I always seem to have champagne taste on a beer budget.
Lately I have been lusting over these things:
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Beachy jewlery wishlist
I always seem to have champagne taste on a beer budget.
Lately I have been lusting over these things:
Friday, July 6, 2012
Chocolate Coconut Protein Cookies
One of my favorite blogs is Healthy Diva Eats.
Katie is so damn cute, and loves hello kitty, pink, cookies, food and fitness. She also introduced me to the cookie tables they have at Pittsburgh weddings. I am DEFINITELY having one of those at my wedding. She also has these great blogposts called Diva approved- which I just adore. I hate buying things just to find out they suck or taste like butt. So far all her posts have never let me down.
She also created these amazing chocolate coconut protein cookies..
I decided to put my own spin on things and created these:
So here is my version:
adapted from HDE
1/2 cup oats
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon of almond butter
1 tablespoon of flax seeds
1 egg white
2 teaspoons of coconut extract
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
2 TB shredded coconut
Mix all the dry ingredients in a blender and blend until the oats are roughly ground (this step is optional. I just wanted it to be more of a cookie rather than an oat ball)
Mix in the wet ingredients until combined.
Form little balls and place on parchment paper. These cookies don't spread, so form it into the shape you want them to be ( I flattened mine a little..) I made about 10 cookies, & they are roughly 75-80 calories each.
Bake for 5-6 minutes.
ENJOY.
Cocount+ Chocolate+ Protein = DELICOUSSSSSSNESSSS.
Thank you Katie. You are amazeballs.
I kinda want to try making some with vanilla protein, white chocolate and dried cranberries. Let's see how experimental I feel later this week.
Katie is so damn cute, and loves hello kitty, pink, cookies, food and fitness. She also introduced me to the cookie tables they have at Pittsburgh weddings. I am DEFINITELY having one of those at my wedding. She also has these great blogposts called Diva approved- which I just adore. I hate buying things just to find out they suck or taste like butt. So far all her posts have never let me down.
She also created these amazing chocolate coconut protein cookies..
I decided to put my own spin on things and created these:
adapted from HDE
1/2 cup oats
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon of almond butter
1 tablespoon of flax seeds
1 egg white
2 teaspoons of coconut extract
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
2 TB shredded coconut
Mix all the dry ingredients in a blender and blend until the oats are roughly ground (this step is optional. I just wanted it to be more of a cookie rather than an oat ball)
Mix in the wet ingredients until combined.
Form little balls and place on parchment paper. These cookies don't spread, so form it into the shape you want them to be ( I flattened mine a little..) I made about 10 cookies, & they are roughly 75-80 calories each.
Bake for 5-6 minutes.
ENJOY.
Cocount+ Chocolate+ Protein = DELICOUSSSSSSNESSSS.
Thank you Katie. You are amazeballs.
I kinda want to try making some with vanilla protein, white chocolate and dried cranberries. Let's see how experimental I feel later this week.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
In a funk
Blahhh.
That is how I have been feeling lately. I haven't been working out, eating healthy, or sleeping well. It's time to get my butt into gear and get back on the horse.
I went to the gym today, and stepped on the scale. I went from 118 (the start of summer) to 127. It's so discouraging. I think I might be having a reaction to gluten or soy. I have been feeling lethargic, having muscle aches, stomach pains and headaches lately. I'm going to have to start tinkering around with my diet to figure out what it is.
My workout plan for the week: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/body-transformation-pta-hotness.html
Dinner this week:
BBQ Chicken Quesadillas with grilled marinated veggies on the side (so good!)
BBQ Chicken Quinoa Bowls
Grilled Green Chicken with Coconut Rice and Beans
I have been trying to avoid wheat and see how my body reacts. If you have any good recipes that I should try, please help a girl out :)
That is how I have been feeling lately. I haven't been working out, eating healthy, or sleeping well. It's time to get my butt into gear and get back on the horse.
I went to the gym today, and stepped on the scale. I went from 118 (the start of summer) to 127. It's so discouraging. I think I might be having a reaction to gluten or soy. I have been feeling lethargic, having muscle aches, stomach pains and headaches lately. I'm going to have to start tinkering around with my diet to figure out what it is.
My workout plan for the week: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/body-transformation-pta-hotness.html
Dinner this week:
BBQ Chicken Quesadillas with grilled marinated veggies on the side (so good!)
BBQ Chicken Quinoa Bowls
Grilled Green Chicken with Coconut Rice and Beans
I have been trying to avoid wheat and see how my body reacts. If you have any good recipes that I should try, please help a girl out :)
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
WINE GLASSES full of LOVE
Some things just taste better in a certain glass. Don't you agree? Like Starbucks tastes better in that stupid-landfill destined-paper cup, then when you bring your own "save-the-earth" mug. Soda is better in aluminum cans than in a plastic bottle. Wine tastes better in a pretty glass than in a coffee mug (I hate doing dishes sometimes- haha) I love having a glass of wine after dinner.. I mean who doesn't?! It's a great way to unwind from the day and get's you nice and toasty for bedtime.
A few weeks ago I won a giveaway on Powercake's blog for a BEAUTIFUL hand painted wine glass. Sarah can paint whatever you like for a custom glass or you can buy one already made from her etsy shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SarahMammay?ref=search_shop_redirect
Check out her Etsy shop to see all the other adorable wine glasses she makes!
This is the little beauty she made for me. I wanted something beachy and girly.. I think she captured "me" perfectly in a wine glass! I've been drinking everything out of this: water, iced coffee, grapefruit juice, and of course wine!
Sarah is generously giving 15% off for anyone who wants a custom wine glass from Sarah!! The code is: SARAH15OFF from her Etsy shop
THANK YOU SO MUCH Sarah and Kasey!
A few weeks ago I won a giveaway on Powercake's blog for a BEAUTIFUL hand painted wine glass. Sarah can paint whatever you like for a custom glass or you can buy one already made from her etsy shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SarahMammay?ref=search_shop_redirect
This is the little beauty she made for me. I wanted something beachy and girly.. I think she captured "me" perfectly in a wine glass! I've been drinking everything out of this: water, iced coffee, grapefruit juice, and of course wine!
Sarah is generously giving 15% off for anyone who wants a custom wine glass from Sarah!! The code is: SARAH15OFF from her Etsy shop
THANK YOU SO MUCH Sarah and Kasey!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Itty Bitty Teeny Weeny Bikinis
I can't believe I accidentally stumbled on this Tumblr page: goldfishkiss
If you love tiny bikinis, the ocean, sand in your hair and gorgeous mermaid style, then check out her page. She also has great ideas on how to re-style your old bikinis. She gave me the inspiration to repair my old swimsuit that I found. The bottoms were way too long (think 1980's bottoms) so I took in the crotch by cutting off about two inches of material, and then sewing a straight line down the back.
They fit PERFECTLY. I have a pretty flat butt, so they make my little tooshie look a little rounder. Thank the lord. I am on the stairmill 6 days a week at the gym, with lots of squats in between, yet my behind is still as flat as a pancake.
Here are some suits I have been lusting over lately:
On another note, I have been eating pure junk lately. I have a problem of eating one bad thing, then the whole day is ruined. I can't stop at three cookies, I have to eat the whole batch and then bake some more (I wish I was lying). It's a bad habit I'm trying to get rid of. I need to get my body bikini ready for when I get back to California.. whenever that may be.
What are your favorite swimsuit designers? What's the max you'll shell out for a tiny piece of fabric?
{I can't bring myself to spend more than 75 for both top and bottom. Broke college student.}
If you love tiny bikinis, the ocean, sand in your hair and gorgeous mermaid style, then check out her page. She also has great ideas on how to re-style your old bikinis. She gave me the inspiration to repair my old swimsuit that I found. The bottoms were way too long (think 1980's bottoms) so I took in the crotch by cutting off about two inches of material, and then sewing a straight line down the back.
They fit PERFECTLY. I have a pretty flat butt, so they make my little tooshie look a little rounder. Thank the lord. I am on the stairmill 6 days a week at the gym, with lots of squats in between, yet my behind is still as flat as a pancake.
Here are some suits I have been lusting over lately:
I miss the ocean, the salty air, warm breezes, the sand between my toes.. I miss home. SOmeone please transport me back to California.
Pacific Beach, Ca
Sunset out on Pacific Beach Dr.
What are your favorite swimsuit designers? What's the max you'll shell out for a tiny piece of fabric?
{I can't bring myself to spend more than 75 for both top and bottom. Broke college student.}
Friday, June 15, 2012
Rice Chex Granola
Oh boy this is yummy. I love how crunchy and delicate rice chex is, now add that yumminess to granola and it's SUPER YUM.
Rice Chex Granola
(I didn't use exact measurements, it's kinda hard to mess this one up. Feel free to tweak this recipe to your liking)
1 tsp almond butter (I used Raw Maple Almond Butter)
1 TB raw natural honey
1 tsp agave nectar-amber
1 tsp coconut oil
1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup slivered almonds
2 TB unsweetened coconuts
3/4 cup rice chex
shakes of cinnamon
sprinkle of salt
Preheat oven to 325.
Warm the almond butter, coconut oil, honey and agave in the microwave just until it's liquid-y. Then add oats and mix well. Then add nuts, cinnamon and coconut flakes, then rice chex. Mix well. Place on parchment paper or greased baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Make sure not to burn it. Let it cool completely before breaking it into pieces to eat.
1/3 cup equals to around 100 calories. It's so delicious on it's own, with greek yogurt, in a bowl of cereal, or crumbles on top of an acai bowl!
Rice Chex Granola
(I didn't use exact measurements, it's kinda hard to mess this one up. Feel free to tweak this recipe to your liking)
1 tsp almond butter (I used Raw Maple Almond Butter)
1 TB raw natural honey
1 tsp agave nectar-amber
1 tsp coconut oil
1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup slivered almonds
2 TB unsweetened coconuts
3/4 cup rice chex
shakes of cinnamon
sprinkle of salt
Preheat oven to 325.
Warm the almond butter, coconut oil, honey and agave in the microwave just until it's liquid-y. Then add oats and mix well. Then add nuts, cinnamon and coconut flakes, then rice chex. Mix well. Place on parchment paper or greased baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Make sure not to burn it. Let it cool completely before breaking it into pieces to eat.
1/3 cup equals to around 100 calories. It's so delicious on it's own, with greek yogurt, in a bowl of cereal, or crumbles on top of an acai bowl!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Coconut Banana Bread
Every week we usually buy a whole bunch of bananas for the week. Oddly enough, neither Brian or I actually eat bananas fresh. I usually wait until they begin to have little brown spots on them, then I peel them, cut them into thirds, and freeze them. I use these frozen banana bits for my smoothies, acai bowls and protein shakes. They always make everything so creamy.
If you haven't had banana soft freeze, you are missing out!! All you do is throw your frozen bananas into a blender or food processor and blend it until it is creamy like soft serve yogurt. You can add peanut butter, chocolate powder, vanilla, anything your heart desires.
I haven't made banana bread for a while, so I knew that these little brown babies will be destined to be in loaf form. Last time I made banana bread it came out super rich and decadent. Unfortunately I never bookmarked the recipe- all I remember was it had greek yogurt in it. While I was perusing the world wide web, I found a recipe that I decided to tweek a little make it with the ingredients I had.
Healthy Coconut Banana Bread
adapted from Monique of Ambitious Kitchen
1 3/4 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup + 3 TB sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 TB olive oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Baking Blend (or 1/2 cup brown sugar)
3 egg whites
1/4 cup fat free greek yogurt
2 TB coconut milk (or almond milk, soy milk, or regular milk)
2 TB of pineapple juice (or OJ or grapefruit)
Cinnamon
Preheat 350.
Mix the first three ingredients.
In a separate bowl mix the bananas, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, then add oil.
Mix the dry with the wet ingredients.
Then add the yogurt, coconut milk and juice.
Fold in 1/2 cup of coconut flakes.
Grease a 9x5 pan and pour in batter. Sprinkle the remaining 3 TB of coconut flakes on top. Then lightly sprinkle cinnamon evenly on top. Bake for 55-60 minutes.
This bread tasted better after a night in the fridge. I think the bananas needed time to really mesh with the coconut. Brian said this is a keeper. It was good, but not my ABSOLUTE favorite I have ever had. I think next time I will try using riper bananas, and pre toasting the coconut before putting it in the bread. Sorry for the lack of picture, I am just too freaking lazy.
EDIT: COCONUT BANANA BREAD FRENCH TOAST!! I always hate the ends of the banana bread because they are always drier and get cooked more thn the soft middle pieces. So one night I decided to make french toast with them. DELICIOUS. You can make french toast with other pieces too if you leave them out over night to get a little stale. I used egg, coconut milk, cinnamon and stevia and dredged the banana bread pieces in them. It was so decadent, yet healthy!
If you haven't had banana soft freeze, you are missing out!! All you do is throw your frozen bananas into a blender or food processor and blend it until it is creamy like soft serve yogurt. You can add peanut butter, chocolate powder, vanilla, anything your heart desires.
I haven't made banana bread for a while, so I knew that these little brown babies will be destined to be in loaf form. Last time I made banana bread it came out super rich and decadent. Unfortunately I never bookmarked the recipe- all I remember was it had greek yogurt in it. While I was perusing the world wide web, I found a recipe that I decided to tweek a little make it with the ingredients I had.
Healthy Coconut Banana Bread
adapted from Monique of Ambitious Kitchen
1 3/4 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup + 3 TB sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 TB olive oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Baking Blend (or 1/2 cup brown sugar)
3 egg whites
1/4 cup fat free greek yogurt
2 TB coconut milk (or almond milk, soy milk, or regular milk)
2 TB of pineapple juice (or OJ or grapefruit)
Cinnamon
Preheat 350.
Mix the first three ingredients.
In a separate bowl mix the bananas, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, then add oil.
Mix the dry with the wet ingredients.
Then add the yogurt, coconut milk and juice.
Fold in 1/2 cup of coconut flakes.
Grease a 9x5 pan and pour in batter. Sprinkle the remaining 3 TB of coconut flakes on top. Then lightly sprinkle cinnamon evenly on top. Bake for 55-60 minutes.
This bread tasted better after a night in the fridge. I think the bananas needed time to really mesh with the coconut. Brian said this is a keeper. It was good, but not my ABSOLUTE favorite I have ever had. I think next time I will try using riper bananas, and pre toasting the coconut before putting it in the bread. Sorry for the lack of picture, I am just too freaking lazy.
EDIT: COCONUT BANANA BREAD FRENCH TOAST!! I always hate the ends of the banana bread because they are always drier and get cooked more thn the soft middle pieces. So one night I decided to make french toast with them. DELICIOUS. You can make french toast with other pieces too if you leave them out over night to get a little stale. I used egg, coconut milk, cinnamon and stevia and dredged the banana bread pieces in them. It was so decadent, yet healthy!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
A few Giveaways
I love giveaways. Who doesn't like to try new things and win free stuff? Here are a few that are going on right now:
Enjoy your healthy life is giving away Kodiak Pancakes
My Food N Fitness Diaries is giving away PB Crave
Inspired by Savannah is giving away Almondia cookies
Meals and Miles is giving away Mallow Crunchies
I'll keep adding to this list as I find out about new giveaways :) Good luck kids. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.
Enjoy your healthy life is giving away Kodiak Pancakes
My Food N Fitness Diaries is giving away PB Crave
Inspired by Savannah is giving away Almondia cookies
Meals and Miles is giving away Mallow Crunchies
I'll keep adding to this list as I find out about new giveaways :) Good luck kids. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Keepin Austin Weird
Here are my recommendations:
Salt Lick: They re-did their outside patio. We sat underneath big shady trees in cute little picnic tables. They allow you to BYOB, so definitely save a pretty penny and bring your own delicious beverages. They also have a vineyard onsite, but we didn't get a chance to explore their wine. The brisket was unbelievable. The potato salad was nothing like I've ever had before (it was tinted orange!) and the coleslaw was sweet and tangy, not gross and mayonnaise-y. The BBQ sauce was the best part. I wish I bought a bottle of the good stuff while we were there.
La Condensa: This place was decorated so cute with bright colors and large windows. We ordered their breakfast margaritas which were made with orange marmalade. I really hope you get a chance to try one of those tasty treats, it was incredible. I ordered the taco plate with pork shoulder and it was delicious. We both thoroughly enjoyed our meals, but the drinks were the star of the show.
Koriente: We came here on our way home after a long day of drinking. I am so glad we did. We ordered the bibimbap with beef. The ingredients were fresh and all the veggies were crisp. The next morning we woke up refreshed instead of feeling gross and nasty like after a late night Taco Bell run.
Easy Tiger: We were walking around downtown when we ran into this little coffee place. Downstairs they have a bar with an amazing selection of microbrews and wine. Brian loves beer gardens, and they had a cute back patio with beer pong and large picnic tables. We ordered the pretzel and beer cheese which were very tasty, and a few new friends recommended the reuben sandwich and goatcheese/pear/fennel sandwich (we were too full to order it- but next time we will!)
East Side Kings: This was BY FAR my favorite meal. It took quite a drunken hike to get to this bar. Behind the Liberty Bar is an amazing little food truck. This place came highly recommended by our new friends at Easy Tiger. We ordered the Tori Meshi and the pork buns. They were both unbelievable. I found a recipe for the chicken that was used in the Tori Meshi online, and I am going to take a stab at it. The chicken was crunchy, sweet, and spicy. The rice was buttery soft with hints of ginger and garlic. Then there was lots of fresh jalapeno, cilantro, mint and thai basil mixed in. The herbs were amazing paired with the deepfried chicken. I am in LOVE. The pork buns were so soft, the pork were fried and crispy, and the sauces complimented the mesh of flavors and textures. I want to fly back to Austin just so I can try the rest of the menu. I heard the beet fries are unbelievable.
It was a long and adventurous day in Austin. We actually bumped into people we knew. Small world. On our way back to the hotel, we stopped at a gas station and I was DELIGHTED to find these little suckers... SPONCH!
They are my favorite mexican treat since childhood. The bottom is a soft cookies, with marshmallows coated in coconut on top, and a dollop of strawberry jam in the middle. It is sooooo good. I can't find these in WV (can't really find any ethnic food here.. **sigh**) Tastes like home.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Pierogi
Last night a couple of us were discussing delicious food items we were unable to get in West Virginia. I really shouldn't complain, because I live across the street from the nicest Kroger in the state. Someone told me they drove an hour to go to this Kroger because of the wine specialist and the sushi guy. Not to mention they have Boars Head deli meat and cheeses. The good stuff. Anyways, the topic of good quality pierogi came up. One guy was saying that Pittsburgh has amazing pierogi places, and he drives 4 hours just to pick up a batch a few times a year. My boyfriend LOVES pierogi, brats and kielbasa. Since I have nothing but free time on my hands, I'm going to make that man some fresh homemade piergoi from scratch (and also freeze some to give to the other crazy kid so he doesn't have to drive 4 hours). Kielbasa and pierogis are on the menu for today.
Did you know that pierogi is actually plural for pierog? So the term pierogis or pierogies is incorrect. Who knew?
Here are somethings I wish I could get in West Virginia:
Trader Joe's
Whole Foods
Cool Greens (salad/wrap place in OKC)
Which Wich
YogurtLand
Acai Bowls
Brick oven pizza
Korean Food
Real Mexican restaurants
Kabobs
NY pizza
Alfalfa sprouts (can't find them in any grocery store)
Pho (only place is 45 minutes away, and it's mediocre at best)
.. the list goes on.
Back to the little polish dumplings.. The dough was the hardest part. I always have a hard time kneading, and getting a good balance between the sticky/dry dough. I let the dough rest for half an hour, used a pint glass to make circles, and used a fork to crimp the edges. I used this recipe. I froze them before boiling them (I read online that it helps prevent them from busting open). I just simply put them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper & stuck them in the freezer for an hour. Afterwards I threw them into a ziploc bag and called it a day. Next time I think I'll let Mrs. T do the pierogi cooking. This process is wayyyyy too time consuming.
photos (left to right): mixing the wet ingredients, shredding the cheese, mashing the potatoes, wrapping the corned beef/sauerkraut/potato pierogi, cutting the dough, freezing the pierogi, and ziplocking the pierogi
Sorry this blog is looking so crappy. I have no idea how to design a blog- but I'm googling it now, so hopefully this blog will start coming together. If anyone has any advice, I would be forever grateful.
Did you know that pierogi is actually plural for pierog? So the term pierogis or pierogies is incorrect. Who knew?
Here are somethings I wish I could get in West Virginia:
Trader Joe's
Whole Foods
Cool Greens (salad/wrap place in OKC)
Which Wich
YogurtLand
Acai Bowls
Brick oven pizza
Korean Food
Real Mexican restaurants
Kabobs
NY pizza
Alfalfa sprouts (can't find them in any grocery store)
Pho (only place is 45 minutes away, and it's mediocre at best)
.. the list goes on.
Back to the little polish dumplings.. The dough was the hardest part. I always have a hard time kneading, and getting a good balance between the sticky/dry dough. I let the dough rest for half an hour, used a pint glass to make circles, and used a fork to crimp the edges. I used this recipe. I froze them before boiling them (I read online that it helps prevent them from busting open). I just simply put them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper & stuck them in the freezer for an hour. Afterwards I threw them into a ziploc bag and called it a day. Next time I think I'll let Mrs. T do the pierogi cooking. This process is wayyyyy too time consuming.
photos (left to right): mixing the wet ingredients, shredding the cheese, mashing the potatoes, wrapping the corned beef/sauerkraut/potato pierogi, cutting the dough, freezing the pierogi, and ziplocking the pierogi
Sorry this blog is looking so crappy. I have no idea how to design a blog- but I'm googling it now, so hopefully this blog will start coming together. If anyone has any advice, I would be forever grateful.
DOMS & Toasted Coconut Chocolate Cookies
Oh my goodness. I am so sore form yesterdays' workout that I can barely move my legs. I'm currently walking around town like a cowboy from the wild wild west. Days like this makes me wish that girls can pee standing up.
I went super easy at the gym today and did chest and triceps with a 30 minute walk tagged at the end.
I'm currently baking these cookies and the house smells AMAZING. The warm nutty aroma of toasted coconut has to be one of my favorite smells.I had to leave them in for a couple mintes longer than suggested (I think my oven may need to be recalibrated). They came out oh-so-soft and buttery. I really like these little guys. The batter was supposed to make 24.. well I made 15 small/normal sized cookies. I guess they were meant to be TINY. No wonder they're 88 calories.
Earlier today I began the pierogi making process by making the fillings. I decided on the traditional potato/onion/cheese and a saukeraut/cornedbeef/potato. The second was something that I wanted to try..
For dinner I had the same thing as I had yesterday:
I usually cook a big meal, and eat the leftovers for three days in a row. Fast and easy, and less dishes during the week. I HATE doing dishes.
I went super easy at the gym today and did chest and triceps with a 30 minute walk tagged at the end.
I'm currently baking these cookies and the house smells AMAZING. The warm nutty aroma of toasted coconut has to be one of my favorite smells.I had to leave them in for a couple mintes longer than suggested (I think my oven may need to be recalibrated). They came out oh-so-soft and buttery. I really like these little guys. The batter was supposed to make 24.. well I made 15 small/normal sized cookies. I guess they were meant to be TINY. No wonder they're 88 calories.
Earlier today I began the pierogi making process by making the fillings. I decided on the traditional potato/onion/cheese and a saukeraut/cornedbeef/potato. The second was something that I wanted to try..
For dinner I had the same thing as I had yesterday:
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Rut & Favorite Cookie Recipes
I feel like I'm stuck in a rut. I haven't missed a workout since January 1st. Now I am absolutely sick of the gym. I need some more spice in my life- like Body Pump, TRX, yoga.. but these classes aren't available here in WV. So I guess I will still stick to my daily routine of 10 minute warm up, hour of weights, and 30 minutes of cardio. BORE.
I found out yesterday that I won a free personal training session from my gym. Jonda was my trainer today, and we had a leg day planned out for us. I wanted to focus on form, because half the time I feel like I am doing squats and deadlifts wrong. She had me do squats with my feet really close together and going all the way down to the floor. I also did lunges, sumo squats, leg press, dumbbell deadlifts, step ups, single leg squats and reverse crunches. It was a killer workout. I wish I could afford her personal training sessions.
For dinner I had roasted broccoli slaw, portobello mushrooms, bell peppers, cabbage, black beans, zuchinni and salsa chicken from Pip & Ebby. I added salsa and Tapatio on top as a dressing. I love this crockpot chicken recipe, it's always on regular rotation at our house. My bf has it in a burrito or in tacos. The meat always comes out juicy and tender.
Tomorrow I plan on either making cookies or pierogis.
Here are some cookie recipes I've tried and liked:
HTP's Coconut Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies: I had to make these for 19 minutes for them to hold together. My first batch was so soft that they fell apart in your hands.
Sparkling Ink's Glazed Maple Cookies: Make sure to use real maple syrup. These cookies are so delicious, but an absolute mess to clean up.
Smitten Kitchen's Crisp Salted Oatmeal Cookies: These are light, crispy, sweet & salty. I LOVED these. They definitely taste better fresh. After a while they get soft and loose that lovely delicate crispiness.
I'm watching Cold Mountain as I type this, and it's pretty cool to know that I live on the grounds where the civil war took place. I wonder where all the Asians were at this period of time. You never real hear about them. Anyways, I hope everyone has a beautiful summer night, and thanks for checking in :)
I found out yesterday that I won a free personal training session from my gym. Jonda was my trainer today, and we had a leg day planned out for us. I wanted to focus on form, because half the time I feel like I am doing squats and deadlifts wrong. She had me do squats with my feet really close together and going all the way down to the floor. I also did lunges, sumo squats, leg press, dumbbell deadlifts, step ups, single leg squats and reverse crunches. It was a killer workout. I wish I could afford her personal training sessions.
For dinner I had roasted broccoli slaw, portobello mushrooms, bell peppers, cabbage, black beans, zuchinni and salsa chicken from Pip & Ebby. I added salsa and Tapatio on top as a dressing. I love this crockpot chicken recipe, it's always on regular rotation at our house. My bf has it in a burrito or in tacos. The meat always comes out juicy and tender.
Tomorrow I plan on either making cookies or pierogis.
Here are some cookie recipes I've tried and liked:
HTP's Coconut Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies: I had to make these for 19 minutes for them to hold together. My first batch was so soft that they fell apart in your hands.
Sparkling Ink's Glazed Maple Cookies: Make sure to use real maple syrup. These cookies are so delicious, but an absolute mess to clean up.
Smitten Kitchen's Crisp Salted Oatmeal Cookies: These are light, crispy, sweet & salty. I LOVED these. They definitely taste better fresh. After a while they get soft and loose that lovely delicate crispiness.
I'm watching Cold Mountain as I type this, and it's pretty cool to know that I live on the grounds where the civil war took place. I wonder where all the Asians were at this period of time. You never real hear about them. Anyways, I hope everyone has a beautiful summer night, and thanks for checking in :)
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Cinnamon Rolls and Kale Salad
I spent the entire day working on these delicious beauties:
Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Frosting from the Pioneer Woman. I halved the recipe since the original quantity is for 50 people. They came out delicious. I let them rise in the fridge for 4 hours which made them easier to work with. I made them for my bf's co-worker's birthday tomorrow. I'll take any excuse to bake. They were sweet, gooey, soft and PERFECT. I'm freezing the leftovers so that we can have cinnamon rolls on weekend mornings without having to do all the work.
Recipe: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_/
For dinner, I had smoked salmon, dry-rubbed ribs, and a Karena's colorful kale salad. I massaged the kale to make sure that the dressing soaked into the leaves, and let it marinate for 6 hours. It was SO GOOD! Creaminess from the feta, nuttiness from the pine nuts, sweetness from the cranberries, and plenty of fresh crunch. I just adore those Tone It Up girls. I added cucumbers, almonds and bell peppers to this recipe, and doubled the kale.
Here is the recipe: http://toneitup.com/blog.php?Karena-s-Kale-Salad-and-Three-Bean-Side-Dish-Recipes-5177
Today's workout consisted of biceps, triceps, abs and cardio from Live Fit Day 32. My poor triceps hate me. I was watching Greys on the treadmill at the gym, and I started crying when I saw O'Malley. I am a complete psycho. I just hate when characters I like die, for example: 007, Mufasa, the kid from Alpha Dog, Marley (the dog, but I guess the singer too?.. ) I'm just a big cry baby. I need to suck it up if I'm ever going to be a nurse.
Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Frosting from the Pioneer Woman. I halved the recipe since the original quantity is for 50 people. They came out delicious. I let them rise in the fridge for 4 hours which made them easier to work with. I made them for my bf's co-worker's birthday tomorrow. I'll take any excuse to bake. They were sweet, gooey, soft and PERFECT. I'm freezing the leftovers so that we can have cinnamon rolls on weekend mornings without having to do all the work.
Recipe: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_/
Here is the recipe: http://toneitup.com/blog.php?Karena-s-Kale-Salad-and-Three-Bean-Side-Dish-Recipes-5177
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Herbs and Horchata
-update: Check out this blog post from Lauryn about the health benefits of fresh herbs. If you don't follow the Skinny Confidential, you're crazy. She's a fashionista, a healthy foodie, a creative bartender, and a workout guru.
I followed it with 10 minutes on the stairmaster at level 14, then 5 minutes at level 11 going down the stairs backwards. I have no idea if this is beneficial or not, but I saw someone doing it the other day and decided it was a good way to break up the monotony of going of the stairs nonstop. When I got home I made myself an horchata
Horchata Protein Fluff:
1 scoop Isopure vanilla cream protein powdersplash of almond milk, splash of water, or splash of coconut milk
5 ice cubes
1-2 drops of vanilla
a TON of cinnamon
little sprinkle of truvia
Put all ingredients in a blender (I put it in my food processor because my blender was dirty) and BLEND. The longer you blend, the more fluffy and voluminous the protein fluff becomes. It was like eating horchata flavored whipped cream.
For dinner I made this AMAZING recipe: Jamaican Jerk Chicken and the Best Rice Ever. Of course I tweaked the recipe. I added 2 habanero peppers to the marinade and put all the ingredients for the marinade in the food processor. I reserved half a cup of the marinade to use as dipping sauce before I marinated the chicken. For the rice, I added one habanero pepper UNCUT. The tice is supposed to be slightly sweet, not spicy, so make sure you don't break open the pepper! My bf went crazy over the rice, and I LOVED the jerk chicken marinade. I ended up using it as a salad dressing because it was so good! We BBQ-ed the chicken and it came out fabulous.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Hippy-ish Granola
Hey hey hey! You are currently reading the first EVER blog post from me, Sarah C. I'm so excited that you somehow wound up here :) I have been reading healthy living blogs for the past three years, and I love cooking up recipes and baking sweet treats that I find on them. So kind of life "monkey see, monkey do" I will be recreating goodies, but putting my own spin on them. I will also let you know honestly how I think it turned out. I want this to be a place where you can get some ideas for dinner, workouts, places to go, and things to make.
To kick off my first recipe tweak, I tried Elise's Quinoa Granola.
Original Recipe: http://www.hungryhungryhippie.com/quinoa-granola/
Here are my modifications:
1 c oats
1/6 c quinoa
1/8 c whole flax seeds
1/4 c unsweetened coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c chopped almonds
1/2 c trail mix (Trail mix had pepitas, sunflower seeds, cranberries, walnuts and pecans)
1/2 c cereal (I used an unsweetened plain corn flakes kind)
1/6 c coconut oil
1/12 c honey
1/12 c maple syrup
(To do this, I took a 1/3 c measuring cup, filled it halfway with coconut oil, then filled half & half of maple and honey)
Mix the dry ingredients, then mix the wet ingredients. Mix both together, making sure everything is evenly coated. Spread on parchment paper and bake for @ 300 for 40 minutes. Let it cool, then break the sheet of granola into big pieces.
My granola came out perfectly clumpy, crunchy, and sweet. I liked the addition of the corn flakes, because all the small pieces of quinoa had a big vesicle to stick to. The quinoa gave the granola a slight nutty crunch. This granola is filled with protein, healthy fats and fiber. I urge you to give it a shot!
Today's workout: I did day 30 of Jamie Eason's Live Fit Program. It was a pretty intense day of chest and abs, followed by 30 minutes of steady state cardio. I already finished her program all the way through, but still feel like I have some more toning to do... so I decided to go back to level 2 and work my way through again. Here's what was on today's agenda:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer-phase-2-day-30.html
My modifications: I used the smith bar for the bench presses, did the push ups on my knees, and couldn't do the side-side push ups. I can do about three of them, and then I collapse on my face. Also, instead of doing the cable crunches, I did crunches on a stability ball. I hate cable crunches, I feel like a crazy person trying to do them, and I feel like I'm always doing them wrong. After that, I chose to do the stair master at level 14 for 30 minutes, and cooled down with 10 minutes on the treadmill at incline 4, speed 4. It was a pretty lack luster workout, probably because I was starving.
Thanks for hanging out with me for my first EVER blog post. I hope you stick around :)
To kick off my first recipe tweak, I tried Elise's Quinoa Granola.
Original Recipe: http://www.hungryhungryhippie.com/quinoa-granola/
1 c oats
1/6 c quinoa
1/8 c whole flax seeds
1/4 c unsweetened coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c chopped almonds
1/2 c trail mix (Trail mix had pepitas, sunflower seeds, cranberries, walnuts and pecans)
1/2 c cereal (I used an unsweetened plain corn flakes kind)
1/6 c coconut oil
1/12 c honey
1/12 c maple syrup
(To do this, I took a 1/3 c measuring cup, filled it halfway with coconut oil, then filled half & half of maple and honey)
Mix the dry ingredients, then mix the wet ingredients. Mix both together, making sure everything is evenly coated. Spread on parchment paper and bake for @ 300 for 40 minutes. Let it cool, then break the sheet of granola into big pieces.
My granola came out perfectly clumpy, crunchy, and sweet. I liked the addition of the corn flakes, because all the small pieces of quinoa had a big vesicle to stick to. The quinoa gave the granola a slight nutty crunch. This granola is filled with protein, healthy fats and fiber. I urge you to give it a shot!
Today's workout: I did day 30 of Jamie Eason's Live Fit Program. It was a pretty intense day of chest and abs, followed by 30 minutes of steady state cardio. I already finished her program all the way through, but still feel like I have some more toning to do... so I decided to go back to level 2 and work my way through again. Here's what was on today's agenda:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer-phase-2-day-30.html
My modifications: I used the smith bar for the bench presses, did the push ups on my knees, and couldn't do the side-side push ups. I can do about three of them, and then I collapse on my face. Also, instead of doing the cable crunches, I did crunches on a stability ball. I hate cable crunches, I feel like a crazy person trying to do them, and I feel like I'm always doing them wrong. After that, I chose to do the stair master at level 14 for 30 minutes, and cooled down with 10 minutes on the treadmill at incline 4, speed 4. It was a pretty lack luster workout, probably because I was starving.
Thanks for hanging out with me for my first EVER blog post. I hope you stick around :)
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