bread (slice of ww, not pictured)... I was still hungry.<br /><br />For appetizer, we wanted to split an order of fried calamari (I know, not healthy, but that's what my husband wanted and I decided to call it a true splurge night so I agreed). Here is the whole plate:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZx_5pgsSsIrTL_lSrz9dQxt5co4a9BF12YNyitHFdL5OV9w6Io_zcZofCVl1iMvoQByxx06XD0QVKCY25hxXSzXilijvnnV0faSIr_JeTlD_vF2Llo9F7hkp77rw-1PnxHRpqgq3xh0/s1600-h/ES+calamari.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267192640712641410" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZx_5pgsSsIrTL_lSrz9dQxt5co4a9BF12YNyitHFdL5OV9w6Io_zcZofCVl1iMvoQByxx06XD0QVKCY25hxXSzXilijvnnV0faSIr_JeTlD_vF2Llo9F7hkp77rw-1PnxHRpqgq3xh0/s400/ES+calamari.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Unfortunately they were waaay too fried. All I could taste was the grease, so I had about 3 rings and put the fork down. It wasn't worth it to eat something I really didn't like. Too bad!<br /><br />For my main course I ordered housemade cavatelli with broccoli rabe, mushrooms and chicken confit. The waitress said it was her favorite dish on the menu so I decided to go for it. Here is my plate... not a large portion, which I like because it was instant portion control and made it look kind of fancy :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktM4y6u7i1ouKdk5SWM93NWhDki3J4e2Q3SwMxjiJCFn5mL4ikb96vofc316Evg9Th-c2KYW8L6YIgnxFmB4iySQq-Wy57uyuAHxdAT5gBlhp39Hby28N7Qrwq4rwl8a1aTrXX70RhTQ/s1600-h/ES+entree.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267193298002179010" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktM4y6u7i1ouKdk5SWM93NWhDki3J4e2Q3SwMxjiJCFn5mL4ikb96vofc316Evg9Th-c2KYW8L6YIgnxFmB4iySQq-Wy57uyuAHxdAT5gBlhp39Hby28N7Qrwq4rwl8a1aTrXX70RhTQ/s400/ES+entree.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Unfortunately this wasn't anything to write home about either. It wasn't bad but it didn't taste <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">special</span>, if that makes sense. It actually reminded me of something my mom would make, which was a good dish but again just an everyday thing, not special. I ate the whole thing nonetheless. At this point my husband asked me if I'd go back to this restaurant. I said I wasn't crazy about my meal, but I would. I enjoyed the atmosphere and we were having a good time. He loved his steak frittes, btw! Some restaurants I write off right away after not liking a dish, others I give a chance if the atmosphere is nice or the service is special. Our waitress was very good, btw. Then I said I wanted to order dessert (because I can't really give a full review fo a restaurant without trying out their dessert :D ) and since I practically didn't eat any of the appetizer and my entree was small-ish, I felt justified. So this is when I said if dessert wasn't good, then I wouldn't go back, because that would mean that everything I had was either mediocre or worse.<br /><br />For the first time in recent history I was willing to order dessert that wasn't chocolate. For the most part when I look at dessert menus I pick out the ones that have chocolate. Usually there is either 1 or 2 so the choice is very easy (I hate restaurants that have no chocolate desserts, but luckily those are rare). Well last night I actually read the entire dessert menu and truly the chocolate espresso torte sounded the best. I went with the chocolate option after all. Figures. Here is what arrived on our table a few minutes later:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdhaO9Zv22pfJtK4j7aIOhKnBYo_mcqq_3pCpPSO4lsXAwO5bU2C3IuZ77vOlLPEd7Qstcrmed8mv5vOxHTvcGWx6v0Prop6A1IXtoaccS0IroPhxfJceiBDoiYXLgH6WqdVlzJdJCeE/s1600-h/ES+dessert.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267195113213312770" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdhaO9Zv22pfJtK4j7aIOhKnBYo_mcqq_3pCpPSO4lsXAwO5bU2C3IuZ77vOlLPEd7Qstcrmed8mv5vOxHTvcGWx6v0Prop6A1IXtoaccS0IroPhxfJceiBDoiYXLgH6WqdVlzJdJCeE/s400/ES+dessert.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I was instantly dissapointed when I saw this because I prefer warm chocolate cakes. This wasn't one of them. Worse when I tasted it, it was completely bland. Very airy and quite flavoreless. Well you could taste the espresso, but it was like espresso flavored air. Bleh! I just stared at it, wondering what I should do. It seriously broke my heart. I was so excited about this dinner all day long and every single one of my courses just did not measure up. My husband quickly offered to go somewhere else for dessert. He said it would be fun and he wanted to continue the night anyway! We were having a really good time (except for the food part for me). I put my fork down... for while... and then I picked the ganache off from the top and side (that was the only part that was good). After finishing our bottle of wine, we left the restaurant in search of another spot with dessert. So yeah, I would NOT go back there.<br /><br />We ended up at <a style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(51,0,153)" href="http://www.z-square.com/">Z-Square in Kenmore square</a>. I've been there before at a <a style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(51,0,153)" href="http://www.katheats.com/index.php?s=elina&searchbutton=Go%21">dinner with Kath</a>. The dish I ordered last time I wasn't crazy about (it wasn't bad but again not great... hmm, am I too picky?!) but this was a place I was willing to give another chance + it was close by. I ordered a warm chocolate cake and a glass of Chianti :) Here is the cake:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJgG8Nzh68Kn0kKWQ0gFPyN1bcUVyJV1-VkY2RA3X39xR9EK7GUjvfa6jxwhJm6X331KfhtRzI-sMTtpCCpbGBwWNGynZ-UmcuAHXxegjsOk_n4IG7ubGAg8wqm29MEyy1rrxtWBmUUQ/s1600-h/Z+square+cake.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267197519600214802" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJgG8Nzh68Kn0kKWQ0gFPyN1bcUVyJV1-VkY2RA3X39xR9EK7GUjvfa6jxwhJm6X331KfhtRzI-sMTtpCCpbGBwWNGynZ-UmcuAHXxegjsOk_n4IG7ubGAg8wqm29MEyy1rrxtWBmUUQ/s400/Z+square+cake.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Much better!!! It wasn't the best dessert I've ever had but it definitely filled the void. I was much happier after that. The only thing, I wanted MORE. I wanted to go to Panera (across the street from us) and get a brownie. But thankfully my husband knows me really well and wouldn't let me go.<br /><br />Anyways, obviously my streak is over. Today was really tough to get back to being healthy. I tried all day until I broke down and had a bunch of trail mix. I just hate that one night off throws me off like that. One day I'll figure it out...<br /><br />I won't bore you with the details of today since this was a long post already so here are a few pics with today's eats and I'll be back tomorrow with a "back-to-normal" post.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFUTiLRnWMi77kqXJt02NtBGhdA2SJEuku_txwcdiGPFHKAv9hgmlvXhTtjzdOEERwJc99H9JPw6T_Sro5jXwLvfxfk-UfAogY-aBEF66lfdL4aghTSv5WtTVA2kOo_DQeKlktv7QJYI/s1600-h/banana+ab+waffle.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267216098703032162" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFUTiLRnWMi77kqXJt02NtBGhdA2SJEuku_txwcdiGPFHKAv9hgmlvXhTtjzdOEERwJc99H9JPw6T_Sro5jXwLvfxfk-UfAogY-aBEF66lfdL4aghTSv5WtTVA2kOo_DQeKlktv7QJYI/s400/banana+ab+waffle.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWw4HsoVzCPpvlV3KaxPB8gSPojCmmVQhQ2kfmVZSkPGFkx5mJxbMkLkqI2Hoey0XWStbj3FGtmArV1drGfvlwblC36DPJB9fiOJOXWPXfPWPi9F3J-XPSZxrwdQIqpuW3wpCQUisbV_Y/s1600-h/reeses+whipped.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267216271396231218" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWw4HsoVzCPpvlV3KaxPB8gSPojCmmVQhQ2kfmVZSkPGFkx5mJxbMkLkqI2Hoey0XWStbj3FGtmArV1drGfvlwblC36DPJB9fiOJOXWPXfPWPi9F3J-XPSZxrwdQIqpuW3wpCQUisbV_Y/s400/reeses+whipped.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QdLYfVweVD81eJD2nl01TOR95hyphenhyphen8igWqPcdfF40sy5gGtR4p1vLnj5PgFZiTj022KWtPelRx5yW-pacObvTlw52IYBE4DQ0qkgAKeeO6-Z8EIYN5d3fmY-cm3jpnZJCIhuXG3q9IX5E/s1600-h/milky+way+midnight.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267216433713852066" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QdLYfVweVD81eJD2nl01TOR95hyphenhyphen8igWqPcdfF40sy5gGtR4p1vLnj5PgFZiTj022KWtPelRx5yW-pacObvTlw52IYBE4DQ0qkgAKeeO6-Z8EIYN5d3fmY-cm3jpnZJCIhuXG3q9IX5E/s400/milky+way+midnight.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6Py06C2KRYRP9D3W2HbeJZinepfIL8lGpFmqADgPNRcJh8W6NCMDyRQHAuRUOYEYisZSsymCQks0xCoVIfKWJui4UqcLlwxDEZu7rMy0ZOlXx3cy3QmtEF14OQmZRXiw_UXnVOv_k6U/s1600-h/ABP+creme+de+fleur.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267216822025293794" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6Py06C2KRYRP9D3W2HbeJZinepfIL8lGpFmqADgPNRcJh8W6NCMDyRQHAuRUOYEYisZSsymCQks0xCoVIfKWJui4UqcLlwxDEZu7rMy0ZOlXx3cy3QmtEF14OQmZRXiw_UXnVOv_k6U/s400/ABP+creme+de+fleur.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPyZB68WOgebH82Rz2TbZ8R-lf4i-5obngkTQPocZPuwuV9RI7nH5x_-u_jM2NeiF1NmfBXC3v93v05USzpp_fYRyhg9wADw5eRyxper4PN-RXxHthx4RUwG-NTdbd_zjAWsd2-okXv_Q/s1600-h/orange+lunch.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267217907576957810" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPyZB68WOgebH82Rz2TbZ8R-lf4i-5obngkTQPocZPuwuV9RI7nH5x_-u_jM2NeiF1NmfBXC3v93v05USzpp_fYRyhg9wADw5eRyxper4PN-RXxHthx4RUwG-NTdbd_zjAWsd2-okXv_Q/s400/orange+lunch.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eRT4ScugWyWf6k4jmwmKOBePXGXStjKno1vQGxFQU6DsCC9T5VbVARwfUKFMgV1F73j9IKCB6PAKuuHBZbb7ktdhIKAwC2vIcqqA5WitoZsDpeGFlvsfZIDHFpN0Movjd6J-wLpvDWc/s1600-h/fruit+and+nut+kind+bar.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267218037205994002" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eRT4ScugWyWf6k4jmwmKOBePXGXStjKno1vQGxFQU6DsCC9T5VbVARwfUKFMgV1F73j9IKCB6PAKuuHBZbb7ktdhIKAwC2vIcqqA5WitoZsDpeGFlvsfZIDHFpN0Movjd6J-wLpvDWc/s400/fruit+and+nut+kind+bar.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwluyZTFAQGaptyoQIfZ2nFBKFL31mxy89R013K8eLK4PIULpKx2-M5OD_5nsnv2tEyfm46vPg_YYtg2pzDcQtynAFk8CWYfCcPf0J1eRs-zvojvNdm2eGbAEBDQ2nLnrqT7P3PM8e4DQ/s1600-h/fruit+and+nut+kind+bar+unwrapped.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267218160474318738" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwluyZTFAQGaptyoQIfZ2nFBKFL31mxy89R013K8eLK4PIULpKx2-M5OD_5nsnv2tEyfm46vPg_YYtg2pzDcQtynAFk8CWYfCcPf0J1eRs-zvojvNdm2eGbAEBDQ2nLnrqT7P3PM8e4DQ/s400/fruit+and+nut+kind+bar+unwrapped.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbfkgIa2vmgxpLu1xbJ2TOne-vAeNjdnRghhp9DKocsfZfnTcUsdScQ2-NaVHSE0x8HwdU5P-uW2V96pcc0q5x_aJX69ssB4Y_sXNkjeTfUogRRXti4u1TR08asUOaT-UlyNmPuuXqOc/s1600-h/raspberry+brownie.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267218277865554130" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbfkgIa2vmgxpLu1xbJ2TOne-vAeNjdnRghhp9DKocsfZfnTcUsdScQ2-NaVHSE0x8HwdU5P-uW2V96pcc0q5x_aJX69ssB4Y_sXNkjeTfUogRRXti4u1TR08asUOaT-UlyNmPuuXqOc/s400/raspberry+brownie.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQU8wWiIehZmIvGlSxEpgI2kAsXCbiA9kOmmzC_gGJoSg66vpO5JtEta9P5-TvrPzRQcilHDICeSgFYeycY3apuLTVxlOpeRI_Hn-4TtyjsGvx3XlCRyR_Kqjgj6-DRSt9bk285vaElVw/s1600-h/salmond+and+spicy+beans.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267219829907323346" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQU8wWiIehZmIvGlSxEpgI2kAsXCbiA9kOmmzC_gGJoSg66vpO5JtEta9P5-TvrPzRQcilHDICeSgFYeycY3apuLTVxlOpeRI_Hn-4TtyjsGvx3XlCRyR_Kqjgj6-DRSt9bk285vaElVw/s400/salmond+and+spicy+beans.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Good night!Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-90653746055619569992008-11-09T10:29:00.032-05:002008-11-09T11:48:59.344-05:00Busy day - cooking for company<div style="text-align: justify;">My sister was in town yesterday and I asked her to come over and help me go over the design of my wedding album (it's a lot of work and she's much better at this stuff than I am!). She asked me to cook dinner and of course I agreed :D I cook a lot for me and my husband but when other people come over there is just slightly a bit more pressure, even if it's just family. I know they say never to serve a new dish to your guests, but I wanted to make something that I wouldn't normally make just for the two of us. I figured I'll make a few things and if one of them is bad at least there will be enough of other stuff to fill the guests. I think it worked! By let me back track to lunch and the preparations for dinner...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">LUNCH</span><br /><br />While looking through my recipe books (and online) I got hungry. I planned on making brussels sprouts and some chicken. I used <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1854030">this recipe</a> for the chicken and <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/goldencrusted-brussels-sprouts-recipe.html">this recipe</a> for the brussels sprouts. Both came out really great!<br /><br />I skipped the peach chutney suggested in the chicken recipe (didn't even notice that we needed it when I skimmed through the recipe for our grocery list) and we didn't miss it. The chicken breasts only took about 1/2 of the panko/peanut mixture, so each serving came out to a bit less calories than is specified on the bottom of the recipe (works for me!). It was crunchy and delicious! We have some leftovers, which may or may not end up on top of my salad today :D<br /><br />The brussels sprouts were a huge success too. My husband said he was "ok" with brussels sprouts but he absolutely <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">loved</span> these ones. Heidi (from 1o1 cookbooks) says this recipe turns brussels sprout haters into lovers and I can see why! The parmesan cheese finishing is key. It really makes them extra special for a minimal amount of calories.<br /><br />So here are a few pictures of lunch:<br /><br />Brussels sprout branch... so cool looking!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtnapXUF7TJ51y0ym0IfJvFh5bKz7EEfNr674Km_SE5z0Xel5hRkNGJfcAJ0jKzfcCak-hA4rAKvQj_rA75FUs_UdJpU7kJFouZKyHz4h3RhINUmd4ch-c-2E2yr_0hVT3w3WchE1Qkg/s1600-h/brussels+sprout+branch.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtnapXUF7TJ51y0ym0IfJvFh5bKz7EEfNr674Km_SE5z0Xel5hRkNGJfcAJ0jKzfcCak-hA4rAKvQj_rA75FUs_UdJpU7kJFouZKyHz4h3RhINUmd4ch-c-2E2yr_0hVT3w3WchE1Qkg/s400/brussels+sprout+branch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266683934459236722" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Btw, I cooked all the sprouts off this branch with 1/2 the oil & cheese in the recipe, so this came out to 2 servings.<br /><br />And my plate:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwn6V7W0OhIJORYfkdyWE9960XiDG-6bXtZU-h2fgKPAghC930zCCzJJ9OKQgaLUSQ7DKd5IcFEDckgCF_q7r98BXNZRzcBkCSstFS2M9BT1HX2JM-moqmt_YAaOpIMzFNnD4Uzm7Jo_c/s1600-h/peanut+chicken+with+brussels+sprouts.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwn6V7W0OhIJORYfkdyWE9960XiDG-6bXtZU-h2fgKPAghC930zCCzJJ9OKQgaLUSQ7DKd5IcFEDckgCF_q7r98BXNZRzcBkCSstFS2M9BT1HX2JM-moqmt_YAaOpIMzFNnD4Uzm7Jo_c/s400/peanut+chicken+with+brussels+sprouts.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266684121779625346" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Close up of the yummy parmesan sprouts:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rml0M7rcX-A0Gg9l_bH5eAr_MQ0s4QBY3iIvFans_LMLmyHq8Dj5ewPlQXpHsrHKgTRb_rTvKpNpz0dGBRu3C1qTis-7YEf7DETmkDQwLoJeQhzhuV7j9-F78EPxug09Z5E78ZenuS8/s1600-h/parmesan+brussels+sprouts+upclose.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rml0M7rcX-A0Gg9l_bH5eAr_MQ0s4QBY3iIvFans_LMLmyHq8Dj5ewPlQXpHsrHKgTRb_rTvKpNpz0dGBRu3C1qTis-7YEf7DETmkDQwLoJeQhzhuV7j9-F78EPxug09Z5E78ZenuS8/s400/parmesan+brussels+sprouts+upclose.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266684299325475426" border="0" /></a><br /><br />While I was preparing this lunch I munched on some baby carrots.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsdocvFmGAuGZtb2NCBOxV6Sz4GbHPueLQ10HUNZjc_bPKkmNoCULqAUx4vswyrxSRTv7oRJNMNq3YdJH4LeCE9NL-hUtc0Q_bvgJjA5GMUsJh670s7cLguxFKRkTVV_gAC6f4eYe5hE/s1600-h/baby+carrots.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsdocvFmGAuGZtb2NCBOxV6Sz4GbHPueLQ10HUNZjc_bPKkmNoCULqAUx4vswyrxSRTv7oRJNMNq3YdJH4LeCE9NL-hUtc0Q_bvgJjA5GMUsJh670s7cLguxFKRkTVV_gAC6f4eYe5hE/s400/baby+carrots.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266684951026937026" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Oh and of course there was dessert :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvToEGYl-yRDjOsmnZLr62NgAnasj3ItBQM4CB3BKttV7R-unuUpgU48h0eQ360MmC10OFc6GR2sMUY3wTJAjqXAOXmYMl6CBwDLIgZdVRkzO181x5l1ZIpleF_OpRsDk_h786W_nxMw/s1600-h/tj's+100+calorie+dark+chocolate.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvToEGYl-yRDjOsmnZLr62NgAnasj3ItBQM4CB3BKttV7R-unuUpgU48h0eQ360MmC10OFc6GR2sMUY3wTJAjqXAOXmYMl6CBwDLIgZdVRkzO181x5l1ZIpleF_OpRsDk_h786W_nxMw/s400/tj's+100+calorie+dark+chocolate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266685139191723650" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This was a really great treat and really filled me up. The piece of chocolate is quite big for just 100 calories. The quality was also very good and there was a fun fact in the back: 1 piece of this chocolate, as pictured, has more anti-oxidants than 1/2 cup of blueberries or blackberries... I think this means I should consume more of it :D<br /><br />Another weird thing that happened with this chocolate... there were only 4 pieces in the package when there should have been 5! I was quite upset about this because clearly some thief in the store dug into the box without my knowledge. If this wasn't as delicious I wouldn't be as mad, but now I'll just have to go back for more sooner. Well I hope the little thief enjoyed one of these babies as much as I did. Shame on you though!<br /><br />And then we were off to the grocery store for dinner ingredients...<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">DINNER</span><br /><br />On dinner menu for the night:<br /><br />- <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=318998">beef meatball</a> sliders<br />- <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/cornmeal-crusted-roasted-ratatouille-tart-recipe/index.html">cornmeal crusted roasted vegetable tart</a><br />- make your own salad<br />- <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.peanutbutterboy.com/2008/06/raspberry-brownie">raspberry brownies</a><br />- pomegranate martinis and wine<br /><br />It was quite the project cooking all of this in our small-ish kitchen with just 1 oven. But actually I was able to manage my time very well. Cooking for company can get a bit stressful but last night turned out well. I guess I got lucky! Here are a few pics of the process...<br /><br />Beef meatballs waiting for the oven to free up...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUJQgOSPSiDyanPU2YM5xR-bxVnaTrvFjyZ-KNFZFAnjQupti8CJDr09r3hAHTlHJniUK3W_EXPUkmEeFu18wwX9ttsLpzsgInPYOkkeUIAiYX42tp1C85KHv_lc46FHxRtZi-rav0wY/s1600-h/meatballs+raw.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUJQgOSPSiDyanPU2YM5xR-bxVnaTrvFjyZ-KNFZFAnjQupti8CJDr09r3hAHTlHJniUK3W_EXPUkmEeFu18wwX9ttsLpzsgInPYOkkeUIAiYX42tp1C85KHv_lc46FHxRtZi-rav0wY/s400/meatballs+raw.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266686886012729250" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I followed the recipe to the T, except cutting it by 1/3 (we made 20 meatballs instead of 30). They were sooo good! I think the best part of dinner!!<br /><br />The vegetable tart was also competing for oven space. Here are a few pics of the process...<br /><br />Raw veggies cuts up (the recipe didn't call for mushrooms but we all love mushrooms so I threw them in):<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDA-Cr-PFYP0rIKPxYI_DVF5ro-OMV2EEpbP2r9R4OkJAVG9_x32TXTewgVbImsFteQRpbvddejCA8Nt0P0ZP3BUY7u1-lwME3TyM7r9tavPEPX9Airl2EtkcmsE5zU8Mj8yngxI-dyo/s1600-h/veggies+cut+up.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDA-Cr-PFYP0rIKPxYI_DVF5ro-OMV2EEpbP2r9R4OkJAVG9_x32TXTewgVbImsFteQRpbvddejCA8Nt0P0ZP3BUY7u1-lwME3TyM7r9tavPEPX9Airl2EtkcmsE5zU8Mj8yngxI-dyo/s400/veggies+cut+up.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266688064886185570" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Tart crust weighted down by rice (the shadow looks like a bunny... hehe):<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwjEpEJ8CvWkud4SO7p2T3T7bzZRkyk1VWJk3J6WyBSbKDB9wjp4sRQbFNSn2ItZrJexRamW5qecdbeikZAoKiasb5lsdnBDlfOwSpXKr0w0B9z1Up3UQVbr9HbL9Bh89awizZfRjh3w/s1600-h/tart+pan+with+rice.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwjEpEJ8CvWkud4SO7p2T3T7bzZRkyk1VWJk3J6WyBSbKDB9wjp4sRQbFNSn2ItZrJexRamW5qecdbeikZAoKiasb5lsdnBDlfOwSpXKr0w0B9z1Up3UQVbr9HbL9Bh89awizZfRjh3w/s400/tart+pan+with+rice.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266688368390669970" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Tart crust baked:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPLeVzRmvx7bdaV1rKeYJngF9ij7lIcss2D58Ww92G_Lf_VIJdHOuB2dTqoUhLq-UdJkVoFyX_GqWEExL7eZpOc-ZfxO00qNOYz4Jyy6H71I2JZ0vk_eAZeJQ8g1XOUm8GqvfbODiEgnM/s1600-h/tart+crust+cooked.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPLeVzRmvx7bdaV1rKeYJngF9ij7lIcss2D58Ww92G_Lf_VIJdHOuB2dTqoUhLq-UdJkVoFyX_GqWEExL7eZpOc-ZfxO00qNOYz4Jyy6H71I2JZ0vk_eAZeJQ8g1XOUm8GqvfbODiEgnM/s400/tart+crust+cooked.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266688774300853730" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Roasted veggies, cooling:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6VohFeBveq2lf8iYkU01AO8RJBCnwDRxK4n1fQO0JtlmRAMCecofFszpJOIauN0K5yS9XYEwxZUx8YVV2Wo0Xs9ew2F4kodplwsRFLHT9OLsXKZlvKd_4D7JsUbbkpiJhbnjBHRhTOyo/s1600-h/roasted+veggies.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6VohFeBveq2lf8iYkU01AO8RJBCnwDRxK4n1fQO0JtlmRAMCecofFszpJOIauN0K5yS9XYEwxZUx8YVV2Wo0Xs9ew2F4kodplwsRFLHT9OLsXKZlvKd_4D7JsUbbkpiJhbnjBHRhTOyo/s400/roasted+veggies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266689185994830018" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Me assembling the tart (while the meatballs are baking):<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlei_7FBIKxZFT3bJBpPNQJ9WsyR-jqt2AB0d-wwkalTJEkyBRhOgpCuYsxMr1wQdFvZLvXWcDLDS-sne9UhtOEYgcZTW458AmGjOn03k6Ys7XEVYs1ifOm_1FcTM9eRUVWgpdgt-xTZ8/s1600-h/assembling+the+tart.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlei_7FBIKxZFT3bJBpPNQJ9WsyR-jqt2AB0d-wwkalTJEkyBRhOgpCuYsxMr1wQdFvZLvXWcDLDS-sne9UhtOEYgcZTW458AmGjOn03k6Ys7XEVYs1ifOm_1FcTM9eRUVWgpdgt-xTZ8/s400/assembling+the+tart.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266689373110138658" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And here it is before topping it with cheese:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAISGxpC8Aj0IoxML2UkrkTGGQ5ozfXDOdJ_gb_rGZ3fCVHqqGW-mTE4wnzWCNBhp4nrpmDQ13S2aFCaqoTDrS6FqeJxrfGQIjsDsZrqwsztHa5bxcxlkjlh6EDkQn8KmOEUeSJ0n2Bp4/s1600-h/tart+assembled+sans+cheese.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAISGxpC8Aj0IoxML2UkrkTGGQ5ozfXDOdJ_gb_rGZ3fCVHqqGW-mTE4wnzWCNBhp4nrpmDQ13S2aFCaqoTDrS6FqeJxrfGQIjsDsZrqwsztHa5bxcxlkjlh6EDkQn8KmOEUeSJ0n2Bp4/s400/tart+assembled+sans+cheese.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266689607743158434" border="0" /></a><br /><br />With cheese, pre-baking:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTPxY_oqfB-00MI-e3n_GZo9xFbJxC1zIQyJImMtaKAx-HgEXkxJ9NAF_eKvm0-P64Nn6IoqoaHK2JrhRj7BGoNDsBwipWRMKiu1lsyyQnDkKKQ7jOpjfMTZIS4X70EGbtAnnzpsfmH8/s1600-h/assembled+tart+with+cheese.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTPxY_oqfB-00MI-e3n_GZo9xFbJxC1zIQyJImMtaKAx-HgEXkxJ9NAF_eKvm0-P64Nn6IoqoaHK2JrhRj7BGoNDsBwipWRMKiu1lsyyQnDkKKQ7jOpjfMTZIS4X70EGbtAnnzpsfmH8/s400/assembled+tart+with+cheese.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266689818811516978" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And this is the salad "bar". I figured since different people like different toppings and dressings, I'll just put a few options on the table and each person can make their own. It worked quite well! The salad ingredients included organic mixed greens, grape tomatoes, sliced cucumber, dried cranberries, roasted sunflower seeds, goat cheese(!) and Annie's goddess dressings (regular and green goddess).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIIZoM0fzBkEaaKtin2F9YXDH-JMDc_69_vz1OUg6aketeI3JcqkGuuiXRIZxdMB1lZG9gKNupmvjIi1dVx5KqPvr7a6y_6uFVJPpL2Rv_t5XiZHIfzVzKp0VHUHtxdQhkktgHAhceUo/s1600-h/salad+bar.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIIZoM0fzBkEaaKtin2F9YXDH-JMDc_69_vz1OUg6aketeI3JcqkGuuiXRIZxdMB1lZG9gKNupmvjIi1dVx5KqPvr7a6y_6uFVJPpL2Rv_t5XiZHIfzVzKp0VHUHtxdQhkktgHAhceUo/s400/salad+bar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266690128544193234" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Onto actual dinner... We bought mini whole wheat pitas to make "meatball sliders." It was my husband's genius idea! Again we left it to our guests to assemble them. Here is my first slider:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpWJAx1z-57Oa8CkKb_BBfWbBrhkX0O8xbSrFP8g2HjpScoV-Yc4whn3SEreITT0E5qTJ3slhLAsb_1U1YZ7Np64u-PV-7KDHbuXGPD8Enf57IKiDhzpYjb5gCJC9aPEP6oGuR0rpS4g/s1600-h/meatball+slider.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpWJAx1z-57Oa8CkKb_BBfWbBrhkX0O8xbSrFP8g2HjpScoV-Yc4whn3SEreITT0E5qTJ3slhLAsb_1U1YZ7Np64u-PV-7KDHbuXGPD8Enf57IKiDhzpYjb5gCJC9aPEP6oGuR0rpS4g/s400/meatball+slider.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266691115022047810" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I also had another meatball "straight up." Oh and I was drinking some red wine with dinner. I think I had about 6oz throughout the night. My mom and husband were drinking the pomegranate martinis. I had a sip and it was super good. I will definitely have one (or more) of these when I'm not counting calories!<br /><br />While we were eating the meatballs the tart was baking in the oven. Here it is finally ready! It did look very nice. That's what I mean when I say it's too fancy for just me and my husband.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjViYXyrmU5cz1gJO1O3zeydR4rcA_T2PQviD5xC9MhVuWkLU-XE7295eIPdTAOfuUxQP7lOUHuBwsUu3_XZthRRWMSMgD6S5xdtbTH0WMbD2u2DmA9la2Jfx-556OSJAVvW9FFUTVa8IE/s1600-h/tart+ready.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjViYXyrmU5cz1gJO1O3zeydR4rcA_T2PQviD5xC9MhVuWkLU-XE7295eIPdTAOfuUxQP7lOUHuBwsUu3_XZthRRWMSMgD6S5xdtbTH0WMbD2u2DmA9la2Jfx-556OSJAVvW9FFUTVa8IE/s400/tart+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266691679035038002" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I had 1/8 of the tart (1 serving) + some salad (mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, goat cheese with 1/2 T of goddess dressing):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ekBXpO9Il8xOqIDo8ooBZdvTnXmfS0lr8SrJPq6zju9n_NYK23Q8xSO_A1fwgMN9A5DIY84f9a54OLQUr3fmrRUuQpKjQQElJgGW2PlUS6FpkN5RrnH3fXjQAR1uDHB3KKqkui4AY_U/s1600-h/my+plate+with+tart+and+salad.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ekBXpO9Il8xOqIDo8ooBZdvTnXmfS0lr8SrJPq6zju9n_NYK23Q8xSO_A1fwgMN9A5DIY84f9a54OLQUr3fmrRUuQpKjQQElJgGW2PlUS6FpkN5RrnH3fXjQAR1uDHB3KKqkui4AY_U/s400/my+plate+with+tart+and+salad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266692094798860834" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here is the feedback on the tart my husband and guests... it needed more cheese and the crust was a bit too dry. I think this is a pretty good base for a recipe but it definitely needs some tweaking. Some of the recommendations included layering either cheese or sauce between the crust and the first layer of veggies (the crust crumbled a bit so something to moisten it would help... I need to find something other than butter to moisten it :D ). Some of the reviews on the website mentioned that more cheese was used, but in the spirit of keeping things healthy I wanted to try it out for myself first with the suggested amount of cheese. I agree, more cheese would have been better (but when is it ever not the case?!). Overall I was slightly disappointed that it wasn't a huge success since it was the star of the show. But I think in general people enjoyed it and I'm glad I finally tried this recipe (it was on my to-make list for a while!).<br /><br />Onto dessert...<br /><br />I made the raspberry brownies before and these are my husband's favorite! He claims he's not a dessert person but he actually ate most of them last time around and requested that I make them again. I put this together over the last few days (it's easy you just need time to let things cool/freeze). Here are a few pics of the process.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.nopudge.com/">No pudge original brownie mix</a> with 5.5 oz of dannon nonfat yogurt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, all mixed in the bowl (oh yeah, licking the bowl is the best part!)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfiLZNXt0jIe_4iOP86XvAR1LjkYCBnthSzowrTPLDc48hl1f-Yemu5GdXsnVNYBTVQ1gn9NZBsDYh3ZQVmJAdL7Oow7dMhFZ9enliQvzj7bg8ZPuTCUzqRvmBsKGPTuXLMD8La_khS0/s1600-h/IMG_2754.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfiLZNXt0jIe_4iOP86XvAR1LjkYCBnthSzowrTPLDc48hl1f-Yemu5GdXsnVNYBTVQ1gn9NZBsDYh3ZQVmJAdL7Oow7dMhFZ9enliQvzj7bg8ZPuTCUzqRvmBsKGPTuXLMD8La_khS0/s400/IMG_2754.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266693815258532050" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Mixture going into the pan:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwbjamab8yPNFT1IuNxuY0Qb0x0tgNJlVPKuciNUVBfrhHmbKk2IHG-fvBUZCa2kFmpiT3hxC2P-qHF-Z_WYdrLcssVTAG7pHxFQIWFw-1aV-Sl3zAhaJyx25dmG8MXwILt20uHuh-ZE/s1600-h/IMG_2755.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwbjamab8yPNFT1IuNxuY0Qb0x0tgNJlVPKuciNUVBfrhHmbKk2IHG-fvBUZCa2kFmpiT3hxC2P-qHF-Z_WYdrLcssVTAG7pHxFQIWFw-1aV-Sl3zAhaJyx25dmG8MXwILt20uHuh-ZE/s400/IMG_2755.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266693928019206082" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Brownies baked, ready to cool:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2RuE3GRTkyYDREYgtwPCf0MeYiGiw_ROJ0THxDF73VCYt5SHlFv6uD_QyUJv9srx-MeKLW8PcrMpFrdhqJuR9UA_pu03UzAwQ81Bk_E0u0pjAC5pojd3V5g3AjoG15Hdn2MDZPCxzDtU/s1600-h/IMG_2761.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2RuE3GRTkyYDREYgtwPCf0MeYiGiw_ROJ0THxDF73VCYt5SHlFv6uD_QyUJv9srx-MeKLW8PcrMpFrdhqJuR9UA_pu03UzAwQ81Bk_E0u0pjAC5pojd3V5g3AjoG15Hdn2MDZPCxzDtU/s400/IMG_2761.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266694821444819794" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I let them cool like that in the pan for a few hours then covered them with tin foil and left them in the pantry for a day and a half until I was ready to finish this. A day and a half later I left the sherbert on the counter to soften a bit, then topped the brownies with a healthy layer of it, and covered with sprinkles as such:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHdUrhiIDAHL0I0-CIDANRx_P-4SI6wTlcx9caYr4hNKIcEG2sqCRphT3g7I3u6lEHNdocps-SPEASdwgk-jwoHblA87Uhpn-BarTZv1ZIxbH4Ydsw60sfeNL5pIgJAMerilXImkVbE0/s1600-h/IMG_2819.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHdUrhiIDAHL0I0-CIDANRx_P-4SI6wTlcx9caYr4hNKIcEG2sqCRphT3g7I3u6lEHNdocps-SPEASdwgk-jwoHblA87Uhpn-BarTZv1ZIxbH4Ydsw60sfeNL5pIgJAMerilXImkVbE0/s400/IMG_2819.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266694032575530338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Final product after being frozen for a day:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbb_tn1PR9efvgMOaaUIPkYiIz_VbGnoalTw3tdwh1VMLlYNsoguIa_-GagctsiM-he0MfjGeZjdJ1auytdo9CnA1GYdDXDoZLfQLzpNbqF9XgauY1s62PjKRHwhl4h9X8C_jl6bAF40/s1600-h/IMG_2820.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbb_tn1PR9efvgMOaaUIPkYiIz_VbGnoalTw3tdwh1VMLlYNsoguIa_-GagctsiM-he0MfjGeZjdJ1auytdo9CnA1GYdDXDoZLfQLzpNbqF9XgauY1s62PjKRHwhl4h9X8C_jl6bAF40/s400/IMG_2820.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266694362357442754" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And my piece last night for dessert :) It came out better than last time. I loved it (and my husband and guests did too) !!! This is a fat free dessert but it definitely doesn't <span style="font-style: italic;">taste</span> fat free.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2RoVJSJTEUBrlW2H0h-zyaEfUUQC1xCdNZBM-Uanpi2kvUdhNSWtTivnnnZLA4qL12tHEmUgwQDZHgbeOoz_hARf-09YbJ2kT_2npopeavbHGqkYiXF3CcKlF8bSq0LD_QufUIJ5Sck/s1600-h/slice.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2RoVJSJTEUBrlW2H0h-zyaEfUUQC1xCdNZBM-Uanpi2kvUdhNSWtTivnnnZLA4qL12tHEmUgwQDZHgbeOoz_hARf-09YbJ2kT_2npopeavbHGqkYiXF3CcKlF8bSq0LD_QufUIJ5Sck/s400/slice.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266694571859640706" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After the stressful task of going over my wedding album layout (I get so weirdly stressed out... I just want it to be perfect!) I got hungry again (I guess it's been a few hours since dinner) so I grabbed a serving of my favorite trail mix:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LM0hEiQHva6nVzzrft8zElGgnQpvCFX4JIV6JlxTJ-K6lO98noJ3v5ksntfLSYP08Z364OX_-6VrTeBrM6Qj66eChHdTvZg6KV2YX0LEVKSovbUIxwTef_bjWBXLNfL_AgXeJSYigJA/s1600-h/trailmix+serving.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LM0hEiQHva6nVzzrft8zElGgnQpvCFX4JIV6JlxTJ-K6lO98noJ3v5ksntfLSYP08Z364OX_-6VrTeBrM6Qj66eChHdTvZg6KV2YX0LEVKSovbUIxwTef_bjWBXLNfL_AgXeJSYigJA/s400/trailmix+serving.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266696618450889234" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I wanted more food (or more chocolate to be exact!) but I fought the urge and just made some peppermint tea. I actually ended up only having a few sips of it before going to bed. I probably should have skipped on the trail mix too, but I thought I was going to stay up longer and really was hungry. It could have been worse!<br /><br />Here is the total for the day...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">NYC STREAKING CHALLENGE:</span><br /><br />Calories (1200-1650) - 1723 - ok, since I allowed myself 1 day with extra 100 calories.<br />Fitness - rest day<br />Water - DONE- I think I had at least 10 cups<br />F/Vs - DONE- banana, baby carrots, brussels sprouts, mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms<br /><br />I'll start a new post with today's breakfast and other eats since this one has been probably too long already :) Enjoy the rest of your weekend!<br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-74365491109059156362008-11-08T10:56:00.007-05:002008-11-08T11:10:09.815-05:00Stuffed french toast - Part IIA few weeks ago I made <a href="http://healthyandsane.blogspot.com/2008/10/so-fancy.html"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">the most amazing stuffed french toast</span></a>. It was quite eye opening, because as I mentioned in that post stuffed french toast is my favorite brunch item and now I can make it in the comfort of my home <em>and</em> make it healthy! So I’ve had a few ideas about how to make other variations of it, and could not wait for a leisurely weekend morning to implement it! <p>I’ve been talking a lot lately about how much I love bananas with nut butters, so today’s stuffed french toast was inspired by this great combo. Here it is, a peanut butter/banana stuffed french toast:</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteLWCsl1M8N8UxwskfVeX6GeN2asdifScaxOPKQXd4JMwnu8O4I5y8VwnNS7Qp71pHYT6_qOvyeF8M0v-EGyG5VLOmwqkXpAwnL_7UFnW2Z3R0b-uM_z9rH7I7ydNDj08E7s-wn2bP0k/s1600-h/banana+pb+french+toast.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteLWCsl1M8N8UxwskfVeX6GeN2asdifScaxOPKQXd4JMwnu8O4I5y8VwnNS7Qp71pHYT6_qOvyeF8M0v-EGyG5VLOmwqkXpAwnL_7UFnW2Z3R0b-uM_z9rH7I7ydNDj08E7s-wn2bP0k/s400/banana+pb+french+toast.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266317593878580082" border="0" /></a></p><p>I used 2 sliced of <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://arnold.gwbakeries.com/product.cfm/upc/7341002590">Arnold double fiber bread</a>. One of the slices I covered with about 1/2 sliced banana, the other one with 1 tablespoon of TJ’s natural creamy peanut butter. I put the two together, and dunk them in the mixture of 1/4 cup of egg beater, 1/4 cup skim milk and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (there was a bunch of the mix left so maybe the bread absorbed only half of it). I then grilled the “sandwich” on the pan (sprayed with Pam) for about 3 minutes on each side. Some more sliced banana on top, sifted confectionery sugar and voila. Yummy healthy breakfast! Here is a picture of my first, double decker bite <img src="http://192.168.1.103/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="wp-smiley" /></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssQsDm8-PkuKlpPovIZTA-zglC66WJhxcmxJp_iqwWw9HIhaYB-4KOvA3Y9ox4j3CSWgPLLmoCY0L-QrWw86DS8XUBOUN6rJrjzddUtOBbJIZRzuJLQuSGMeDaQu4zIFumPAvSDMtzwI/s1600-h/banana+pb+french+toast+first+bite.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssQsDm8-PkuKlpPovIZTA-zglC66WJhxcmxJp_iqwWw9HIhaYB-4KOvA3Y9ox4j3CSWgPLLmoCY0L-QrWw86DS8XUBOUN6rJrjzddUtOBbJIZRzuJLQuSGMeDaQu4zIFumPAvSDMtzwI/s400/banana+pb+french+toast+first+bite.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266317715972757698" border="0" /></a></p><p>It was quite delicious. I’m going to play with this combo more. I think maybe a little bit of greek yogurt or ricotta and chocolate could be good in there too. More peanut butter would also be awesome, but I am working with a calorie “budget” here, so let’s not go crazy. We’ll see what happens next time <img src="http://192.168.1.103/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" class="wp-smiley" /> </p> <p>I hope everyone has a great weekend! I'll be back later with the rest of the day's eats.<br /></p>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-4457577158927583672008-11-07T19:39:00.019-05:002008-11-07T20:34:06.872-05:00It's Friday!<div style="text-align: justify;">It's Friday!!! Man, this week seemed like it flew by but today was soooooooo<span style="font-style: italic;"> slooooooooow</span>. I could not wait to get out of the office but the clock was just not moving. Despite not being very motivated, I still got a lot done though :)<br /><br />Food today was interesting. I got home kind of late after my hair appointment last night. By the time I made dinner, ate, and blogged it was time for bed. I always make my food the night before but it was already late so I decided to just make it in the morning. I also didn't really know what I wanted which was another reason I didn't make it right away. I was hoping I'd just wake up with a craving. Well, surprise surprise, the morning was super rushed and I kind of just threw a bunch of stuff together.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">BREAKFAST</span><br /><br />Breakfast this morning was an egg and cheese sandwich (with tomato). I cooked the egg in the microwave for a little under 2 minutes while the english muffin was toasting. Then I slapped on a piece of white american cheese, a few slices of tomato and wrapped it to go. Here it is:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVvYQh8kBVlq__SV_LBAIObMSsT5V9eLdkTM0sazBErRnEkia6P70zVK2Sj0mVnpbLzqRiwxUO6yzN9dbJQY3GVQ_SC_efOUOT7UgM8JsF3tQ0yZmk1e1MHsesYFUOw8PGJNkj6Suzzg/s1600-h/egg+tomato+cheese+breakfast+sandwich.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVvYQh8kBVlq__SV_LBAIObMSsT5V9eLdkTM0sazBErRnEkia6P70zVK2Sj0mVnpbLzqRiwxUO6yzN9dbJQY3GVQ_SC_efOUOT7UgM8JsF3tQ0yZmk1e1MHsesYFUOw8PGJNkj6Suzzg/s400/egg+tomato+cheese+breakfast+sandwich.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266082583489389090" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It was just ok. The english muffin got slightly soggy and I think I've decided I don't like tomatoes on my breakfast sandwiches. Also the past few times I've made these I threw some bacon in there, but this time we were out and I really missed it. Oh well, it was still good, just not great. And it did feel me up.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">PRE-WORKOUT SNACK</span><br /><br />This snack I thought of 2 nights ago after I already made my food. I couldn't wait to make this and this was the first thing I threw together to make sure I don't run out of time :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibNFPdyjwaS22yRQorYkh-dkgUQlJ8AcWX8npLZrzNKIS_lfrDjXq9Z3l6qhhl7xKx3NoKXrEH0LgcKzL1EBnhmvB9Wd7K-zYbfZesDoYQd4y1__tIzhiZ6YfBEtMLMLLxszK9POL1oRc/s1600-h/pumpkin+yogurt.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibNFPdyjwaS22yRQorYkh-dkgUQlJ8AcWX8npLZrzNKIS_lfrDjXq9Z3l6qhhl7xKx3NoKXrEH0LgcKzL1EBnhmvB9Wd7K-zYbfZesDoYQd4y1__tIzhiZ6YfBEtMLMLLxszK9POL1oRc/s400/pumpkin+yogurt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266082683185583074" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In the container is about 1/2 cup of TJ's European style nonfat yogurt, mixed with 1/2 cup of pumpkin and 1 tablespoon of TJ's pumpkin butter (for sweetness), topped with some pecans and 2 honey graham crackers. I crushed the crackers before eating and topped the whole thing with them. Very delicious! I would love it even slightly sweeter with a bit more pumpkin butter but I think that's enough sugar for a pre-workout snack. Good stuff!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">WORKOUT</span><br /><br />I took today the Journey to the Core class at the gym. There are 7 stations with 2 exercises at each station, and you do each exercise for 30 seconds, and the whole circuit 3 times. Then there is really nice stretching at the end. The time really flew by at this class, but I recommended to the instructor today to hold the exercises for 45 seconds and only do the circuits twice instead. I think this would make it burn more (I know I'm a masochist :D ). He said he'll think about... some people were struggling with even just 30 seconds, but I say let them rest if they need to. I want to get a better workout. I mentioned this to another girl after class and she agreed... she said she'll back me up next time if he asks :) The class took 45 minutes and I really fought the urge not to jump on the elliptical or do more lifting. I shouldn't over-train since I do try to workout 6 times a week. 45 minutes should be enough... I need to remind this to myself sometimes.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">LUNCH</span><br /><br />Lunch was the meal that really suffered the most from my lack of time this morning. I really wanted to make a salad but I just couldn't think of a good combo this morning and was getting overwhelmed. At first I was just going to buy something for lunch (I hardly ever do it and there are a few healthy options I can choose from) but then I remembered that I have a few leftovers frozen so I grabbed one of them, or to be exact I grabbed a container with the fritatta <a href="http://healthyandsane.blogspot.com/search?q=fritatta"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">I made a few weeks ago</span></a>. It was a solid ice block and I was definitely taking a chance on it.<br /><br />It was still frozen when I was ready for lunch and I was definitely not excited about it. I figured if it tasted horrible I would throw it away and go back to plan A. It seemed ok when I got it out of the microwave... although it did take 3 tries to finally get it to the right temperature. I was also planning on having a small apple with it (but I ended up eating the apple for a late afternoon snack).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLOdHdTc9D428fnpzpFFZegLVNqbsWbB5PH9-Nq-yiv9FfVov04WPU95zxzq9JsC_V7C_xsdlIhGulWCSejZ-vMR8-A07WVEdf2m3SCMYroaq9pI8mSkklYnrAX9HIiFqVme8b7GA4m-M/s1600-h/fritatta.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLOdHdTc9D428fnpzpFFZegLVNqbsWbB5PH9-Nq-yiv9FfVov04WPU95zxzq9JsC_V7C_xsdlIhGulWCSejZ-vMR8-A07WVEdf2m3SCMYroaq9pI8mSkklYnrAX9HIiFqVme8b7GA4m-M/s400/fritatta.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266082489200246098" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Because I really wasn't excited about this lunch, despite the fact that it tasted fine I just really didn't feel like it. I felt like I was punishing myself a little (I hate that I always try to be responsible!) so I finally left the last bite on the plate and instead of the apple grabbed a 100 calorie pack of cookies for dessert. A much better treat!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWvrhS6WUIu7aGD5j3Kn6_J1auqbvuPZqvQMr-FOdR9jwMlqIoCwDzgiHoHH6arqbCNG-0kJYQHD968riI1sQv3S0EKtqOw6UVqHeMP3rNymaD96HuCheAvwMaVwX_iDS1vKYUFPwe3k/s1600-h/ian's+cookies.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWvrhS6WUIu7aGD5j3Kn6_J1auqbvuPZqvQMr-FOdR9jwMlqIoCwDzgiHoHH6arqbCNG-0kJYQHD968riI1sQv3S0EKtqOw6UVqHeMP3rNymaD96HuCheAvwMaVwX_iDS1vKYUFPwe3k/s400/ian's+cookies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266082396872124210" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I got this little package of chocolate chip "buttons" in a Whole Foods promotional goodie bag. I was going through it a few days ago and found these so I brought them to the office. Good thing! Here they are... so pretty :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupMP8Mb5GwGQNxJYaCIVZzaJ_PG8cmb2nDi-mixypJq6c3CWbDZvNZnu66M4SUdknlPwgqG2EcM5xcSE8Ig_7xwjZn-DMnDEZmMsCX9eSLJp2vj55YGbrX5ZENgWRXrQuHWzeF5Ab5-4/s1600-h/ian's+cookies+inside+package.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupMP8Mb5GwGQNxJYaCIVZzaJ_PG8cmb2nDi-mixypJq6c3CWbDZvNZnu66M4SUdknlPwgqG2EcM5xcSE8Ig_7xwjZn-DMnDEZmMsCX9eSLJp2vj55YGbrX5ZENgWRXrQuHWzeF5Ab5-4/s400/ian's+cookies+inside+package.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266082287470050482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>Ok so the truth is they weren't that great. I pretended like they were real chocolate chip cookies, but really they weren't. I took my time eating them, trying to savor every button. I figured it was still more indulgent than an apple.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">SNACK 2 + 3</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-z3QIpl3hG3HnH8DCjaKhpdlHgqMtnPsW2nciDiqhnFvhvwuQUJsrVY-13KmN2qgoeikjBzBM_oL9LdQXDKfSJBpyZYwHCZd5LPfXbkR_-vKQuNOi7F11GtY-Xdf5yz4TiuGyHfylxI/s1600-h/banana+ab+sandwich.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-z3QIpl3hG3HnH8DCjaKhpdlHgqMtnPsW2nciDiqhnFvhvwuQUJsrVY-13KmN2qgoeikjBzBM_oL9LdQXDKfSJBpyZYwHCZd5LPfXbkR_-vKQuNOi7F11GtY-Xdf5yz4TiuGyHfylxI/s400/banana+ab+sandwich.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266082182143778802" border="0" /></a><br /><br />x2... I ate a whole banana with a whole package of Barney Butter. I split it into 2 snacks, but the truth is I don't think there was more than an hour in between those. I just couldn't wait to have the other half! I absolutely love almond butter with bananas!!!!<br /><br />So yeah, there was snack #4 (I was just hungry all day today, probably because I really didn't want to work and preferred to eat instead) which was the apple pictured above.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">DINNER</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />For dinner tonight I planned to make some chicken with brussel sprouts I bought at the farmers market on Tuesday. When I got home I was absolutely starving and the chicken was still frozen :( I considered waiting, or defrosting it in the microwave, but at the end decided to go to another Plan B and made <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1854029">chipotle shrimp tacos</a> from Cooking Light (I followed the recipe to the T). I love how shrimp can be defrosted in just minutes under cold water. We always have them on hand (in the freezer) and they are a great lean source of protein. Yum!<br /><br />Here are my tacos with shrimp, avocado, sliced tomatoes and TJ's salsa verde on TJ's low carb whole wheat tortillas.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cHyH1eXkyaEqvzg47n4_Nqpc0lKbgs5xYjw3JaLhPa57sdHFMfmp_LEpsdNuF2M5aydFGcP_-vWKOSTr30LQCX-2o9L2Yk4SmZx-9ecpvpoasryqMli7eSOnnZ11Rz9D3mNaxI69z3Q/s1600-h/shrimp+tacos.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cHyH1eXkyaEqvzg47n4_Nqpc0lKbgs5xYjw3JaLhPa57sdHFMfmp_LEpsdNuF2M5aydFGcP_-vWKOSTr30LQCX-2o9L2Yk4SmZx-9ecpvpoasryqMli7eSOnnZ11Rz9D3mNaxI69z3Q/s400/shrimp+tacos.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266082055519042082" border="0" /></a><br /><br />They were a big mess to eat but were quite delicious :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueGnkVEnT2DC7a0QkH1Fj6aGVtMtwsn3JqStTZiVRGZPbhWMoFV1V-lyKbcLs4uIuGHv0Qy5sFYKEyccKc8tvAvj82jeSQnTK3yt_v-5zDan5Ml98zY2_4Oj5KdIjrmjYNq9Rew-eAto/s1600-h/shrimp+tacos+folded.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueGnkVEnT2DC7a0QkH1Fj6aGVtMtwsn3JqStTZiVRGZPbhWMoFV1V-lyKbcLs4uIuGHv0Qy5sFYKEyccKc8tvAvj82jeSQnTK3yt_v-5zDan5Ml98zY2_4Oj5KdIjrmjYNq9Rew-eAto/s400/shrimp+tacos+folded.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266081937683299266" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And yes I was still hungry after these, so I made dessert. One warm chocolate chip cookie with some decaf peppermint tea. Now my belly is satisfied :D<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbt86wOdfc-OIMzJxQnB8DnMhOLB-pAwxbtMPMKmjyXtZ_bkA3te7gH4OHyijxDRWDJQDdT-xbCiOWmB8NYxIlnuuY8Bx-F5SNgi4VYAxypjJKRaty_ha_2KTPM78sCbHjBjEYHjAT3g/s1600-h/tj's+cookie+with+tea.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbt86wOdfc-OIMzJxQnB8DnMhOLB-pAwxbtMPMKmjyXtZ_bkA3te7gH4OHyijxDRWDJQDdT-xbCiOWmB8NYxIlnuuY8Bx-F5SNgi4VYAxypjJKRaty_ha_2KTPM78sCbHjBjEYHjAT3g/s400/tj's+cookie+with+tea.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266081847842571810" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzQsIEQ_V5mGi8JNqaZrXfRDDw6oupm4LI7FtwikbPNPZtpp14aOkuZ30WZknn2qJOauFwCnQqTJ_iI4oKegOT1uEYoB7wmeEH3e595HenLF8jk3Di3u5zJiUNuY_i__gUNGPjObivis/s1600-h/upclose+cookie.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzQsIEQ_V5mGi8JNqaZrXfRDDw6oupm4LI7FtwikbPNPZtpp14aOkuZ30WZknn2qJOauFwCnQqTJ_iI4oKegOT1uEYoB7wmeEH3e595HenLF8jk3Di3u5zJiUNuY_i__gUNGPjObivis/s400/upclose+cookie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266081739520572722" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And as always, a quick recap of today's "stats"<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">NYC STREAKING CHALLENGE- STREAK DAY 5</span><br /><br />Calories (1200-1650)- DONE - 1630<br />Fitness - DONE- circuit training class<br />Water - DONE - 9 cups<br />F/V - DONE - tomato, pumpkin, beet greens, potatoes, mushrooms, banana, apple, avocado<br /><br />I'm going to relax on the coach and watch a movie with my husband. I love weekends! :)<br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-15987078329600792192008-11-06T21:03:00.025-05:002008-11-06T22:14:23.914-05:00The streak continues<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Streak day 4, 7 days 'till NYC...<br /><br />Another excellent day today. Sorry if I keep starting these last few posts the same way, but I'm just always so excited about my good food choices and I feel great! Work is busy, but it doesn't matter because I just feel good about myself which translates into feeling good about everything else. Ok, onto food... :D<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">Breakfast</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTaw8QGc8J-OyvoeB7OgJktipR1mTBURbLRbD5aooR2ocRaopjNo0HknFVGxiz5Wq2RyN6-CR6VeNjWNWskjO18FCGdsq4VzBQIXu23Czq71Gbjn2zZW4ZcIDE8a26bW5MOKdjApX70Bw/s1600-h/IMG_2768%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTaw8QGc8J-OyvoeB7OgJktipR1mTBURbLRbD5aooR2ocRaopjNo0HknFVGxiz5Wq2RyN6-CR6VeNjWNWskjO18FCGdsq4VzBQIXu23Czq71Gbjn2zZW4ZcIDE8a26bW5MOKdjApX70Bw/s400/IMG_2768%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265735162957258322" border="0" /></a><br /><br />'Nuff said? Jk! This breakfast is not only extremely photogenic but is also <span style="font-weight: bold;">extremely</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">delicious</span>! In this cup was about 3/4 cups of nonfat yogurt, 1/2 banana, a serving of TJ's american trek mix, some kashi golean and Erin's double chocolate granola. I definitely wanted more when I finished, but that's because there was chocolate involved and I always want more chocolate :D This breakfast was slightly more calories than my typical breakfasts (the addition of granola was the extra) because I was planning on doing an 8 mile run during lunch and wanted to increase my calorie intake a little bit to fuel this workout.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">Pre-workout Snack</span><br />Again, this one was a little bit on the larger size for a snack for me. Last night I made this little sandwich and photographed it before packing it up...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoGrjpHStYaeTEN056aDAEp1lYsIjjlqxkowh24QkNFYwI2Li0ihDc4zT-rxyFbVRzcmEUix5kyyzwqLaOE-ceu6RiN6hRNkE2eByNdMlE3EAOoqRcX6HsypkMUv5SeFJvzyZIbVqzoo/s1600-h/IMG_2762%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoGrjpHStYaeTEN056aDAEp1lYsIjjlqxkowh24QkNFYwI2Li0ihDc4zT-rxyFbVRzcmEUix5kyyzwqLaOE-ceu6RiN6hRNkE2eByNdMlE3EAOoqRcX6HsypkMUv5SeFJvzyZIbVqzoo/s400/IMG_2762%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265735051694371842" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Whole wheat "british muffin" (from TJ's) with a tablespoon of spreadable fruit and a little over 1/2 tablespoon of natural pb (mix of chunky and smooth). The spreadable fruit made the muffin slightly soggy, but it was still pretty yummy and was definitely good fuel for later :)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">Workout</span><br />I've been meaning to do this 8 mile run since last Friday, but things just kept coming up. I've never run longer than 7 miles before, but the 7 miles didn't feel like my limit, so I figured I should be able to do the 8. I still get nervous almost every time before I run. I don't know why. I always do well. In fact, let me fastward to my workout today... I kicked butt! At mile 7 I kept on increasing speed at which point I actually had to slow down on purpose so as to not injure myself. I didn't want to regret this run, but yeah, I definitely could have done this faster or run longer. Awesome! I actually forgot to look at the clock on the treadmill (yes I ran 8 miles on the treadmill! It was no problem for me, I was just watching tv the entire time)... but I averaged 6.4 mph, so maybe it took like 73 minutes or so?? I also did 0.15 mile walk for warmup and 0.15 mile walk for a cooldown... and I stretched after my run. I really wanted to make sure I wake up tomorrow and am able to walk :D<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Do you ever slow down on purpose or do you just give it your all?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">Lunch</span><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_JustifyFull" title="Justify Full" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 13);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Justify Full" class="gl_align_full" border="0" /></span></span>Lunch today was leftovers from last night: hamburger stroganoff. It was still super delicious!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWN7Im1ZwjKE9bYfvsqnR-_cXtSE1PO9M1hnbQx5_RMXHaPDODucca_Cjm2sMncI4FWuDM8Zu8CDnffw0IqC85IHR4EGuKOzghvXkNiE_yTwpan-RtIcW6EaQ1L-u0ztpgjk6CA4NTX0/s1600-h/hamburger+strogonof.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWN7Im1ZwjKE9bYfvsqnR-_cXtSE1PO9M1hnbQx5_RMXHaPDODucca_Cjm2sMncI4FWuDM8Zu8CDnffw0IqC85IHR4EGuKOzghvXkNiE_yTwpan-RtIcW6EaQ1L-u0ztpgjk6CA4NTX0/s400/hamburger+strogonof.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265734943974525746" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I also had a pear for "dessert." It was super juicy and delicious!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpacSsPKoI5BcOpXr29y12aqbj3gXEfA9MolQC9n59xP8bi9_5zZLJ8g0odpgaHBouMiXzB2xHOPWOKLB4A69t7rMe2qIJ37yRUYjbHNqSuQgZj0JJUBd2EIYNrCK5ZYN78ZOPDNvSOk/s1600-h/IMG_2772%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpacSsPKoI5BcOpXr29y12aqbj3gXEfA9MolQC9n59xP8bi9_5zZLJ8g0odpgaHBouMiXzB2xHOPWOKLB4A69t7rMe2qIJ37yRUYjbHNqSuQgZj0JJUBd2EIYNrCK5ZYN78ZOPDNvSOk/s400/IMG_2772%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265735252515321474" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">Afternoon snack</span><br />I had a hair appointment after work so I decided to have a quick snack so I wouldn't be starving when I finally got home. I tried a new kind of <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://kindsnacks.com/">KIND bar</a>: walnut & date.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Bw3TVn7OvbMz8NROckBPaqZmcqx4GftPFnsaMpS9MUPPDVR3K1DykNWhilbck38w9I7ZRdtHF_cwepmmhyphenhyphenrHNIW4jv5-XmWYFlNQSjeFUaQTPNsvd0Ljc8K2-9ToP30wyPlrd_4xybo/s1600-h/IMG_2773%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Bw3TVn7OvbMz8NROckBPaqZmcqx4GftPFnsaMpS9MUPPDVR3K1DykNWhilbck38w9I7ZRdtHF_cwepmmhyphenhyphenrHNIW4jv5-XmWYFlNQSjeFUaQTPNsvd0Ljc8K2-9ToP30wyPlrd_4xybo/s400/IMG_2773%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265735346504713986" border="0" /></a><br /><br />OMG, I am seriously in love with kind bars!!!! This is the second kind I've had one (well actually I tried another kind at a little tasting they had at Whole Foods and loved it too) and I love love loved it! Here is the picture of the bar up-close:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZpzR-EJIDMLn0KGiieeehPwb84V4GMDe7lnbd0o_l58a_XZZsOCdrkyh6eCDBYj-4rgFGy5CXcbvKJZJfmC05B473xohTNZzZaYZH4edonXQZ7Njf3JyVpf3tOD3376uzrrvdX7OYL0/s1600-h/IMG_2774%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZpzR-EJIDMLn0KGiieeehPwb84V4GMDe7lnbd0o_l58a_XZZsOCdrkyh6eCDBYj-4rgFGy5CXcbvKJZJfmC05B473xohTNZzZaYZH4edonXQZ7Njf3JyVpf3tOD3376uzrrvdX7OYL0/s400/IMG_2774%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265735451134343682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />See how there are huge chunks of dates?! You can actually taste the ingredients, which are basically dates, walnuts and honey (there are a few others in there but these are the main ones). Awesome! I can't wait to dig into my next one (I kind of bought every kind they had in the store :P )<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">Dinner</span><br />My husband went out while I was getting my hair done so I was on my own for dinner. He doesn't really like salads and I seriously crave them, so this was definitely a salad night! I put the salad together but then realized it was too low-cal, so I made little polenta stacks, inspired by <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.seebriderun.com/2008/08/run-faster-longer-stronger.html">Caitlin</a>. For the salad dressing I wanted a nice balsamic vinegrette (I think it goes perfect with spinach) but we didn't have any at home because I can't stand any of the low fat kinds and I never bought the full fat version until my recent goddess dressing purchase. I brought the goddess dressing to work, so I couldn't use it tonight, but it actually inspired me to make my own. I remembered the tahini in it and thought that's maybe the ingredient that makes the balsamic vinegrettes that I've liked before <span style="font-weight: bold;">cloudy</span>. I started putting a bunch of stuff together and it came out really well! I was super inpressed with myself :)<br /><br />So here is dinner altogether:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPw5msRjaltAOzBs_WW7q0CxVeq8Frm-uFKhNkpzLqtHDLxVmVrVLVxPsbhLgNQP9fGif_FfHKqo0woXj6ySNhyphenhyphen5IOJJG82nj0dP915XfRQkvpsu1gCzJwjJZliiWoL4HecMq0Lt3cNVg/s1600-h/IMG_2777%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPw5msRjaltAOzBs_WW7q0CxVeq8Frm-uFKhNkpzLqtHDLxVmVrVLVxPsbhLgNQP9fGif_FfHKqo0woXj6ySNhyphenhyphen5IOJJG82nj0dP915XfRQkvpsu1gCzJwjJZliiWoL4HecMq0Lt3cNVg/s400/IMG_2777%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265735687307547746" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The salad had spinach, some grape tomatoes, 1/3 oz of dried cranberries, 1/4 oz of pecans, and 1/2 oz of goat cheese. This is a really great combo!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZaW4ro820b6Jk-H7Gtl-dlHbz2wKdq56QSlRSeC2YeiQemIPrjpuwBc0QbdJINrtwGO62tIGqgHvv9DYWp3lRld4zifTZGHVadFVsKjb_kjEGiln2rYEJrFCFetU2KUvo-zASx5a22LY/s1600-h/IMG_2782%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZaW4ro820b6Jk-H7Gtl-dlHbz2wKdq56QSlRSeC2YeiQemIPrjpuwBc0QbdJINrtwGO62tIGqgHvv9DYWp3lRld4zifTZGHVadFVsKjb_kjEGiln2rYEJrFCFetU2KUvo-zASx5a22LY/s400/IMG_2782%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265735923797335170" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My dressing consisted of (I think):<br />- 1 teaspoon of EVOO<br />- 1 teaspoon of tahini<br />- 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar<br />- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice<br />- 1/2 teaspoon of honey<br />- S&P to taste<br /><br />And then the polenta stacks... I cut up 1/4 of a polenta log into 4 circles, baked them in the toaster oven for about 8 minutes at 350 degrees, topped them with 1/2 oz of cheddar cheese (I was going to use fresh mozzarella but it went bad :( ) and broiled it for a few more minutes. Here they are out of the oven:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlY61i3PwcR4PRIsDFj85DiBhm0sWnl_6q34UlsP_ST_5YdnBr-Od7aiqTs9aycfzneTpBHe_PsJES4FJS2B1cXEioQw89Ew9vcOvv5LVSAESrQCG_maavRm-cV-CEc-bxPNqXAQqqkcI/s1600-h/IMG_2776%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlY61i3PwcR4PRIsDFj85DiBhm0sWnl_6q34UlsP_ST_5YdnBr-Od7aiqTs9aycfzneTpBHe_PsJES4FJS2B1cXEioQw89Ew9vcOvv5LVSAESrQCG_maavRm-cV-CEc-bxPNqXAQqqkcI/s400/IMG_2776%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265735587768274434" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And put together, on the side of my large salad:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNT4DVYJfa6-lPInXgzRj1sjKIdLrtXU0jHgbxpyJjzqoRSL3sKf6VF5jjJSDHn7Kd_CrH_dKOIWdEEgcoEcNlkoU4cTC4wvofgGERf6vqAGGHAJRpE-DLMbjvg3ghkVcgXPLX2Dx0KgU/s1600-h/IMG_2780%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNT4DVYJfa6-lPInXgzRj1sjKIdLrtXU0jHgbxpyJjzqoRSL3sKf6VF5jjJSDHn7Kd_CrH_dKOIWdEEgcoEcNlkoU4cTC4wvofgGERf6vqAGGHAJRpE-DLMbjvg3ghkVcgXPLX2Dx0KgU/s400/IMG_2780%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265735804903493810" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And ouf course I couldn't end the meal without dessert so I had 1/4 serving of TJ's chocolate covered edamames. Yum!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdfxsqvf-8UhlqeDruv9YTK7XEK_jMozOl32PYAwgZNLe_zmouWkQWJ4wDibw9mxpyLx37g0prP8RaiiNZ8fBJETIohAhsXmBzudDa4JX5I0Xyss8OIFEeCNbuZvWAq4q_bEQ324dM7To/s1600-h/IMG_2785.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdfxsqvf-8UhlqeDruv9YTK7XEK_jMozOl32PYAwgZNLe_zmouWkQWJ4wDibw9mxpyLx37g0prP8RaiiNZ8fBJETIohAhsXmBzudDa4JX5I0Xyss8OIFEeCNbuZvWAq4q_bEQ324dM7To/s400/IMG_2785.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265736424153121346" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And that brought me to 1650 calories exactly for the day. Funny how that worked out!<br /><br />So here are my goal results for today:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">NYC streaking challenge - day 4:</span><br />Calories (1200 - 1650) - DONE - 1650 exactly<br />Fitness - DONE- 8 mile run + 0.3 mile walk<br />Water - DONE - 8 cups<br />F/V - DONE - banana, mushrooms, pear, kind bar (dates), spinach, grape tomatoes, slices tomato, cranberries<br /><br />And that's it for today. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Do you like the new format (breaking it up into sections)?</span><br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-59608660370419391382008-11-05T20:10:00.014-05:002008-11-05T21:10:03.192-05:00Leftovers aren't boring<div style="text-align: justify;">Streak day 3, 8 days to go 'till NYC! Still doing great on my mini-challenge! :D<br /><br />I got a craving for a breakfast I made last week: smoked salmon sandwiches, so yesterday I stopped by TJ's to pick up some lox. This breakfast did not disappoint! It looks kind of messy (sorry the bread is very fragile and broke apart on it's "commute to work") but it was super rich and delicious!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnc1j7JjSlygxWWLwFC9Qpwm3KSJjuEbUnXRLhfIzHZFrNz1yoWRAeYbDE2xR6ajunTWFRb7OUTGbb6xWeHOl3GoT10LFwrWrhgWm0Dv7JftYRlRk466ma8XDB7SOkcyFIfTzDybRvBQk/s1600-h/IMG_2731%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnc1j7JjSlygxWWLwFC9Qpwm3KSJjuEbUnXRLhfIzHZFrNz1yoWRAeYbDE2xR6ajunTWFRb7OUTGbb6xWeHOl3GoT10LFwrWrhgWm0Dv7JftYRlRk466ma8XDB7SOkcyFIfTzDybRvBQk/s400/IMG_2731%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265345887441005282" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The bread I used is <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.the-baker.com/Default.aspx">The Baker</a> wholegrain flaxseed bread. It is so nutty and addicting. My husband would hate it, so I know it's not for everyone, but I absolutely cannot get enough of this stuff! Here is a picture of the package if you're interested...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDthFTOaBim3_jIZPqvW-2auL0LtIFLi6TMuTJaLNB27rrkUYvJAsX5TdYmbNpZMnKIUyZReQ6inpctz07AHNUCaZwfbKpJyLrtrPMdh7aRPMmiVLSjwbQjmfmAy70M8dYUdhbvu7LbDQ/s1600-h/IMG_2760%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDthFTOaBim3_jIZPqvW-2auL0LtIFLi6TMuTJaLNB27rrkUYvJAsX5TdYmbNpZMnKIUyZReQ6inpctz07AHNUCaZwfbKpJyLrtrPMdh7aRPMmiVLSjwbQjmfmAy70M8dYUdhbvu7LbDQ/s400/IMG_2760%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265348399692409810" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So breakfast was 2 slices of the bread, about 1 1/2 ounces of lox and 1 tablespoon of whipped cream cheese. I also had a cup of hazelnut coffee with half and half and a tsp of agave nectar. The usual stuff. I wanted more food after this breakfast but remembered that last time it kept me really full for a long time. I decided to wait it out a bit, which worked! I probably would've had a massive stomachache if I ate more like I instinctively wanted to.<br /><br />About 3 hours later I snacked on this apple. It was my pre-workout snack. I wasn't even that hungry, but I knew I needed fuel for my abs + spinning classes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cMyrV219rrFxG7IB0PGHOyBwqoDyzh-vDaNxvrNIayeLTlxjqKyloJ5NCciIJhSJlMDG0nVF2HU1Hts-ur2GJbTb-GvJq0K5TQHvLYYx_hadyoEJLhRthYtWWqAu9vhZoUJOKAykRmo/s1600-h/IMG_2733%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cMyrV219rrFxG7IB0PGHOyBwqoDyzh-vDaNxvrNIayeLTlxjqKyloJ5NCciIJhSJlMDG0nVF2HU1Hts-ur2GJbTb-GvJq0K5TQHvLYYx_hadyoEJLhRthYtWWqAu9vhZoUJOKAykRmo/s400/IMG_2733%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265346043573887138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Both classes were soooo good and so tough today. I was super excited for them for some reason. I think it's because I'm feeling like my old self. I love eating healthy and working out! It's so good to know I'm taking care of myself! The abs class is the toughest one they offer at my gym, just basic stuff but you feel the burn after 15 minutes of straight crunching. And spinning... once again today was my favorite instructor and I haven't been to his class in months. It was excellent. I was dripping sweat like crazy and loved it! He turned the lights on at the end of the class and I was super shiny, but looked so buff!!! My arms looked so toned. Maybe it was that boxercise class last night? Hmm, doubt one class did the trick. Anyways, I felt good!<br /><br />Moving on to lunch, which is boring for blog purposes because it was leftovers from last night's dinner. It was still absolutely delicious! In fact when I got back from the gym I had an email from my husband saying how good lunch was (he had the leftovers too). It's pretty cool to get 2 meals for both of us in the same amount of effort. The flip side of course is when something doesn't come out incredibly good and you're stuck eating it the next day. Luckily I haven't had any mishaps in a while :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mMl5s6fqyiifZmjGQbmivtWURv_0c0VXuTEwrqqYUdkJSJMtkBmyecpoDq4HDwyyNzvNh8Es7CxKPHWhElWHSAj_oBe_1CouX9OspMuW0LB8kDclntWpAlKkVNU1rFZFyAUif3h8S04/s1600-h/IMG_2734%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mMl5s6fqyiifZmjGQbmivtWURv_0c0VXuTEwrqqYUdkJSJMtkBmyecpoDq4HDwyyNzvNh8Es7CxKPHWhElWHSAj_oBe_1CouX9OspMuW0LB8kDclntWpAlKkVNU1rFZFyAUif3h8S04/s400/IMG_2734%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265346174624078994" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Afternoon snack, one of my absolute favorites. I've blogged about this snack before. It's the perfect thing to take care of my sweet tooth! 1/2 banana, packet of Barney Butter inside a TJ's low carb tortilla wrap. Best.snack.ever!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI39eaQQ_I0Iui0jo46OOkidZBFWwBnhicTdiTC2ANXXtTUH6DA9HqCStO5FNDuKLFKUhRMsC9Dfi2900cRIiVLHv8nxhuvbN23n0yfCUvlJKGyTAdgrZieHrg-mt3T5g5EntBqF4SjUY/s1600-h/banana+ab+wrap.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI39eaQQ_I0Iui0jo46OOkidZBFWwBnhicTdiTC2ANXXtTUH6DA9HqCStO5FNDuKLFKUhRMsC9Dfi2900cRIiVLHv8nxhuvbN23n0yfCUvlJKGyTAdgrZieHrg-mt3T5g5EntBqF4SjUY/s400/banana+ab+wrap.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265354510258198386" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Speaking of Barney Butter, I found out today on <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.blogger.com/www.katheats.com">Kath's blog</a> that <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://barneybutter.com/">Barney Butter</a> is giving free shipping for orders over $14. This is your chance to stock up on their goodies (like the single serving almond butters) before they start selling their products at Whole Foods next year. Just type <span style="font-weight: bold;">ship4free</span> when you check out. I definitely took advantage of this today :)<br /><br />Oh another little victory today was this: I was walking by a bowl with halloween candy at work and grabbed a york chocolate mint patty. I know this stuff isn't that many calories comparatively to some of the other chocolate goodies so I felt it was a pretty good choice. I ran into a co-worker of mine on the way to my desk and we ended up talking about a transaction for about 10 minutes. Well, when I was done talking to her I realized I really didn't <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">need</span> this candy at all. Just because it's a healthier choice out of the bad stuff, doesn't mean it's a good one. I had my banana/almond butter wrap waiting for me, so I was good :) I put the candy back and made some tea and the wrap. It felt pretty cool. Small victories...<br /><br />When I got home I remembered that I got some <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">pumpkin butter</span> at TJ's yesterday. I decided to have a tiny snack featuring it! I had a little over 1/4 cup of TJ's European style nonfat yogurt, with a little less than a tablespoon of the pumpking butter and a little less than 1/3 serving of Erin's pb granola.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTB8Sr-XyaY5x3lI0chQmnLRyCIk6iLoIRr2EUE_T8uRFBhDQgx7iFeDkxjZBaAujuyls5NiRUh39CtO7BJVUw8JsBfL4rH2wkBDgTCGsjJ2FLt0gZOiIueMQcDD_8AP7SrBSdXSI1Dk/s1600-h/yogurt+with+pumpkin+butter.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTB8Sr-XyaY5x3lI0chQmnLRyCIk6iLoIRr2EUE_T8uRFBhDQgx7iFeDkxjZBaAujuyls5NiRUh39CtO7BJVUw8JsBfL4rH2wkBDgTCGsjJ2FLt0gZOiIueMQcDD_8AP7SrBSdXSI1Dk/s400/yogurt+with+pumpkin+butter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265355394020935458" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Pumpkin butter was pretty interesting. For those of you who haven't tried it, imagine a pretty sweet pumpkin flavored jelly. Not sure why they are calling it "butter." It was pretty intense so I would use it with causion. But it was quite nice and definitely very pumpkin-y, and since I'm recently a little obsessed with pumpkin and other fall veggies (like squash) I liked it.<br /><br />For dinner tonight I made another 20 minute meal from Cooking Light November issue: <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1854031">hamburger stroganoff</a>. My husband was super apprehensive about this one (I guess he hasn't had the best experience with stroganoffs) but I already bought the ingredients (not realizing he didn't really want it) and reminded him that all the other 20 minute meals from Cooking Light have been awesome. Fastforward 20 minutes or so, here is my plate:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZEJ12xZrjJihAU6xAvQarlk4LCTiD3jMRDlqFdmIF5A1qH-ZWTKx3ASVc0Oa3538xUWntcBWrdh0wLEzTZXzJ3XKyiUoUPUOM1sbeq7V7tbwfU-6urfiIBej-vhKWJkiunT_6EMDedA/s1600-h/IMG_2744%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZEJ12xZrjJihAU6xAvQarlk4LCTiD3jMRDlqFdmIF5A1qH-ZWTKx3ASVc0Oa3538xUWntcBWrdh0wLEzTZXzJ3XKyiUoUPUOM1sbeq7V7tbwfU-6urfiIBej-vhKWJkiunT_6EMDedA/s400/IMG_2744%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265346354612332322" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And yeah, it was awesome!!!!! My husband loved it too and we're both having it for lunch again tomorrow. Sorry to be boring, but when it's good, I actually really look forward to having it again. I followed the recipe pretty much to the T, except omitted the onions, used about 30% more mushrooms and served it over egg-white-only egg noodles. Another winner! I love it.<br /><br />And today's tally is...<br /><br />Calories (1200-1650) - DONE - 1464<br />Fitness - DONE - abs + spinning (60 minutes total)<br />Water - DONE- 9 cups<br />F/Vs - DONE- apple, banana, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms<br /><br />Good night!<br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-55289275360488679262008-11-04T20:44:00.015-05:002008-11-05T20:10:18.450-05:00I voted!!!<div style="text-align: justify;">Streak day 2, 9 days until NYC :D I'm kicking butt and taking names :) This is the healthy lifestyle that makes me happy!<br /><br />I woke up extra early this morning so I could vote before going to work. The first thing I did was turn on the coffee maker! The coffee went with me to the voting place in my to-go cup :) It took a little under an hour to do the voting (there was a huge line outside before the place even opened!) but I was so happy I did it!!!<br /><br />By the time I got to work, I was starving! I grabbed breakfast on the go, so it was the same old combo: 2 kashi golean waffles with a <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.barneybutter.com/">Barney Butter</a> packet + 1/2 banana. I couldn't wait to bite into it :D<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQ4MGmlvQIjeKFF4IKmmiVHyBee2yhV3Rv3rE5OBBK7CoHpNk4FVY2peJ7v1FD4q1pgMV4qNwZoj4-GzTFP2ybd666KGLmdmm3FOtyNduJ0jbfhVsdCq6X-C0j6s0iCisy3TLiEgqjyg/s1600-h/banana+ab+waffle+sandwich.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQ4MGmlvQIjeKFF4IKmmiVHyBee2yhV3Rv3rE5OBBK7CoHpNk4FVY2peJ7v1FD4q1pgMV4qNwZoj4-GzTFP2ybd666KGLmdmm3FOtyNduJ0jbfhVsdCq6X-C0j6s0iCisy3TLiEgqjyg/s400/banana+ab+waffle+sandwich.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264986708524150402" border="0" /></a><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_JustifyFull" title="Justify Full" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 13);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Justify Full" class="gl_align_full" border="0" /></span></span><br />Yesterday at the gym they were trying to have people sign up for a Boxercise class. It was at 5:30 pm today so I swapped my usual lunch workout for the evening one to try this new class out. This meant lunch first, then 2 snacks later (or three...).<br /><br />Lunch was a simple turkey, dijon mustard, tomato, avocado sandwich on 2 slices of Arnold double fiber bread... with some baby carrots on the side.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbHZrKF2MesPE7mbYNQg2ivIcydT9fhzxlHWftTQtHZb9VYzYu-t0f4Cpc7dHUByjIqkzf0KokJXeaXf2M3BAovn6OlLfpaseAnZ5vwIfam2Llq9n776pxk11LZ0vyR_ZsA9SSpLystY/s1600-h/IMG_2713.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbHZrKF2MesPE7mbYNQg2ivIcydT9fhzxlHWftTQtHZb9VYzYu-t0f4Cpc7dHUByjIqkzf0KokJXeaXf2M3BAovn6OlLfpaseAnZ5vwIfam2Llq9n776pxk11LZ0vyR_ZsA9SSpLystY/s400/IMG_2713.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264987470307124754" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Good stuff!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QmpdKfCPKIdqRFjiYy32R05emhtI6Lstkj85r67GsmyX9JVacVXLWDUby5WqvIiX-O4hemJJ-o7Oodg4xA1cRlMYh-sQsmmEpBpKaYmi_xpv_JdEz_UUCapjZ-hKq7Z7P4RDOA3Mebo/s1600-h/IMG_2715.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QmpdKfCPKIdqRFjiYy32R05emhtI6Lstkj85r67GsmyX9JVacVXLWDUby5WqvIiX-O4hemJJ-o7Oodg4xA1cRlMYh-sQsmmEpBpKaYmi_xpv_JdEz_UUCapjZ-hKq7Z7P4RDOA3Mebo/s400/IMG_2715.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264987657576276626" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Instead of working out, I did some serious farmers market shopping during lunch. I bought so much stuff I couldn't carry it home :) I left it in the fridge at work to bring it all back tomorrow, when my husband picks me up in the car.<br /><br />First snack of the day: the rest of the larabar from yesterday (chocolate hazelnut kind) with some tea.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivN2_XirMZu1qNpTMInV-A1nfOlyjqFXhhOHmqsMmUIO-3lvFlGqT3mzRYMbQ3tcc3FLskLXIBZf-BCKiF3K11F69hSlTC-Orhtsx5nVdz2fpR7QsFo9smmTnMNyxVcAmIu-OXKFnE2IA/s1600-h/IMG_2717.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivN2_XirMZu1qNpTMInV-A1nfOlyjqFXhhOHmqsMmUIO-3lvFlGqT3mzRYMbQ3tcc3FLskLXIBZf-BCKiF3K11F69hSlTC-Orhtsx5nVdz2fpR7QsFo9smmTnMNyxVcAmIu-OXKFnE2IA/s400/IMG_2717.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264988462661253986" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I decided that you really can't taste the hazelnuts and that it tastes just like the regular chocolate larabar. Still good though, just the name is more exciting than the product. Sorry larabar! I still love you!<br /><br />Second snack: about 2 tablespoons of Sabra original hummus, 1/2 serving of <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.backtonaturefoods.com/products_new.aspx">Back to Nature crispy wheats</a> (just like reduced fat wheat thins, but I think they may be more natural... I loooove these) and a pretty large apple. A pretty good combo!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEjd1MY9LKcsDgs9VbKMzo9nAptsBVJLtW8kSVD4Ulb6qjIKr687KYS1c1J_IIIifNlm6LyA_U7BUsIWrwMi_fywcNJCpnhpckimCnHR9-Ph4J5OZKOmNOeB3mXpv7-erar69rKXFb8s/s1600-h/IMG_2719.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEjd1MY9LKcsDgs9VbKMzo9nAptsBVJLtW8kSVD4Ulb6qjIKr687KYS1c1J_IIIifNlm6LyA_U7BUsIWrwMi_fywcNJCpnhpckimCnHR9-Ph4J5OZKOmNOeB3mXpv7-erar69rKXFb8s/s400/IMG_2719.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264989267010835826" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And then a little before the boxing class I was craving almonds, so I had a 100 calorie pack of raw almonds. These are an excellent grab 'n go snack, because the nuts are already pre-portioned for you. You can of course buy a bag of almonds and pre-portion them yourself, but this is just something that's already been done for you. 100 calories worth of almonds is about 15-20 almonds, depending on the size.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOT3f_x5VoKdS4ky4icc0kih4gUMYRpgVD7IWzA26uzF5sbcpOjaw1RFuzMmrHDotfT3hieVSqDiagegNN-kPk61Cfhg22jXqNruByAuV1jAJqDUBgo8VRTDErYWGZXbmNRrg8eq7is4/s1600-h/IMG_2722.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOT3f_x5VoKdS4ky4icc0kih4gUMYRpgVD7IWzA26uzF5sbcpOjaw1RFuzMmrHDotfT3hieVSqDiagegNN-kPk61Cfhg22jXqNruByAuV1jAJqDUBgo8VRTDErYWGZXbmNRrg8eq7is4/s400/IMG_2722.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264989766193549154" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And at 5:30pm I got to the Boxercise class... basically a (contact) boxing class. It was <span style="font-style: italic;">ok</span>. It was quite introductory. Only 2 other people showed up; the guy was trying to actually get a paid class going and this was his introduction course to get people to sign up (I didn't know this until the end of class so he wasn't pushing this or anything). Anyways, because it was pretty basic stuff (I'm not a boxer, but I've taken cardio kickboxing classes before so I know "the moves"). I kind of had to work myself extra hard because it was pretty easy to slack off. I basically jump roped in between all the segments (probably did about 15 minutes of solid jump rope overall) and kicked as much as I could. I know I'll be sore tomorrow (in fact I'm sore already) but I won't be back to this class, and certainly won't <span style="font-style: italic;">pay</span> to go. The guy was really nice though (definitely a boxer!) and told me I had a future in boxing. Haha!<br /><br />On to dinner... I actually wasn't that hungry. Most of the time after a workout I'm not very hungry for a little while (unless I haven't eaten for hours in which case of course I'm starving but that's not because of the workout) but when I got home my husband really wanted me to cook dinner asap. Good thing I planned another "20 minute meal" from Cooking Light. On the menu for the night was "pork vindaloo"... you can find the recipe <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1854033">here</a>. I of course omitted the onions, but otherwise basically followed the recipe. Garam Masala is such an awesome spice. I love indian food, and garam masala is definitely <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">the</span> spice in indian dishes. Yum!<br /><br />My serving (about 1/4 less rice than was suggested) + some sauteed spinach with garlic:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHBK8FOyZwUegg4TwAGjIGVFXGWAqGA1fug9rYMwvUJFa4qhHX1SPDfH0_4If-BzLi3uxaapbJWA0krwRfLBWAq4N6Z5mvxsfe_dRXefCXtkYwya4bBBFkH3uoEQ2Qieeh1XfNup3A64/s1600-h/IMG_2725.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHBK8FOyZwUegg4TwAGjIGVFXGWAqGA1fug9rYMwvUJFa4qhHX1SPDfH0_4If-BzLi3uxaapbJWA0krwRfLBWAq4N6Z5mvxsfe_dRXefCXtkYwya4bBBFkH3uoEQ2Qieeh1XfNup3A64/s400/IMG_2725.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264992178887594034" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again: those 20 minute meals in Cooking Light (there are 6 of them in every issue) are the best!!!! I've never had a bad one (in fact every one was super delicious!) and they are really easy! When I asked my husband how many smiley faces this recipe earned (that's how we rate them), he said: "Fill the page!" Hehe, yup, he loved it! And so did I!<br /><br />Onto today's goal accomplishments:<br />-Calories (1200-1650)- DONE- 1576, including 4 oz of champagne I will have when Obama wins :)<br />- Exercise - DONE- Boxercise class (about 55 minutes) + walked home (25 minutes)<br />- Water - DONE - 8 cups and counting...<br />- F&V (min 5 servings) - DONE - banana, tomato, avocado, baby carrots, 1/2 larabar, apple, spinach, diced tomatoes<br /><br />Another awesome day! Healthy AND Sane... that's how I like 'em! :D<br /><br />**edited to add** Go Obama!!!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLeMYEicBV_bGaggrhCiJr2W0JNt6dXj9Qtre9_o3DFBCMHIJQEDsAVhMBNk9Mbts8Oa7rVm0aTnnEsqXFbn7_gOyk0C_2f8e3ZAbtBNHuyFkZys_J0mcXK29sxsABT8kXjxzpaqFURR8/s1600-h/IMG_2726%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLeMYEicBV_bGaggrhCiJr2W0JNt6dXj9Qtre9_o3DFBCMHIJQEDsAVhMBNk9Mbts8Oa7rVm0aTnnEsqXFbn7_gOyk0C_2f8e3ZAbtBNHuyFkZys_J0mcXK29sxsABT8kXjxzpaqFURR8/s400/IMG_2726%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265345182858347634" border="0" /></a><br /><br />+ I had a handful of pecans:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBJlwYyo-aQ7IPz-7_plSNwpUAbOvcJJ2r2aRBJz6FIxCOCpA1MHYAmVRt7H9VHh2ucAjQL2T_nd5O1O5mSiyxHD3lv15DxmABWyNGCEtEf8WO9RGEHjCPJQW0RovZ6bY245OwniswiM/s1600-h/IMG_2730%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBJlwYyo-aQ7IPz-7_plSNwpUAbOvcJJ2r2aRBJz6FIxCOCpA1MHYAmVRt7H9VHh2ucAjQL2T_nd5O1O5mSiyxHD3lv15DxmABWyNGCEtEf8WO9RGEHjCPJQW0RovZ6bY245OwniswiM/s400/IMG_2730%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265345529749663938" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-6274904110961033012008-11-03T20:34:00.016-05:002008-11-03T21:27:59.930-05:00No cooking today<div style="text-align: justify;">I feel good, nanananana....<br /><br />Day 1 of my streak went well! I'm so happy to be back on track!!!! I had to deal with one little challenge at night but overall today went quite smoothly. I wasn't very hungry (probably because I consumed enough calories over the weekend to last me for a week) so that, combined with my newly renewed motivation made staying on track quite easy. Yay!<br /><br />Let's start with breakfast. I prepared breakfast, snacks and lunch last night, on a full stomach. That always makes it challenging because thinking of food when it's the last thing you want to think about is not easy. I kept it simple. No chocolate or nuts again, because I ate too many of both over the weekend. Here is breakfast:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEZ80BNP22aD-DA1AfQZHixOekwLn-7-FkEWRmRm1DuPBqoZIr0eBQeud1qxT3tW-oPdz80-JuDxwRmg3wND-LVTJ8nry4k2Uu8SBFOP7nEdMMvpP9M8rmgqCT-_KGZe2CmLPNj94bnw/s1600-h/IMG_2682%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEZ80BNP22aD-DA1AfQZHixOekwLn-7-FkEWRmRm1DuPBqoZIr0eBQeud1qxT3tW-oPdz80-JuDxwRmg3wND-LVTJ8nry4k2Uu8SBFOP7nEdMMvpP9M8rmgqCT-_KGZe2CmLPNj94bnw/s400/IMG_2682%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264610985575104818" border="0" /></a><br /><br />3/4 of nonfat plain yogurt, 1/2 banana, ~ 1/2 serving of Erin's double chocolate chunk granola and ~ 1/4 serving of kashi golean cereal. I decided that I really like this granola!<br /><br />A few hours later I had my pre-workout snack: <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/energy-bars-recipe/index.html">Ellie Krieger's energy bar</a> + a pear and a coffee with half and half + tsp of agave nectar. These bars are really great. I forget if I mentioned this before on this blog, but I made them a while back and keep them individually wrapped in the freezer. They are ready for me when I'm ready for them :D I took one out of the freezer last night when I was preparing meals for today. Good stuff!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nDSjNtjdebuFB1vMSRz1T4tJ45zqa7wD8VeJrk0S6BMHsJ1G5PcYG6YdhZM4R_ecqdd0lJoXKV8GjKXyUjfBZgk3Om41Lh8FdjPCCyvW5R3GO9wHR9wmbLWqtRj8bRRS4-AKh-1FGDc/s1600-h/IMG_2684%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nDSjNtjdebuFB1vMSRz1T4tJ45zqa7wD8VeJrk0S6BMHsJ1G5PcYG6YdhZM4R_ecqdd0lJoXKV8GjKXyUjfBZgk3Om41Lh8FdjPCCyvW5R3GO9wHR9wmbLWqtRj8bRRS4-AKh-1FGDc/s400/IMG_2684%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264612568975857042" border="0" /></a><br /><br />At 12:30 pm I met up with a personal trainer for a session I won a few weeks ago. I was really pumped about this PT session last week but today when I saw it on the schedule I almost emailed her about rescheduling. I haven't been to the gym in 3 days so I felt super out of shape. I know it's a little crazy, so yeah, that's why I kept the session. It kicked butt, as expected :D This woman does not hold back!!! It was fun too; once I got there I was totally into it. The only thing is that it was only about 35 minutes or so, which does not make a complete workout in my book (as tough as it was) so I jumped on the elliptical for another 25 minutes. <span style="font-style: italic;">Then</span> I was done!<br /><br />By the time I was done showering and finally got back to the office I was starving. Good thing my lunch was simple and delicious! I remembered how much I like Annie's goddess dressing last Friday, so I was looking forward to a big salad again. Today's salad was spinach, shredded carrots, grape tomatoes, 1/4 avocado + 1 tablespoon of the dressing. On the side, I had an Oscar Myer's hot dog on a light whole wheat bun with some pickles. I need to look into the ingredients of those dogs. They are only 40 calories and 0.5 grams of fat. The first ingredient is turkey but there are a few others I can't really pronounce. That probably means I shouldn't eat it, but it was in our fridge last night and I needed something else except for the salad. It was yummy though :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGW7pJ0ztPJEwATQKnJVbzMfnZtfZ83GQI8NfDJm750y6BC6ALoqqS6cGUM8hdGpuFGAqZVduxmaq33FmMdqEJICkTtToUCydMufuarbnqyiBsF2Cbyz0uVFB2btsjI3BxeXvNdIGYl40/s1600-h/IMG_2685%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGW7pJ0ztPJEwATQKnJVbzMfnZtfZ83GQI8NfDJm750y6BC6ALoqqS6cGUM8hdGpuFGAqZVduxmaq33FmMdqEJICkTtToUCydMufuarbnqyiBsF2Cbyz0uVFB2btsjI3BxeXvNdIGYl40/s400/IMG_2685%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264614792247202850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKt7zCLrQ9cLWl5cHZOd047h2rOAxhFLFDD-XlhDFDRkSFjTjUupfjqa-Dlh8VTwbxpbZ-ulU1sAgjNj8SVoeknlXTWkklJDy3HmVKF-XTEIaUV9P3nvX19b0ASFTatLFxJbRAIhuRJw/s1600-h/IMG_2688%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKt7zCLrQ9cLWl5cHZOd047h2rOAxhFLFDD-XlhDFDRkSFjTjUupfjqa-Dlh8VTwbxpbZ-ulU1sAgjNj8SVoeknlXTWkklJDy3HmVKF-XTEIaUV9P3nvX19b0ASFTatLFxJbRAIhuRJw/s400/IMG_2688%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264614941731508178" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7KYRWxkL_8Tu5DrEshL2cchiHTIfIImgU1gw3z6hrEiuVnq2OR88iHx70b22b1T84-tSYfLzu20NlHHKXNHens6YCpMYcPBz9pmP5sAH5GsUuXaOgLqCLuwX7nSVva4HnMCH41add80/s1600-h/IMG_2689%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7KYRWxkL_8Tu5DrEshL2cchiHTIfIImgU1gw3z6hrEiuVnq2OR88iHx70b22b1T84-tSYfLzu20NlHHKXNHens6YCpMYcPBz9pmP5sAH5GsUuXaOgLqCLuwX7nSVva4HnMCH41add80/s400/IMG_2689%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264615098450486978" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The avocado looked kind of gross (I cut it up last night so it browned) but it still tasted great!<br /><br />And for "dessert" I had an orange I grabbed on my way out of the door at the gym. I love it when they have a fruit basket at the front desk!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXoPwdCPz4-8rQmi-zBXKtgAqZw5k96ljeEUKR-az2U3VjbqSzv9_WErWunfkxBadzaJMTgPEISTDG3VMkkSh1p7vKhyTlMld6olQRRKudqf1BaQc-vD4lKDahIvHgYCpKzZOr3eMS6o/s1600-h/IMG_2692%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXoPwdCPz4-8rQmi-zBXKtgAqZw5k96ljeEUKR-az2U3VjbqSzv9_WErWunfkxBadzaJMTgPEISTDG3VMkkSh1p7vKhyTlMld6olQRRKudqf1BaQc-vD4lKDahIvHgYCpKzZOr3eMS6o/s400/IMG_2692%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264615838879772418" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The orange wasn't very sweet, but oh well, it was free :)<br /><br />And then a few hours later I got a slight stomachache. I wasn't sure if I overate (unlikely) or was hungry so I made some tea and grabbed a snack.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0985D_e6ZoTtiSnZgEbEUqXPhi1YGK-mjRhnRdf7wVA-WS-IYQ0gDelPii1qGqpFexWl4o2B-3jEzkwfYjThi1_WwzsKbClxPWiF6WsFL8S_gDouW6A2qe0EXVHN3Gi84ltjGPuSQlPE/s1600-h/IMG_2693%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0985D_e6ZoTtiSnZgEbEUqXPhi1YGK-mjRhnRdf7wVA-WS-IYQ0gDelPii1qGqpFexWl4o2B-3jEzkwfYjThi1_WwzsKbClxPWiF6WsFL8S_gDouW6A2qe0EXVHN3Gi84ltjGPuSQlPE/s400/IMG_2693%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264616210991273554" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Chocolate and hazelnuts are definitely in my top 5 of favorite foods so I was really excited to try this flavor. I actually found 2 of these in my drawer... I guess I bought one on 2 different occasions without remembering. Funny.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-xy4-OhkvNEqlLA0eoczxN07uAcoApvqco2mDNz-f-yJyX3dTfTQlEb2emKm93Cvf3ytZFY7AKubNCWfOcWqsb2YMWzOu8k9oQb02BTEXE5Thr0il5BICARZYFgSYMy7aABKp9bzXKA/s1600-h/IMG_2694%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-xy4-OhkvNEqlLA0eoczxN07uAcoApvqco2mDNz-f-yJyX3dTfTQlEb2emKm93Cvf3ytZFY7AKubNCWfOcWqsb2YMWzOu8k9oQb02BTEXE5Thr0il5BICARZYFgSYMy7aABKp9bzXKA/s400/IMG_2694%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264616710316963138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I ate only 1/2 of this guy saving the rest for later (I never ate the other half... it's still sitting in my purse). It was pretty good. The flavor was pretty mild. It didn't taste too chocolaty or hazelnutty. I thought I even tasted a subtle banana flavor but I obviously was making it up because banana is not one of the ingredients (and there are only 5 ingredients). I'm not in love, but I did like it, so I probably would still buy it again. I love how natural larabars are!<br /><br />All right so on to my dinner challenge. My parents got a new tv which they asked my husband to set up. My mom wanted to make dinner for us (no, she was <span style="font-style: italic;">dying</span> to make dinner for us) because she found this new recipe for something that she was quite proud of and wanted to show off. As you know, I plan on sticking to my calorie budget until I go to NY, so it was a bit of a tough situation. My plan was to come home after grocery shopping after work, make a quick dinner and then have just one bite of her meal. Instead, my husband wanted to drive to my mom's (since we were already in the car) after our grocery trip, so I was quite hungry when she started cooking. I was on a mission though, so I grabbed her recipe and input it into <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.sparkpeople.com">SparkPeople</a> to calculate the calories for it. I estimated each one of these pancake type things to be around 300 calories. My dinners are usually in the high 300's - low 400's (before dessert) but I had a low calorie day so far, so I had 1.5 of these babies. It was hard to say no to more, but I feel good about my decision. I'm not hungry or stuffed so I know I ate the right amount.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3beo6-gKTzazEIkkGw7dwIQzh_M9mMPFWj3uBn11eNUYty4E1jv58F-lRjLZuXatcEzhvS9YcM2XtCSPqy3q4pwcnQxcwbTwYvppRllYffvUu-zpkVYtpnF4GwpYrM00oL_zQuIPVSM/s1600-h/IMG_2702%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3beo6-gKTzazEIkkGw7dwIQzh_M9mMPFWj3uBn11eNUYty4E1jv58F-lRjLZuXatcEzhvS9YcM2XtCSPqy3q4pwcnQxcwbTwYvppRllYffvUu-zpkVYtpnF4GwpYrM00oL_zQuIPVSM/s400/IMG_2702%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264619567910030242" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is basically pan fried dough, filled with mashed potatoes and mushrooms. My mom learned this recipe on her recent trip to Russia. It was really really good. Seriously I give myself mad props for stopping at just 1.5 :D<br /><br />See the filling? Mmm, mashed potatoes with wild mushrooms...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjieEg8G8-VK4PB7EEhwTRo5E9yRcxeQ6tFICD14jWC_wq6rQQRp_16mdgvPF7Qjj2FPtGa13OlAGVpbinP6hmi9GpOJ5YdE6z-pMGboQ0GLzzE2OAfXVMdB3lH5hjxgUDZ6nzjk-x90/s1600-h/IMG_2704%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjieEg8G8-VK4PB7EEhwTRo5E9yRcxeQ6tFICD14jWC_wq6rQQRp_16mdgvPF7Qjj2FPtGa13OlAGVpbinP6hmi9GpOJ5YdE6z-pMGboQ0GLzzE2OAfXVMdB3lH5hjxgUDZ6nzjk-x90/s400/IMG_2704%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264620020816718370" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So yeah, needless to say this was my dinner. I didn't end up cooking when we got home. It's ok... there is always tomorrow for a delicious home cooked (by me) meal.<br /><br />Oh, while we waited for my mom to get to her house (we got to her place before she did) I had 2 of these clusters. Soooo good!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKSklbnbMuqEWNA17r_emvMAQaJxQ6hd3HFkFMtb05j-qmzggO2mhzTKhyS69_ooseTXvnT2L2-hDGugWlIW0zXqsw-9Tkc5u4C8cJUBc1kHKDPBm_aUg5hpxGO38YdT-BDhTqQImQuE/s1600-h/IMG_2696%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKSklbnbMuqEWNA17r_emvMAQaJxQ6hd3HFkFMtb05j-qmzggO2mhzTKhyS69_ooseTXvnT2L2-hDGugWlIW0zXqsw-9Tkc5u4C8cJUBc1kHKDPBm_aUg5hpxGO38YdT-BDhTqQImQuE/s400/IMG_2696%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264619166749845026" border="0" /></a><br /><br />All right, so today was a success. Here are my goals and results:<br /><br />- Stay within calorie range (1200-1650) - DONE ~ 1505<br />- Drink min 8 cups of water - DONE - 8 cups<br />- Work out min 6 times/week - DONE ~ 35 min personal training session + 25 min elliptical + walked home (30 minutes)<br />- Min 5 servings of fruits and vegetables - DONE - banana, pear, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, avocado, 1/2 larabar<br /><br />So far so good... I'm off to prepare tomorrow's meals and relax :)<br /><br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-19681795943330135132008-11-02T18:21:00.006-05:002008-11-09T10:28:50.365-05:00New plan<div style="text-align: justify;">Just got back from Maine and let me tell you I was definitely in "vacation mode" the second I stepped foot in my in-laws' house. They had halloween candy (and we also brought some) and I had a field day with them. I didn't eat very much "real food" but more than made up for it with the candy, hazelnuts and cheese they had. I took a bunch of pics, but they are boring so I'll spare you with them.<br /><br />Anywayzzzzzzzzz, looking back at the last week I don't like how unhealthy I was and this blog is supposed to be about healthy eating and living. This week has not been representative at all of my life and how I want to live it, so starting tomorrow I am going to do better. I hate being scared of stepping on the scale and I have to do the work in order to prevent that from happening. So tonight I am going to plan my meals for the week so I am more excited about the food I eat. Eating healthy is not hard. This is the point of my blog. I want to show people that eating healthy is fun and delicious, and this week I made it seem like a chore (not just on this blog but in my own mind more times than not). Tonight I am having one last "splurge meal" - pizza. I've been craving real pizza for a really long time. We make pizza sometimes and it's ok. It's even delicious on some occasions, but let's be honest, it's not the same as a nice greasy slice I really want once in awhile. So yeah, in attempt to keep this whole "sane" thing going, I am going to Uno's tonight and ordering my favorite deep dish mushroom pizza. I'm sure it's like a billion calories, but I don't care. I know that tomorrow I will start over for real and I am excited about. I really am. I hope that starting tomorrow on I can not only work towards achieving my weight loss goal but also inspire some of you to cook more delicious healthy foods. Also, I am going to NY to visit my sister Inna in 2 weeks. I know that for me to truly enjoy this trip (and all the foods, i.e. cookies and brownies, we plan to consume) I need to be healthy before hand so I don't feel guilty. I have no problem with indulging in fatty foods I truly crave as long as I balance it out and "deserve it" somewhat.<br /><br />So, let's get to the "new plan"... to ease back into this a little I am going to set a shorter timeline for now. This means that I am creating a countdown to the NYC trip until which time I plan on being on my best behavior :) So, here are some rules:<br />- I will count calories every day. This will insure that I don't mindlessly eat - no foods with a mystery # of calories and no candy in unlimited quantities. I will stick to 1200-1650 calories every day. **edited to add** I will allow myself 1 day this week to go over the limit by 100 calories (this is the day when I usually go crazy and eat everything in sight. The 100 calories will allow me slightly more room for an indulgence just this one day)<br />- No getting on the scale this week. I like to weigh myself every day. It's part of my morning routine and I think is quite healthy. There was actually some research done that concluded that people that weighted themselves every day lost more weight on average than people that only weigh themselves once a week. If I eat healthy and exercise, small daily fluctuations in weight don't upset me. I know it's just water weight or food from the day before still sitting in my stomach. However if I'm being bad or I'm "behaving" and my weight doesn't move in the "right direction" then I think daily weigh-ins help me with re-evaluating the situation. With that said, I think this past week has been very bad, food wise, and seeing that number on the scale will just upset me too much. That's not productive, so I will NOT do this to myself this week and will resume the daily weigh-ins next week when hopefully things re-stabilize.<br />- I will exercise 6 times/week<br />- I will drink at least 8 cups of water every day<br />- I will eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables<br />- I will post my results on this blog with the countdown to the trip to NYC :)<br /><br />Wish me luck!<br /><br />Ok, enough with the rules. Tomorrow I promise to dazzle you with something delicious and healthy. Ok, I can't promise that, but I promise to try :D<br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-4240627498651730302008-11-01T08:44:00.020-04:002008-11-01T09:41:23.108-04:00Halloween 2008I finally got loads of candy! Ok, this is definitely not good for my weight loss, but at least I got my fix for the year :P<br /><br />I started out the morning with a healthy breakfast: german flaxseed bread with whipped cream cheese and a little over an ounce of lox (all we had left) + some grape tomatoes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTSjDt_2DRclh9P2OV3pVOyOV7-3R5TnkAbjhnBYvkMOqlobSA2RJjs0cJ2Ute_WVJHHdGuL0XAy_A-mEE3Rblu3mGpEkZQYTmxTzEnOlCnJW9LdUJBdTbjAkpYRjtK9DTxBR7at-KvE/s1600-h/IMG_2601%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTSjDt_2DRclh9P2OV3pVOyOV7-3R5TnkAbjhnBYvkMOqlobSA2RJjs0cJ2Ute_WVJHHdGuL0XAy_A-mEE3Rblu3mGpEkZQYTmxTzEnOlCnJW9LdUJBdTbjAkpYRjtK9DTxBR7at-KvE/s400/IMG_2601%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263669996561250706" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This stuff was dense!!! I couldn't even fit a coffee in my stomach for hours. But there was room for some chocolate after a few hours :) There was a lot of candy wrapper sounds near me so I went to look at what was going on and they had candy corn packets. Not my idea of indulging in halloween candy. I went back to my desk and ate the rest of the 70% dark chocolate bar I had. I ate maybe a serving (220 calories). No picture, sorry. You've seen this chocolate before.<br /><br />Together with the super filling breakfast I wasn't hungry for lunch for 8 hours! Crazy! When I did, though, it was so delicious!!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7Ae50hd7j0opygiooCoqVGa-TyLR_cThUqyPoWg6SKQcCzoWgP4kYnO6v4Vq8fvmXQUlhrUP5ya7duqltxJLHMJPcbdR9T2Ja0oiQa0hA-RNb0wkHHpPaIKUoBfVNvVALiKbC-5JaDA/s1600-h/IMG_2598%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7Ae50hd7j0opygiooCoqVGa-TyLR_cThUqyPoWg6SKQcCzoWgP4kYnO6v4Vq8fvmXQUlhrUP5ya7duqltxJLHMJPcbdR9T2Ja0oiQa0hA-RNb0wkHHpPaIKUoBfVNvVALiKbC-5JaDA/s400/IMG_2598%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263671096176191298" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Spinach salad with leftover beef from last night, grape tomatoes, a handful of the dried berry mixture (cranberries, sour cherries, dried blueberries and raisins), some sliced almonds and crumbled goat cheese. I mixed it with a tablespoon of Annie's goddess dressing and it was divine. Absolutely the perfect salad! This was my first time trying the dressing. It's full fat and I never buy that but after seeing all the bloggers raving about it (not necessarily recently but somehow it keeps popping up here and there) I decided to give it a go but plan on using only 1T instead of the 2T serving. This stuff is rich! I didn't know what to expect. It had tahini as one of the ingredients so I thought it would maybe taste like hummus. It didn't, but it did taste nutty. Seriously it was the best dressing I've had in a really long time and maybe revived my love for salads when I thought I was "over them." Yay!<br /><br />For dessert I had a simple yogurt, banana, granola combo. I bought a new kind of granola: <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bbcookies.com/shop/product.php?productid=27&cat=5&page=1">Erin Baker's double chocolate chunk granola</a> after reading <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.cpbgallery.com/2008/05/04/review-erin-bakers-peanut-butter-and-double-chocolate-chunk-granolas/">this review</a>. I bought the pb kind before and it was not bad. I still have some but I was excited to try the chocolate kind when I saw it in the store. My verdict? I had a tiny handful from the bag when I got home from the store and wasn't that impressed but it was really delicious in the yogurt combo. The banana really brought out all the chocolate goodness and I think letting it soak up some of the yogurt helped too:) It is a subtle chocolate (or pb in the other type) flavor so don't be scared if you try it. It's a healthy granola for sure.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLI9mvnyKiZzQEK_TMoRoHu5AgWZBmd4-S4XUWnI5fRBGs3zeZycp7VN0qO9nDMRMhyphenhyphenyAW7Obv7M9L4EtK-1EuckREJ1i36CrY0bixfLIQlBZYZ2YqBcxme2syYj5jGhoKC5h9SSNuXT0/s1600-h/IMG_2605%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLI9mvnyKiZzQEK_TMoRoHu5AgWZBmd4-S4XUWnI5fRBGs3zeZycp7VN0qO9nDMRMhyphenhyphenyAW7Obv7M9L4EtK-1EuckREJ1i36CrY0bixfLIQlBZYZ2YqBcxme2syYj5jGhoKC5h9SSNuXT0/s400/IMG_2605%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263674475391477138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I rushed home after work to make my appetizers. The hostess said she was making dessert so I decided to forgo making the cupcakes I originally planned on making. So I made 2 things (avocado yogurt dip and the requested spinach artichoke dip). Both came out really great!<br /><br />I used <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 153);" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1536783">this recipe</a> from Cooking Light for the avocado dip, but of course omitted the onions and used parsley instead of cilantro... and I halved the recipe. It was basically a 3 step process... prep the ingredients:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbqXomyUhPf3OSQ1ZKAhiWYthdiZRN5QZjZeK4X2rgU-IoNBV0QEvJcEPHBQ9tR9qHkUPjv6R75uvk4Oh9T4Mc3S4THQVSxCBS_v4o-hJwoVCFcQaYJr7FW7pBT-hsHcjk2-pjZevErc/s1600-h/IMG_2609%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbqXomyUhPf3OSQ1ZKAhiWYthdiZRN5QZjZeK4X2rgU-IoNBV0QEvJcEPHBQ9tR9qHkUPjv6R75uvk4Oh9T4Mc3S4THQVSxCBS_v4o-hJwoVCFcQaYJr7FW7pBT-hsHcjk2-pjZevErc/s400/IMG_2609%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263674738949250178" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Mix them in the food processor:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdu4XqOWPsn7DolVNPPTZIUBapjRK4_Lsk7YWVffZBF8xL_NBVTnMURW7nlFQ8axXGrxLedrqSOgFivWnREmcUrjwW8DsLx53XHNoSLL1BZcQwfFrDXDzHSdJ6BlzjpMv0dkoNBZJlABM/s1600-h/IMG_2611%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdu4XqOWPsn7DolVNPPTZIUBapjRK4_Lsk7YWVffZBF8xL_NBVTnMURW7nlFQ8axXGrxLedrqSOgFivWnREmcUrjwW8DsLx53XHNoSLL1BZcQwfFrDXDzHSdJ6BlzjpMv0dkoNBZJlABM/s400/IMG_2611%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263674900138370306" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And the best part, eat:)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuqhD2DytSvAT90hLRXviLFblg8z7Ix3l1AuXc29sfln_T8wDpbl9s5H5DVfCg3X8Oxyy1sfyuUVz-F2lREISHd4divlAg-3I65Jop806LTQJAHtcsZH7_qz8HCyqU12vO-xW2-rQPHcI/s1600-h/IMG_2614%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuqhD2DytSvAT90hLRXviLFblg8z7Ix3l1AuXc29sfln_T8wDpbl9s5H5DVfCg3X8Oxyy1sfyuUVz-F2lREISHd4divlAg-3I65Jop806LTQJAHtcsZH7_qz8HCyqU12vO-xW2-rQPHcI/s400/IMG_2614%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263675162261551666" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I love the halloween colors in this!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWU5nXrVG8B1Id4BTp16i1CXJ2ODy3_VgYysO_KaOBsAZYACINSrj3nbRDSLkKfxsciN737sArjnVPYTot0aGTWAduVJDP1PW78RLCTNDSHHnbtrSxagu5055LUJ8e5eAFMdbsy-pjegU/s1600-h/IMG_2625%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWU5nXrVG8B1Id4BTp16i1CXJ2ODy3_VgYysO_KaOBsAZYACINSrj3nbRDSLkKfxsciN737sArjnVPYTot0aGTWAduVJDP1PW78RLCTNDSHHnbtrSxagu5055LUJ8e5eAFMdbsy-pjegU/s400/IMG_2625%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263675360655232786" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And then I made the spinach artichoke dip. I used the <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1654698">same recipe</a> I always do from Cooking Light (shocker I know!) substituting reduced fat ingredients for the fat free ones (that's all our grocery stores carry here). I made it on 2 other occasions, including for <a style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://healthyandsane.blogspot.com/2008/10/saturday-night-party.html">this party</a>. This was the best batch I think because I let the cream cheese sit on the counter while making the avocado dip so it was definitely soft enough to mix with the rest of the ingredients. The final product came out blurry, so here is a picture of it during the last step of prep (topping it with cheese):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBMhsClsAeRQh0Aq06aqf8gmDfRibjHhxvooGKKzKt1QAqer5TxfqbVAXLX5L-b6W3v61yStbbK-xvhr58zNV85z1UxEYBU-5SShM-fRLGEUMlLgcOnL90xT_TAZTLJEG2hEKHFM8PyA/s1600-h/IMG_2626%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBMhsClsAeRQh0Aq06aqf8gmDfRibjHhxvooGKKzKt1QAqer5TxfqbVAXLX5L-b6W3v61yStbbK-xvhr58zNV85z1UxEYBU-5SShM-fRLGEUMlLgcOnL90xT_TAZTLJEG2hEKHFM8PyA/s400/IMG_2626%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263676653138196674" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And then we were off to the party. It was a no-costume party - super low key. Just how I like 'em. I did bring my devil horns and a tail for fun :)<br /><br />Here is a picture of me with my first drink (there were 2 in total). This concoction was orange juice, soda water, brandy and limoncelo + chocolate licorish for stirrer. Soooo good! I look like a huge dork. Great...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZy4WF45MbtnEhyphenhyphenybMSWptq1PE0kNTHqRl75GoJLHkSL2CNx6gE3OzKp2G0iqoaDfwd-zhrSZUTOoWUuorPdE59qcl3JZN6Fe6UkUHYrW8cBVUJKP2IOtOEVmRjNc82JA1uhvBR5nQqWU/s1600-h/IMG_2629%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZy4WF45MbtnEhyphenhyphenybMSWptq1PE0kNTHqRl75GoJLHkSL2CNx6gE3OzKp2G0iqoaDfwd-zhrSZUTOoWUuorPdE59qcl3JZN6Fe6UkUHYrW8cBVUJKP2IOtOEVmRjNc82JA1uhvBR5nQqWU/s400/IMG_2629%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263677242787604338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The hostess of the party did a great job decorating her place and all the food was delicious! Here are some pics of the food spread (minus the spinach artichoke dip which went straight into the oven when we got to the party):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_P7Ozy3OQ3yc07bQXpya7TNdfaZ1YQaFSwMkoRiwMSaeCypbTSz74lytqGevJnMx0Src3e7RHW3tZio6A8h_Gr52uXMnjHB9zgP1NMnLi748V3xR5LZfKX6wbF8mNtNl0ZDXseC6gOA/s1600-h/IMG_2630%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_P7Ozy3OQ3yc07bQXpya7TNdfaZ1YQaFSwMkoRiwMSaeCypbTSz74lytqGevJnMx0Src3e7RHW3tZio6A8h_Gr52uXMnjHB9zgP1NMnLi748V3xR5LZfKX6wbF8mNtNl0ZDXseC6gOA/s400/IMG_2630%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263677661650751538" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0LDFvAd1z4jrIFuIeGp6CEr3cHomvqdW4Yk9gBozmG9qxMXW6BsksusQCeSa07KjVVjXc12ISqeGi16wOmjZa2Z4BNbTaqPl_hxAsYBlvdTm-CiWWaztFrW83GZjZxBDPUXQm7oUyUM/s1600-h/IMG_2633%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0LDFvAd1z4jrIFuIeGp6CEr3cHomvqdW4Yk9gBozmG9qxMXW6BsksusQCeSa07KjVVjXc12ISqeGi16wOmjZa2Z4BNbTaqPl_hxAsYBlvdTm-CiWWaztFrW83GZjZxBDPUXQm7oUyUM/s400/IMG_2633%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263678271065621762" border="0" /></a><br />(pumpkin pudding dip with graham crackers and apples) - I only had one small dip because I didn't feel like sweet things with dinner and then never got to it for dessert because there was real dessert :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQcK_u5yt53wzlxD9cXRpGVLXHrqaANblkm_p18imMkCRZYaB47ZXRIcXktvson59ruajuwd_HMbVHtyeLo1W-6wpj_cHbIzyulbMXtKKYjxvtCWYrvng4Eg6w-HummUvtw6JUjDsza0/s1600-h/IMG_2632%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQcK_u5yt53wzlxD9cXRpGVLXHrqaANblkm_p18imMkCRZYaB47ZXRIcXktvson59ruajuwd_HMbVHtyeLo1W-6wpj_cHbIzyulbMXtKKYjxvtCWYrvng4Eg6w-HummUvtw6JUjDsza0/s400/IMG_2632%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263678014556457650" border="0" /></a><br />(My avocado dip with some pita chips) - Had a few dips of this<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMj1aJtOIHktXiek1V4Y0gmvZDTsxKrxuiYGNaw4CHxXO-tGZ5PSlBg77LY-BaD_pmcMhfGFQ6q75jC7DIRK3hwDHZfd7wPlbFH1dYJsuiWwFmoZbLAvj9Ye6Kzxj0VGtj5w6dlFwfVVo/s1600-h/IMG_2634%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMj1aJtOIHktXiek1V4Y0gmvZDTsxKrxuiYGNaw4CHxXO-tGZ5PSlBg77LY-BaD_pmcMhfGFQ6q75jC7DIRK3hwDHZfd7wPlbFH1dYJsuiWwFmoZbLAvj9Ye6Kzxj0VGtj5w6dlFwfVVo/s400/IMG_2634%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263679262871115858" border="0" /></a><br />(Mini fat free pigs in a blanket) - I had like 5 of these guys<br /><br />I also had a tiny bit of the butternut squash soup (in the crock pot in the picture above) with 1/2 of blue corn bread and then A LOT of the spinach artichoke dip with chips. Basically 5 people devoured the whole pan and I think it's like 22 servings. Oops. Here is the after picture of the pan with me sporting the devil horns and tail:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-ijwzctoJR0PwiTtPhvXWyEXkKtfxAssnhI-idO2_1ivtKA-q8GlqT6xpdjQZs_Z-HU1T_4oAiJxVpjWZ-uz5UX2d4BMyvwI0NublChl_YwZcpBRjgu0iEGBVsnwIkXyl-rXdHFtWSg/s1600-h/IMG_2639%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-ijwzctoJR0PwiTtPhvXWyEXkKtfxAssnhI-idO2_1ivtKA-q8GlqT6xpdjQZs_Z-HU1T_4oAiJxVpjWZ-uz5UX2d4BMyvwI0NublChl_YwZcpBRjgu0iEGBVsnwIkXyl-rXdHFtWSg/s400/IMG_2639%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263680286598835058" border="0" /></a><br /><br />For dessert I had 2 fun size Reese's pb cups and 1 fun size twix and then this awesome pumpkin cheesecake thing. Here is my plate (multiply it by 2 because I had seconds):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkId_0VbHwLJib20dy2ASSAgyeNKjByCJ9nkjabY49LDjiWN5raXNRRW5QSx1WlxiWRShyphenhyphenkVnvUTLXU5xrM3fpvl2ktHju9T8ae7C6s-yhLuKh7UFQBWiqh6Z7-AS3CQ-dzghFr641TF0/s1600-h/IMG_2638%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkId_0VbHwLJib20dy2ASSAgyeNKjByCJ9nkjabY49LDjiWN5raXNRRW5QSx1WlxiWRShyphenhyphenkVnvUTLXU5xrM3fpvl2ktHju9T8ae7C6s-yhLuKh7UFQBWiqh6Z7-AS3CQ-dzghFr641TF0/s400/IMG_2638%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263680752838130594" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The hostess said it was fat free cream cheese mixed with canned pumpkin, ff cool whip and some spices (I feel like there was one more ff ingredient but I can't remember now). And there is obviously some graham cracker crumbles on top. This was more like a pudding and super delicious!!!! I topped mine with a few pieces of hazelnuts. Yum!<br /><br />I was absolutely stuffed when we left and I'm still stuffed this morning. We woke up to the fire alarm going off in our building. Bleh! Not the best way to wake up (actually a really crappy way to wake up) so we decided to go to Panera for breakfast to wait it out. I was really proud of myself because despite wanting every delicious looking pastry in their shop, I just got coffee because I am seriously still full from last night. I'm going to make some food at some point but I'm going to listen to my body and eat when I'm hungry not just because you're supposed to eat when you wake up.<br /><br />We're off to Maine for the weekend, so unfortunately I won't be able to blog from there, but I'll take pictures and will have an update on the weekend's eats tomorrow night :)<br /><br />Have a great weekend!!!Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363193451543095235.post-48161740913962018242008-10-30T20:49:00.015-04:002008-10-30T21:24:33.539-04:00Gotta run!This is going to be a quick post. I was procrastinating about making food for the party tomorrow and now I'm kind of against the wall, so I have to go to the grocery store and do some serious prepping so tomorrow isn't too overwhelming before the party. So let's go straight to breakfast!<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbhbd-VurBAW1WSoMrhyKfj7HDYRfXeyCukEvhj0dkyEQ7Q0B7U4HbT_YxC2l3Fgnxc0S6MtINVSjgGNSerwkKoCJ03zsnibvubAyV-w9XULYwFgPdtyYVo-f4m8jwYQ3mQqS_aAUYpI/s1600-h/IMG_2578%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbhbd-VurBAW1WSoMrhyKfj7HDYRfXeyCukEvhj0dkyEQ7Q0B7U4HbT_YxC2l3Fgnxc0S6MtINVSjgGNSerwkKoCJ03zsnibvubAyV-w9XULYwFgPdtyYVo-f4m8jwYQ3mQqS_aAUYpI/s400/IMG_2578%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263114460640829650" border="0" /></a><br /><br />1/3 c of rolled oats, 1/3 c skim milk, 1/3 c water, 1T cocoa powder + 1/2 banana all microwaved for a little over 2 minutes. Then I topped it off with a serving of TJ's trek mix. Nice and warm (and chocolatey!) for this super cold morning. Sorry it looks like a brown mess...<br /><br />I had an early workout today so there was no need for a pre-workout snack. I couldn't decided on whether I wanted to do 2 workouts again, but figured it was maybe a little too obsessive so I had one workout that's slightly longer than usual (75 minutes). At the gym I took a "Butts & Guts" class, which is kind of like an interval training boot camp style class - a mix of cardio and lifting. It was great! I then jumped on the elliptical for 15 minutes and finished my workout with a 15 minute abs class. I was done after that!!!! And I was hungry...<br /><br />Lunch: leftover risotto from last night.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxKVFhvoSMumZ0Bdh6RQAGtc6nebIGlZAqchn0UP168HsfLBjqJ_4c0-M0prG6lcuYa16_8BycmguCSD7lXBa8SwHkJKisCv0eth7Gyemiv36BMAacKSsXBoCH500zrMSdmS8f6ICr40/s1600-h/risotto+leftovers.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxKVFhvoSMumZ0Bdh6RQAGtc6nebIGlZAqchn0UP168HsfLBjqJ_4c0-M0prG6lcuYa16_8BycmguCSD7lXBa8SwHkJKisCv0eth7Gyemiv36BMAacKSsXBoCH500zrMSdmS8f6ICr40/s400/risotto+leftovers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263115697447259234" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And a clemantine:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17Z2jvSjwUiy4EtblfBBK7VG2gcEHPYKPEailrZKI8iRt9LYamxX62Ogm6XFQ_PILeYCx2wq_89Jb_xxDe4eI8rbmEYaFCTBctwq8mohg3IQcRQBDNpCcHzFDZP40dKR5w-7emfbYJbs/s1600-h/IMG_2581%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17Z2jvSjwUiy4EtblfBBK7VG2gcEHPYKPEailrZKI8iRt9LYamxX62Ogm6XFQ_PILeYCx2wq_89Jb_xxDe4eI8rbmEYaFCTBctwq8mohg3IQcRQBDNpCcHzFDZP40dKR5w-7emfbYJbs/s400/IMG_2581%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263115990830935058" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then I got a craving for chocolate so I had a few squares...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7PxBWHg_yi64QRR1-pZ_PX7GafxHgGdKK6wDn-4sqKgESgbN4MdISIqwd_9gfi0wgZ6xDHrU7fVWeI50iKEaIlcCLLPyUY55t7yxJCJYRIwg4ckf3kI7hXQ11IQlloVUMKn6oOts1zY/s1600-h/IMG_2582%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7PxBWHg_yi64QRR1-pZ_PX7GafxHgGdKK6wDn-4sqKgESgbN4MdISIqwd_9gfi0wgZ6xDHrU7fVWeI50iKEaIlcCLLPyUY55t7yxJCJYRIwg4ckf3kI7hXQ11IQlloVUMKn6oOts1zY/s400/IMG_2582%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263116171843220514" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And then I wanted to eat my second planned snack (hummus + crackers) but I couldn't find the crackers anywhere!!! I know I brought them to work, but I looked absolutely everywhere with no luck. It's funny because I planned to have the same thing yesterday but forgot the hummus at home. Today I had the hummus but no crackers. Hmm. I seriously considered eating the hummus with a spoon (I know, classy!) - I love hummus, but instead decided to raid my desk drawer for other goodies. I found this bad boy:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEYkKnJwP_VX-usXVdPRU_YOBKH7sFr8rk0zUPTsSo8-R_I3_FTb2Nl33iQirnPNJzz11F8QllU_lPl49BKX2vCM3PCJGjDp-ejextMJSec9hBixoJ8bALtHRvO-W1eQJy3mBKpjiMtM/s1600-h/IMG_2583%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEYkKnJwP_VX-usXVdPRU_YOBKH7sFr8rk0zUPTsSo8-R_I3_FTb2Nl33iQirnPNJzz11F8QllU_lPl49BKX2vCM3PCJGjDp-ejextMJSec9hBixoJ8bALtHRvO-W1eQJy3mBKpjiMtM/s400/IMG_2583%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263116820707489618" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Nectar organic cranberry, apricot and almond fruit & nut bar. It's basically kind of like a larabar. How cute is my paper clip holder?!<br /><br />Here is what it looks like on the inside:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJU-UE7tD_ZspRuEBWPD_aVo5NFEhY7n0koKxO-zAIf1WRxfyI_BCPIwje1dX7h09ezTTiG1Dy5qtnAeKA3H0QlO5FcRCTpj42YDHKJPg247aZmyvRXMeOx1mTndu4zj-kzMoF4XsDJc/s1600-h/IMG_2585%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJU-UE7tD_ZspRuEBWPD_aVo5NFEhY7n0koKxO-zAIf1WRxfyI_BCPIwje1dX7h09ezTTiG1Dy5qtnAeKA3H0QlO5FcRCTpj42YDHKJPg247aZmyvRXMeOx1mTndu4zj-kzMoF4XsDJc/s400/IMG_2585%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263117181084815538" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I ate about half of it and decided that it's not what I really wanted to I put the rest away. (btw, it wasn't very good). The search for more food continued. The whole missing crackers thing really threw me off! I found a bunch of instant oatmeal packets in the drawer and a packet of barney butter. So I made it!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkbQvkxm0dUw5fDVC4QmKbJHHioXuXCpux_BJF-886X3AUx11h7DWopzKu1ZQvoTK7ZmFvEfioaCgWWs8KCMrNbVtLgvl41gzkr22-BgKxvP_w9dGgmOpFAeJ2Pdokv_v9S7Cmr7XLx8/s1600-h/IMG_2586%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkbQvkxm0dUw5fDVC4QmKbJHHioXuXCpux_BJF-886X3AUx11h7DWopzKu1ZQvoTK7ZmFvEfioaCgWWs8KCMrNbVtLgvl41gzkr22-BgKxvP_w9dGgmOpFAeJ2Pdokv_v9S7Cmr7XLx8/s400/IMG_2586%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263117557548727090" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There was more almond butter added after I took this pic (I ate the whole packet = 1 tablespoon). This stuff was just ok. I thought it would fill me up, and it did. I think what I really wanted was haloween candy everyone complains about but these are nowhere to be seen in my office. If we had them, I'd be complaining too because of all the temptation, but we didn't, so I wanted some. I'm weird like that. Anyways, we didn't have any halloween candy so I stopped eating... until dinner.<br /><br />Dinner was pretty awesome. I've been smelling steak lately, every time I pass by a restaurant. So a few nights ago when we were at a grocery store we picked up some super lean beef. I marinaded it last night with some canola oil, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and some thai red curry paste. Today I grilled on on an iron grill pan for about 4 minutes on each side. But before that, I made some sweet potato "fries." Cut one large sweet potato into wedges, spray with olive oil spray, bake in the oven at 500 degrees for about 25 minutes. I tossed it with some garlic and parsley when it came out of the oven and served myself a 1/3 of the fries (my husband had the rest). For another veggie, I sauteed some spinach with garlic and a tiny bit of chicken broth. It was super garlicky and delicious :) So here is my plate:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaT1Vj_je4bX6saCQ7O7PCKc0RC_jpHLWG2PP9bHucbz0pRJmFp01gd2ACpDjNcTdkG0sde7R7tI-sbDHXIXiHIPSyeSb8Gv6Y8WivaEOMRx1RDc1uZZBLfA2U9H5v5DFsxvTovA_BVk/s1600-h/IMG_2590%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaT1Vj_je4bX6saCQ7O7PCKc0RC_jpHLWG2PP9bHucbz0pRJmFp01gd2ACpDjNcTdkG0sde7R7tI-sbDHXIXiHIPSyeSb8Gv6Y8WivaEOMRx1RDc1uZZBLfA2U9H5v5DFsxvTovA_BVk/s400/IMG_2590%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263119564365863906" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The marinade was amazing... the whole meal was amazing actually! I have some of the beef (same portion as pictured - a little over 3 oz uncooked) left for a salad tomorrow. It was hard not to eat the whole thing but I know I'll be happy tomorrow! :) And then, even though I was probably out of calories for the day, because I knew I wanted some real dessert, I made 2 chocolate chip cookies (from TJ's frozen isle). I figured if I didn't have dessert tonight I would just pig out tomorrow, and that would be worse.<br /><br />Here they are + a decaf vanilla tea.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aX8aEaLpzz7EudI_C4vOg73hlZhReHwC90OrDCUjlSsZkLJIxExohMCkfGlRQmm1xscPhfmlXGZEdwExmj-TAgyHemcHjdieyTrrtlkiE5W4Y8TR5TgopvI8BnAJnyuw_7lFKBKOctI/s1600-h/IMG_2593%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aX8aEaLpzz7EudI_C4vOg73hlZhReHwC90OrDCUjlSsZkLJIxExohMCkfGlRQmm1xscPhfmlXGZEdwExmj-TAgyHemcHjdieyTrrtlkiE5W4Y8TR5TgopvI8BnAJnyuw_7lFKBKOctI/s400/IMG_2593%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263120810026026066" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJqMafOyTpeGXH4I__7H-Y-AB2acM3jjD7d_fvpomafXR7VqxhzTYp9LdVjPc-EpSCkoUbG36YGqORPRANhUc1BJo3U4L-VbkBmZRxlFZl8W02ebam8zMAPpWb7hc8KtxUqQn7wL6Ows/s1600-h/IMG_2595%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJqMafOyTpeGXH4I__7H-Y-AB2acM3jjD7d_fvpomafXR7VqxhzTYp9LdVjPc-EpSCkoUbG36YGqORPRANhUc1BJo3U4L-VbkBmZRxlFZl8W02ebam8zMAPpWb7hc8KtxUqQn7wL6Ows/s400/IMG_2595%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263121071237147922" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Super buttery! They are 120 calories each, so it's not that much damage. My husband stole half a cookie and saved me 60 calories right there :P My belly is happy now so I'm happy :)<br /><br />Ok, I'm off to the grocery store! I'm making the spinach artichoke dip I made for the last few parties (it was requested by the hostess!) and a few other goodies. Stay tuned for the update on those!<br /></div>Elinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14346005558498273542noreply@blogger.com1