Luv What You Do

Balancing a Busy Life with a Healthy Lifestyle

Weird Week Ahead May 6, 2013

Filed under: Life,Lunch,Races — Luv What You Do @ 1:54 pm
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Good Afternoon!

 

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It’s been an odd start to the week as I have to go in to work for a few hours this afternoon/evening.  Then tomorrow, I have the morning off before spending my afternoon as a teaching assistant.  After a few weekends of work/travel, I was looking forward to getting back into my meal planning groove.  However, between my schedule change, the BOY’s late night finals, and a sushi date with my girl friends on Thursday, there’s not much planning to do.

 

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I did finally make it to the grocery store this morning in order to restock our house with food…specifically fresh fruits and veggies!  We were in a sad state as evidenced above by the lone garlic.

 

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With the start of May, I am excited to detox my diet.  I mentioned this in my May goals, but didn’t have the energy to elaborate.  My plan is to return to a cleaner way of eating that includes no processed foods and tons of fresh produce.  I know that spring weather, farmer’s markets, and the BOY’s love of BBQing make this a much easier task.  I also know that I have exciting races and a fun trip abroad (details coming soon) planned where I will want to look and feel my best.  Now, that’s what I call motivation!

 

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I kicked off the week with a colorful salad with tuna.  I picked up some fish for dinner tomorrow night and decided on simple and easy to prep turkey tacos for dinner on Wednesday.  That’s about as far as I got with this week’s meal plans.  I know the BOY is excited to work through his last few finals so that he can get back to the grill and his new smoker.

 

This morning I treated my tired body to a much needed day off.  After yesterday’s PR, it deserved some rest, but I am looking forward to getting back into my tri training groove later in the week.  My official race results from yesterday were posted, and I was spot on with my own self timing…

30-34 Female Jennifer 1:49:46.54 Streamwood, IL

 

What’s fun is that I placed 11/40 in my age and division and 205/850 in the entire race!  Combined with a PR, I am proud of my early season effort! 

 

Quick question for ya’ll before I head off to work…I am looking for some healthy and easy to prepare ideas for lunch…maybe even salads that can be made ahead.

 

Any suggestions?  Please post your links!!

 

Running Date, Leftovers, and a Smoothie March 24, 2013

Filed under: Lunch,Running,Smoothies — Luv What You Do @ 1:46 pm
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Sunday Funday began EARLY today with a running date.

 

Ya’ll know that I am a mostly solitary runner, so I get excited at the chance to run with other people, friends or strangers : )  Which is why despite staying up a late for dinner and drinks last night, I set my alarm for a Sunday morning run.  Ok, I woke up at 7:30 which isn’t that early, but I usually sleep in later on Sundays.

 

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Breakfast was a running staple…TJ’s oatmeal with banana and pecans.  I met up with the trainer and two other friends at my old gym for an outdoor run.  The weathermen were predicting snow, but we were about to get out and begin winding through the neighborhoods before any foul weather.  It was around 35 degrees and at one point, we had to stop to delayer.  We ran at a steady pace for about 50 minutes before taking a good 20 minutes to stretch and roll out.  After making plans to run again next Saturday, I made my way over to Whole Foods for a few groceries.

 

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I was back home in time for lunch, laundry, and a second straight day of college basketball.

 

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For lunch, I baked a small sweet potato, smothered it with leftover pulled pork, and some cubed avocado with a side of mushrooms.  I didn’t get any great pictures of the pork last night, so I was hoping today’s pics would get your mouth watering.

 

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Mine certainly was as I dug into this BBQ Pork Baked Sweet Potato!

 

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One thing that caught my eye at Whole Foods this morning was their new line of juices.  They are made with just fruits and veggies, no water or sugar added.  The Green-Aid reminded me of yesterday’s invigorating green smoothie.

 

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I tried a new to me smoothie ingredient that added tons of flavor.

 

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Cucumber!

 

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I made a total mess in my clean kitchen with this smoothie, but it was worth it.  This sweet smoothie was one of the most refreshing I’ve ever made.  Cucumber may be a new stable in my homemade smoothies!

 

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After swimming on Thursday, spinning on Saturday, and running today, my legs are pretty fried.  It’s a great day to put up my feet and watch some basketball.  I’ll probably make another one of these incredible green smoothies too!

 

 

How are you spending your Sunday?

 

This is the IronGirl triathlon that I have been thinking about this June.  Has anyone done an IronGirl event before???

 

Refreshing Green Smoothie

 

Ingredients

1 large handful of spinach (I fill the bottom third of my blender)

1 cup of coconut water (I used flavored)

1 apple, cored and diced

1/2 medium sized cucumber, chopped

Splash of fresh lemon juice

1 cup frozen mango

 

Directions

Place spinach, coconut water, apple, and cucumber in a blend.  Pulse or chop until veggies are broken down.  Then blend on low-medium.  Add lemon juice and frozen mango.  Blend on high for a few minutes until smooth.

Sip and Smile

Note: I am learning with my new blender that the longer I let things blend on high, the frothier and smoother my smoothies are!

 

Who’s Jenna? March 18, 2013

Filed under: Breakfast,Exercise,Lunch — Luv What You Do @ 3:42 pm
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And why do I hate her so much?

 

After eating more carbs this weekend than I had in the previous 2 months combined (not a complaint, just a fact), it was necessary to start Monday morning off well!

 

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I made a batch of Friday Morning Pancakes for breakfast.  But instead of eating them with a pint, I had myself a mug of Chai tea.

 

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Then sat down to check out what CrossFit had in store for me this morning.  Apparently the answer was Jenna?!

 

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All I can say is that this was the HARDEST WORKOUT EVER (and I didn’t even do the Px weight).  I don’t even know the last time that I did a dead lift, and I was worried that I would hurt my back.  But we did a lot of practice and warm up without any weight before practicing with weight.  In the end, I decided to go with 85 pounds.  The Manmakers were an entirely different story.  I didn’t feel anything like a man, just like a baby who wanted to cry.

 

Source

 

A Manmaker starts in the pushup position holding onto two dumbbells. 

One rep goes as follows…

Push Up

Left Row

Push Up

Right Row

Push Up

Squat

Clean

Press Overhead

Repeat!

 

14 reps took up the majority of my time and I used 20 pound weights.  I definitely didn’t get my chest down to the ground on every push up and my heart was beating out of my chest.  Somehow I finished just shy of the 20 minute max in 18:30.  It was brutal!  And I was super sweaty when I was done!

 

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Not too sweaty to make a quick stop by Target to pick up some colorful socks for the Shamrock Shuffle next month.  Then, I swung back home to pick up the BOY for lunch and errands…our typical Monday activities!

 

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We went to Jason’s Deli for soups, sandwiches, and salads.

And of course, the free ice cream!

 

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We had some major shopping to do at Costco, and our car was packed by the time we pulled back into the driveway.

 

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After a cold and icy morning, we were both thrilled to be back home in our warm house!

And I needed to rest my exhausted body on the couch while I caught up on Grey’s Anatomy!

 

Dealing with Dreary March 11, 2013

The weather might be dark and dreary, but that didn’t keep the BOY and I indoors.  Sunday Funday was SUPER fun yesterday because we went into the city to hang with my family!

 

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And had lunch at Revolution Brewery, where the BOY and I have never been, and my Mom has now declared her favorite place to go.

 

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Historically, spring day light savings can be rough, but not this year.  This could be because after losing 3 hours coming home from Las Vegas last year, one hour doesn’t seem so bad.  The good food, brew, and company didn’t hurt either.

 

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We had an awesome day and I was in bed early Sunday night with my book after an eventful weekend.  I had no difficulty falling asleep and only woke up this morning when my alarm started beeping 10 hours later.  This morning’s breakfast was a variation of this recipe smothered in almond butter before CrossFit.  I wasn’t sure what to expect from this morning’s workout, but the Harlem shake picture definitely had me laughing.  And I was excited to wear the new headband that I picked up at Athleta yesterday!

 

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This morning’s workout was 7 reps max weight of snatches with rest in between.  We started off by breaking down the motion and then practicing on some light bars.  I wasn’t sure what to expect or what I would be able to do, but I ended up in a group of three girls lifting weight, giving feedback on form, and working together to safely add more weight. I was able to lift 55-65-75-75-75-75-75.  Not to shabby for my first attempt at snatches.

 

After CrossFit, I picked up the BOY for this week’s grocery store run and meal planning.  I was starving and actually craving some protein with lunch on the brain.  Let me tell you…if you are ever shopping at Mariano’s and hungry for lunch, swing by the meat counter and have them grill you up a chicken breast.  I finished my shopping and on the way to check out, scooped up my lunch.  The BOY did the same with a white arugula pizza.

 

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On the way home, I remembered that I had leftover salad from Saturday night (that my friend made and sent home with me).  You can’t see it in the picture, but this salad also has goat cheese, cranberries, pine nuts, and I added chopped chicken and avocado.

 

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The BOY was right when he said that this is a restaurant quality lunch.  I totally agree!  Thanks to Mariano’s and Dana this is one of the best salads I’ve had in awhile!  I only had a short amount of time to eat lunch before it was time to leave again.  Although I didn’t know when I made the appointment that today would be rainy, a massage really is the BEST thing to do on a day like today.  I had a $20 off coupon to use before the end of the month, and I basked in the 60 minutes of relaxation while hands firmly worked out the tension and knots in my back and neck.  It was pure bliss and only afterwards did I return home to camp out indoors for the rest of the day.  With such a busy weekend, I had a lot to do.

 

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Some of which included getting my food prepared for the week ahead.  Nothing says rainy days like chili.  One of the things that I love about this new slow cooker book is that it has separate chapters on soup, stew, and chili.  They are plenty of recipes to choose from!

 

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I used the Mushroom Chili recipe but added in some eggplant since the beautiful purple veggies was on sale.  I ended up with a thick batch of chili, so I decided to stir in a cup of vegetable broth before cooking.

 

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I’m looking forward to digging into this thick and hearty chili soon!

 

 

This Week’s Meal Plan…

 

Monday: Breakfast for Dinner (the BOY’s request)

Featuring Challah French Toast, Eggs, and Potatoes

 

Tuesday: BBQ Turkey Meatballs

 

Wednesday: Chicken or Salmon with Veggies

 

Thursday: Leftovers

 

Friday: Trip to St. Louis!!!

 

Lunch: Portobello and Eggplant Chili (recipe below)

 

 

 

Portobello and Eggplant Chili

Adapted from The Big Book of Slow Cooker Recipes

 

Ingredients

3 Portobello mushrooms, cleaned well and cubed

1 small eggplant, cubed

1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 28 ounce and 1 15 ounce canned tomatoes, drained lightly (or you can use chopped fresh tomatoes)

1 jalapeno, seeded, deveined, and minced

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup low sodium vegetable broth

 

Directions

Place all ingredients into a slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray.

Stir well and cook on low for 8 hours.

 

 

How do you deal with dreary?

Me? I dream of SPRING!

 

 

Half Homemade January 26, 2013

Filed under: Clean Eating,Lunch,Yoga — Luv What You Do @ 1:58 pm
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Before I even start this post, I should warn you that this is my first time attempting to use Windows Live Writer on my new computer.  I have no idea how it will work because the BOY set everything up for me, and he doesn’t even know the name of my blog…LOL!  One of the things I still haven’t done is move my pictures and Eye-Fi onto this computer. I am so spoiled because my photos automatically upload, but I haven’t switched that around yet.  It’s on my list of things (along with update music and take car for an oil change) to do this weekend.

 

I must say that snow is much more beautiful in the day light and when you don’t have to commute to work.  The BOY and I were both up earlier than expected this morning.  After a simple breakfast of banana walnut oatmeal and Elixer, I hit the road for Hot Yoga.  The class was warm, intense, and rewarding.  I felt strong in my balance poses, lightness in Warrior II, and utter fatigue in chair pose.  I know that I have mentioned this before, but I really do feel different when my diet is clean.

 

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After yoga, I picked up Mediterranean for lunch.  Our favorite place just happens to be on my way home from the studio.  Although their pita is amazing, I knew I had some sprouted wraps and homemade hummus at home.  I ordered my favorite Fattoush salad with grilled chicken with plans to create a half homemade lunch that was clean and satisfying. 

 

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While the BOY dug right into his lunch, I created 2 grilled chicken wraps.  One with garlic hummus and the other using this new Roasted Red Pepper Spread from the Forks Over Knives Cookbook that I whipped up earlier in the week.

 

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Both wraps turned out incredible!  With my salad on the side, even the BOY commented about how good my lunch looked.

 

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I’m sorry I didn’t get more pictures, but after this morning’s workout, I was starving!  I will tell you that this spread is really easy and versatile, and I would recommend using it to spice up your sandwiches.

I’m heading upstairs to pack and take a nap before heading into the city for a bachelorette party tonight.  See you tomorrow!

 

 

How do you eat clean on the weekends? 

Do you ever make ‘half homemade’ lunches?

 

 

 

Roasted Red Pepper Spread

From Forks Over Knives

 

Ingredients

2 cups or 1 15- ounce can great northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 red bell pepper, roasted (I used jarred)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

3 tbsp finely chopped dill (or 1 tsp dried)

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Salt to taste

 

Directions

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth and creamy.

Store in the refrigerator.

 

Taking My Time January 12, 2013

Filed under: Lunch,Running — Luv What You Do @ 1:32 pm
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With not much on the daily agenda today, I definitely eased my way into the day.  Are you sensing a weekend theme here?  This definitely seems to be the new start to my Saturday, and I LIKE it!  10 hours of sleep followed by a spinach egg wrap for breakfast and chased down with a probiotic shot.  Usually there is some Law&Order to follow, but the BOY put his foot down this morning on the L&O.  Instead I procrastinated on my computer while sipping on a mug of mango black tea.  Eventually, I wandered upstairs to change into my running clothes and laced up my sneakers just as Indiana tipped off for their 11am game.

 

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Looks like spring?!

 

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Almost!  There was just enough strength behind the wind to remind me that it was still winter.

 

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My plan for today was to try to up my miles a bit for some extra time outdoors.  The path was pretty busy for a Saturday in January.  I’m sure the BOY would be shocked to know all of these people were not sitting at home in 10 year old paper-think IU t-shirts and were instead taking full advantage of this mild weather.  A few miles in, it was decision time, and I decided to go for the 6 miles.  With my eyes off my watch, I listened to my body.  For the last mile and a half, I felt like I was moving in slow motion, so I was surprised to see that I ran a little over 6 miles in just under an hour.  A 6 mile run was exactly what my mind and body needed today!  I walked in the door to a happy BOY and a 14 point Indiana lead.

 

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There was some discussion about heading out for lunch, but we ended up re-raiding the fridge/freezer.  I had a small bowl of my Mom’s veggie soup and a Random Rice bowl.

 

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Brown Rice + Mashed Sweet Potato + Veggie Burger

 

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A tasty and filling lunch that I devoured during the stressful end to the Indiana game.  That was the longest 40 seconds ever!  But IU pulled out a conference victory.  Despite another exciting Big Ten game, the BOY and I are heading out to run a few errands.  He’s very excited..ha ha!  Actually,  he needs some notebooks for the first day of class on Tuesday, so Target here we come!

 

Second Workout of the Year January 7, 2013

Filed under: Breakfast,Crock Pot,Lunch,Running,Soup — Luv What You Do @ 6:52 pm
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I slept 12 hours last night!

 

I’m not exactly sure what that means or why that happened, but my eyelids were heavy around 9:30pm last night and when I opened them this morning it was almost 10am.  Crazy!

 

First thing I did this morning was check on my STEW.  Then, I whipped up some breakfast (so I could take this morning’s round of antibiotics) and for the sake of my stomach threw back a GoodBelly shot.

 

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Breakfast was an egg with spinach on a sprouted wrap covered in salsa.

 

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The perfect pre workout fuel which I devoured while watching last night’s Biggest Loser episode.  After breakfast, I bundled up (check out my adorable new headband) and hit the path for a run.

 

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I had a few things working against me on this run.  The main one being the war waging in my gut between my antibiotic and probiotic.  I wanted my antibiotic to win the battle in my sinuses and was hoping the probiotic could pull out victory in the gut.  Since it was my first run in over 2 weeks, I had little expectation.  I set out on a 4.6 mile out and back route knowing that I could walk at any time and even cut the route by 1/2 mile if needed.  By the time I made it to the path, I was happy that I had worn my trail shoes.  Despite the almost fully melted snow in our neighborhood, the concrete path was about 50% snow with intermittent patches.  But the sun was shining bright and the forest preserve peaceful…it was easy to put one foot in front of the other and enjoy my first run of the year.  I was slow and tired when I rounded the corner back onto our street and my runner’s high was slightly lessened by the dull ache in my sinuses.  My watch read just under 47 minutes making this morning’s run a slow and steady second workout of the year.

 

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I was definitely ready for a late lunch.  I poured Chickpea, Butternut Squash, and Red Lentil Stew onto a mix of couscous and quinoa for a satisfying post run meal.

 

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The entire time I was eating my lunch, I kept exclaiming how amazing this stew tastes!

 

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This is seriously one of the best meals that has ever come out of my crockpot!

 

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And my crockpot works hard so that is definitely saying something!  I ate lunch with some cucumber water (I have been getting really tired of plain water, so if you have suggestions on how to spice it up, please let me know) and a grapefruit that I split with the BOY (who was not interested in trying my stew).

 

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After lunch, the BOY and I went out to run a few errands.  It was such a warm and sunny day!  Check out what we discovered while out and about 4 minutes from our house.  A Yogurtland!!!!

 

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A few hours later, we came home to drop of our groceries and shopping bags.  Then, decided on an early dinner at Mediterranean.

 

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There was some talk while we were out about planning meals for the weak, but we really didn’t hammer anything out.  Although I’d like to get back to meal planning this year, I was okay winging it this week because we have tons of homemade leftovers crowding the fridge.  For dinner, I ordered a salad with juicy and flavorful chicken.

 

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It was a healthy way to end an entire day of clean eating and exercise!  I’ve got a few dark chocolate squares for dessert and I know the BOY will be eager to find a few of these hiding in the freezer.

 

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As of now, I am resting my tired legs (man, it feels SO good to be sore) while watching the Indiana v Penn State Basketball game.  After the long weekend, I feel like I am still on vacation (did I already forget those 3 days of work last year).  I have a full week back in the swing of things coming up, and I have a feeling I will be in bed early again tonight (although I don’t think I can get another 12 hours of sleep).

 

Hope you had a Marvelous Monday!

 

Home for 24 Hours October 21, 2012

Filed under: Life,Lunch — Luv What You Do @ 7:28 pm
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After a week, I have bid farewell to my puppy friends for about 24 hours at home before I am on to my next adventure.

 

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The BOY was happy to greet me at the door to discuss our plans for the day.  A gorgeous 60 degree Sunday with no Bears game left endless possibilities.  If you’re a frequent reader of the blog, then you won’t be surprised by our decision.  We made a quick stop at the farmer’s market, then on to Mariano’s, and home for an afternoon out back.

 

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I made us a colorful salad.

 

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We cracked open some beers.  Check out the Midwest brew support!

 

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The BOY made himself a burger with this fresh pretzel bun and made me some grilled garlic chicken.

 

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We set up out back for lunch al fresco, but after a few bites of food, the bees were swarming and we were pushed indoors to finish our lunch.

 

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I can’t get over how warm and sunny it is today!  I’m so happy to be home and hanging out with the BOY.  But I am even more excited for tomorrow. 

 

Can you guess where I’ll be tomorrow night???

 

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Ahhhhh August 27, 2012

Filed under: Biking,Bread,Life,Lunch — Luv What You Do @ 9:12 pm
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Thank you everyone for the sweet birthday wishes and comments this weekend!  It is always fun to share the celebration (and of course the recipes) with ya’ll!

 

I have been waiting all summer for this 4 day weekend as I transition from Fridays off back to Mondays off, and it worked out so well to have it be the weekend of my birthday.  It gives me an entire day to relax, recoup, and recharge after a crazy busy summer and an exciting weekend.  Although the BOY and I mostly laid low yesterday, it was nice to catch up on some sleep last night!

 

I woke up this morning with (insert sigh of relief here)…

Ahhhhh, an entire day to myself!  First up, Chai tea in my new tea press!

 

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It turned out incredible!  I’m so excited to have this fancy new toy (I bought it on sale at Sur La Table yesterday) for hot and premade iced tea.  It complimented my breakfast which consisted of a spinach egg with toast and Door County jam.

 

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First up on today’s list…

 

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Laundry

 

And…

 

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Dishes

 

Then, I was off for my morning bike ride.  One can never have too many pairs of socks with colorful bikes on them!

 

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Since my toe is feeling so much better, I tried to get into my spin shoes, but it was just too painful, so I was back on my hybrid again today.  In a few weeks, my mom and I are doing a (modified) Century Ride.  The game plan is ride ~60 miles, and I have not been getting in any long (more than 25 mile) rides.  So today, I headed out for a long ride!

 

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I wasn’t exactly sure how far I would ride, but I hit the trail first…then headed up north.  I hit some serious construction early on, and had to fend for myself along the busy roads.  But I made my way to the quiet streets lined with barns, farm animals, and huge homes.  It was beautiful!  I even saw this funny sign that says Farm Machinery Crossing.  Have you ever seen such a thing?

 

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Despite the construction, I found my way back home.  I was feeling great until I hit mile 30 and  got a wicked side cramp, which never happens to me while I’m biking.  I finished the last 5 miles, but had to slow down a bit.  When I got home, my legs were sore, but it felt great to get in a long and scenic ride this morning.

 

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After a super quick shower, I was ready for a late lunch.  We have tons of Fiesta leftovers that I was able to turn into a fresh colorful salad, with a veggie burger for some added protein.

 

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I think this might be my new favorite plate!!!

 

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And this might be the best salad that I’ve ever made!  It was so tasty that it didn’t need any dressing!

 

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The only thing that could top it…an amazing dessert involving THESE (but we’ll get to that!).

 

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First, I should show you a few of my accomplishments besides laundry, dishes, and getting a new phone from AT&T.

 

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Before

 

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After

 

Ok, now on to the yummy part of the post…

While I was nibbling on these dark chocolate covered raisins from Trader Joe’s last week, I came to the conclusion that they would taste unbelievable in banana bread.  I HAD to test my theory.  I even picked up some overripe bananas at the store for just this reason.

 

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If you’ve been reading LWYD for a while, then you have probably seen a fair share of banana bread recipes.  I have a bunch of them in my recipe binder and have found even more online.  For today’s bread, I went with Mom’s Banana Bread from Cooking Light.  Can you believe that I’ve had this recipe in my binder since 1996?!

I followed the banana bread recipe exactly.

 

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But only stirred the flour mixture briefly…

 

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Before dumping in the majority of the dark chocolate covered raisins.

 

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I folded in the raisins until everything was just combined and then poured the dough into 4 prepared mini loaf pans.

 

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I was worried that the raisins would sink to the bottom, but when I pulled the bread out of the oven 40 minutes later, it looked PERFECT!

 

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I let the bread cool slightly and then immediately sliced off a piece to try…

 

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The banana flavor in the bread was incredible, and the bread was full of warm, gooey dark chocolaty covered sweet raisins, that made my mouth very happy!

 

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As strange as it may sound, banana bread and dark chocolate covered raisins make the perfect couple!

 

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You should give it a try!!!  I recommend making the mini loafs to share with your friends!

Then sit back and say…Ahhhhh!

 

Here is my long list of favorite Banana Bread Recipes:

Classic Banana Bread

Clean Banana Bread

Flour’s Famous Banana Bread

One Bowl Banana Bread Walnut Bread

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Rum Coconut Banana Bread

Strawberry Banana Bread

 

 

On another note, I spent some time this weekend updating my Being Me (had to change my age and all), Eating Well, and Staying Active pages.  Next on my list is the Recipe Page.

 

And because Monday can never have enough randomness, I have to share the exciting news…

Mariano’s in Schaumburg (less than 2 miles from my house) opens tomorrow!  The BOY and I are already planning a trip there tomorrow night!

 

I hope you had a great Monday!  What did you do???

 

 

Dark Chocolate Covered Raisin Banana Bread

From Mom’s Banana Bread in Cooking Light

November 1996

 

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Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup light butter, softened

1 2/3 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)

1/4 cup skim milk

1/4 cup low-fat sour cream

2 large egg whites

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 container of Trader Joe’s dark chocolate covered raisins

Cooking spray

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine sugar and butter in a bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add banana, milk, sour cream, and egg whites; beat well, and set aside.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; stir well. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, beating until just blended.  Fold in chocolate covered raisins

Spoon batter into 4 (5 x 2 1/2-inch) miniature loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Let cool completely on wire racks.

Note: To make one 9-inch loaf, spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; bake at 350º for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Yield: 1 loaf, 20 servings (serving size: 1 slice).

 

Will Hike for Pizza August 15, 2012

Filed under: Dessert,Exercise,Lunch — Luv What You Do @ 9:42 pm
Tags: , , , ,

There were so many incredible Lake Michigan pictures that I felt they deserved their own post.  Plus, the BOY and I came up with this title while we were hiking in Whitefish Dunes State Park on Friday.  We came up with another alternative title, which you will see in Chapter 2.  If you are not so into nature pictures, then just scroll on down to Chapter 2 for the food!

 

Chapter 1

Will Hike for Pizza

 

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Chapter 2

The BOY and the ‘Fun Guy’

 

After a gorgeous hike, the BOY and I headed off to Wild Tomato for lunch.  Warning: we were super hungry, so there is a lot of food in these pictures.  Don’t judge us!

 

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The Fun Guy
Definition: A mushroom pizza with five types of sautéed mushrooms, spinach, and caramelized onions on garlic cream cheese.

 

 

Chapter 3

We’re Baaack!

 

Embarrassing as this is to admit, we headed back to Wild Tomato for dinner after kayaking on Sunday.  All I can tell you is that I discovered a new awesome beer which was suggested by our kayak guide (Alaskan White) and the Best Cheese Curds EVER!  I went with the salmon sandwich and I all I can say is DELISH!

 

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Epilogue

Somehow There Was Room for Dessert

 

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