Month: September 2014

Crockpot Queen

Luv What You Do Chicken, Crock Pot, Life , , , , ,

Yesterday, my Google calendar was so packed, it didn’t all fit on the screen.

 

First thing…a phone conference with a potential Day Of wedding planner.  It is clear to me that I want someone else running the show that weekend and finding the right person and one that I can afford will take some effort.  At the same time, I got this week’s lunch into the crockpot.  I got a new crockpot yesterday (which has me super excited) but I didn’t have it cleaned and ready to go yet in the morning.  By the way, have you heard about the new wireless crockpot?  I will be registering for one FOR SURE and perhaps changing the title of my blog to Crockpot Queen : )  Crockpot brand if you’re listening…I’m happy to be a tester for you!!!

IMG_20140930_082222873_HDR

Next up, I was excited to get my sweat on for my weekly training session but had to wash up quickly to meet a DJ for a wedding interview.

IMG_20140929_100141736

Two and a half hours of music and lighting talk later, I was thoroughly overwhelmed and yet super excited for our wedding which is over a year away.  I had barely enough time to walk in the door and shower before my mom scooped me up (since I wasn’t ready she kept busy playing with her favorite kitty).  We drove out to Geneva to meet up with friends at All Chocolate Kitchen.

IMG_20140929_155634956_HDR

I have heard only amazing things about this place and was psyched to dig into my dark chocolate sea salt gelato.  It was unbelievably tasty!  And there are plenty more things for me to come back and try.  We had to eat and run to make my 4pm appointment to try on wedding dresses.  This appointment was way more successful than my first appointment and I found a few dresses that I liked but I’m still looking.  After dresses, I had one last appointment with another planner…Ahh!  It was a long day!

I had the BOY’s help in finishing up my crockpot meal, which turned out fantastic!   Needless to say, I crashed into bed last night.

 

Meal Planning 9/30/14

Tuesday: Taco Tuesday

Wednesday: BBQ Ribs and Veggies

Thursday: Dinner on the Go

Lunch: Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup

 

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup

From Foxes Loves Lemons

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes (I used 28oz)

1/2 pound (raw) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 1#)

3 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup chopped white onion

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicy!)

4 ounces (uncooked) dry whole wheat penne pasta

Directions

  1. In slow cooker, stir together garlic, bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, chicken, broth, onion, 1/3 cup cheese, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes. Cook on high 3-1/2 hours or on low 7 hours.
  2. Transfer chicken breasts to cutting board and coarsely shred; return to slow cooker. Stir in pasta. Cook on high 30 minutes longer or until pasta is cooked al dente.
  3. Serve garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and chopped basil or parsley.

*I think that you could add in spinach!

 

What do you think about a wireless crockpot?

Life Lately {Happy Fall}

Luv What You Do Life , , ,

Although I have been Lazy No More IRL (in real life), that has not applied to my blogging…Sorry friends!

Here’s what’s been going on in my life lately…

IMG_20140927_161706

Wedding Dress Shopping

 

IMG_20140925_124759929 IMG_20140925_132309

Eating Ramen with the Family

 

IMG_20140923_213528

Watching the Leaves Change

 

IMG_20140925_150706863 IMG_20140925_202429746

Making Apple Cinnamon Puppy Chow (recipe below)

 

IMG_20140927_184834428_HDR

Appreciating Beautiful Fall Sunsets

 

IMG_20140928_114309063

Drinking Bubbles

 

IMG_20140927_184057

And then Some More Bubbles

 

What have you been doing lately?

 

Apple Cinnamon Puppy Chow

From A Pumpkin & A Princess

Ingredients

8 cups Cinnamon Apple Chex cereal

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2+ tsp apple pie spice

Directions

Melt white chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave, stir until well combined.

Pour half of the melted white chocolate and 1 tsp of apple pie spice onto the cereal, mix then pour the remaining chocolate and apple pie spice. Continue stirring until Chex cereal is evenly coated.

Coat cereal with powdered sugar. I start with 1 cup of powdered sugar and slowly add another 1/2 cup if desired.

Eat and Enjoy!  Store in Freezer…yum!

Lazy No More!

Luv What You Do Dessert, Fruit, Holidays , , , , ,

Although parts of me LOVE a little time off…my skinny jeans don’t (or any of my pants, really!), so after a few weeks of extra sleep, ice cream, and wine it was time to get back to my healthier routine.  Yesterday morning, when my alarm went off I was out on the path for a pre work run.  I had to work yesterday in order to take Thursday off for the holiday.  Then this morning, after some serious cuddles with Cooper, I was out the door in the pitch black for the 6am strength class that I haven’t been to in a LONG time.

IMG_20140923_065405142

I know that I will be sore tomorrow, but it was great to be back!

After a long day of work, I came home to pack my bag and bake up a sweet treat for the start of the Jewish New Year!

IMG_20140923_205350905

I needed an easy, few ingredient recipe that I could throw together quickly tonight, and of course I found that on Pinterest.

IMG_20140923_210147583 IMG_20140923_210304462_HDR IMG_20140923_210340832_HDR

Our house smelled fantastic!!!  Like warm butter and cake batter…yum!  Looking forward to digging in tomorrow and celebrating the start of an exciting and active new year with my family!

IMG_20140923_084316788

Happy First Day of Fall!

 

Fresh Apple Cake

From A. Liz Adventures

Ingredients

3 apples, sliced thinly (I used granny smith)

1 Package yellow cake mix

1 Stick of butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray the bottom of a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.  Layer in apples, cake mix, and then drizzle with butter.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.  Serve warm with ice cream.

Sometimes I’m a Little Bit Lazy

Luv What You Do Crock Pot, Life , ,

And this last week has been one of those lazy times!

IMG_20140919_212624237

I’m sure my definition of ‘lazy’ is a little off the actual textbook definition of lazy.  But compared to my typical activity level, this last week plus has just been lazy.  Minus the half marathon of course (although even my training for that was a bit lazy).  I’ve been lazy about my blogging…lazy about my workouts…lazy about cleaning my house…you get the drift!

IMG_20140919_074203778

The thing is that because I am usually on the go, I figure that my body and mind need a little break sometimes.  So I give them a break, try not to feel too guilty about it, and then pick up the pieces and move on.  Until then, I’ve been keeping myself busy with Starbucks runs and Cooper cuddles.  Today was one of the laziest days of all…I didn’t even shower.  I did make it to the grocery store and we made our first crockpot full of chili of the season.

 IMG_20140921_184626188_HDR

#fallfavorites

It turned out amazing and reminded me why I LOVE Sundays in September…even when the Bears play on Monday : )

So after a lazy week, I’m ready to move forward with a healthy meal plan, exercise, and the start to the Jewish new year.

IMG_20140827_070213744

Meal Planning 9/21/14

Sunday: Crockpot Turkey Chili

Monday: Salmon and Veggies

Tuesdays: Pork and Veggies

Wednesday: Home for the Holidays!

Thursday: Rosh Hashanah

 

Do you ever feel lazy?

One Pot

Luv What You Do Chicken, Crock Pot , ,

My legs were definitely lecturing me this morning on the importance of proper training.  Although I was able to walk, from my first step, my hamstrings were screaming with every step.  They toughed it through my strength workout this morning because we focused only on arms and back.  Then, my body got the TLC that it needed with an incredible massage.

IMG_20140915_122314204

On my way home, I swung by the grocery store.  Last week, I ran out of food before Thursday’s lunch, so I was hoping to come up with a better plan this week. Part of last week’s problem was that the BOY loved the Teriyaki Chicken so much that there weren’t as many leftovers as I expected.  Not the worst problem to have…

IMG_20140915_145025585

So I’m sure you’ve already figured out that the title of this post is referring to my favorite kind of pot…the crockpot.  This afternoon, I tried an experiment. I took one of the best and easiest crockpot recipes that I know and combined it in a ziploc bag.  Since the BOY is home tomorrow and I work, he can easily throw everything into the crockpot in the afternoon and dinner will be ready when I get home.

IMG_20140915_142835404_HDR

I know that there are a lot of people who freeze their crockpot recipes ahead of time and I am beginning to see the appeal.  It would be easy to double a recipe, throwing half in the crockpot and half in the freezer for a later date.  Once I had the peanut chicken stored in the fridge, I moved onto this week’s lunch.  A Pinterest find from the recipe geniuses over at Pinch of Yum.

IMG_20140915_201630812

The weather is just chilly enough for me to start craving soups and stews.  What attracted me to this recipe was the spices and flavors.  When I walked in the door after my dinner date with a friend, the house smelled heavenly.  Sadly, I will have to wait tomorrow for my first taste, but I’m sure it will be wonderful.  A lot of goodness can come from ONE POT!

What are you excited to make this fall?

What is your favorite make ahead recipe?

 

Meal Planning 9/15/14

Monday: Sushi Date

Tuesday: Clean Peanutty Thai Chicken

Wednesday: Pork on the Grill

Thursday: Salmon and Veggies

Lunch: Slow Cooker Creole Chicken and Sausage

 

Slow Cooker Creole Chicken and Sausage

From Pinch of Yum

Ingredients

The essentials:

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 12 ounces smoked Andouille sausage, cut into small rounds
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted)
  • 2 green bell peppers, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ½ cup tomato sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne

Optional extras: check out the website to see what else you can use!

*I would also consider adding in some okra…Yum!

Directions

  1. Place the essential ingredients in the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3 hours.
  2. Shred the chicken directly in the crockpot to your desired texture. Add the extras, if you want, and cover and cook for another 20-30 minutes. When everything is ready, taste the chicken mixture and season with salt. Serve the creole chicken over rice and topped with green onions.

13.1 is Done!

Luv What You Do Races, Running , ,

So I feel like there were points leading up to this race where I feared it would be my first DNF (did not finish).  My training was either non existent (ie weekend in Memphis) or poor.  I struggled to get through my long runs and my heart just wasn’t in it.  Yet when I woke up this morning, I was ready for whatever the day threw  my way.  It certainly helped that my my parents met me at my house so we could drive together to the race.  The BOY, who is still sick, got to sleep in.

IMG_20140914_080310047_HDR

What made this well-organized race so fun was the ease of getting there, the lack of crazy crowds, and the laid back vibe.  It’s actually at the same location where I ran the Hot Cider Hustle last fall.  Even better…the weather was PERFECT for a run!

IMG_20140914_082431692_HDR

I easily found my friend and was looking forward to catching up again.  We’ve done a bunch of bike rides and runs together this year, including the Soldier Field 10 Miler.  About 5 minutes before the start of the race, we found our way to the start line.  I didn’t have a set plan, which is so not like me, but figured I would find a steady pace and do the best I could.

IMG_20140914_082457606_HDR

I was so disorganized that I almost didn’t start my watch at the start.  The course weaves through a beautiful forest preserve.  My friend and I found an easy pace of running and conversation.  I was surprised at how good I was feeling as I trudged along.  I barely looked at my watch so I had no idea what my pace was but I still felt decent as we passed the 9:10 pace group with about 3 miles to go.  In the end, I even found a little kick as we raced to the finish line where my parents were waiting with cameras finishing just under 2 hours.

20140914_102922 20140914_102918 (1)

Although I didn’t train to PR this race, I also didn’t want it to be my slowest race ever.  I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to maintain a 9:05 pace and finish feeling pretty darn good.

20140914_102938

The reward was lunch at Naf Naf.  The BOY’s choice but since he couldn’t join us we sent pictures!

IMG_20140914_114044075_HDR IMG_20140914_114048276_HDR

I spent the rest of my afternoon walking around the mall with my mom, which was probably great for my legs and sipping on Starbucks chai tea.  Now I am planted on the couch watching the Bears game and beginning to feel all of my muscles talk to me.  Thankfully, I have a well timed massage scheduled tomorrow!

It’s a Good Thing We Don’t Have a Reality Show

Luv What You Do Bread, Breakfast, Life , , , , ,

Because then you would all see how crazy we are!

Excitedly, I pointed out to the BOY that I couldn’t even remember the last time we went to sleep without setting an alarm as we crawled into bed before 10pm last night.  I was exhausted from my work week and fully aware that a good night’s sleep would be necessary to propel me to the finish line at tomorrow’s 13.1 mile race.  I should also point out that the BOY is sick (which is why he went to bed so early).  He has a stuffed nose, kleenex everywhere, can’t leave the house and I’m drinking tea non stop kind of sick. Ugh!  Apparently this is also the kind of sick that according to the BOY does not require medical intervention (insert eye roll here…)

So this morning when he woke up around 5am because he is sick and couldn’t sleep and came downstairs to discover that his precious, most prized possession La-Z-boy was broken, things got a little out of hand.  There was some hammering, some flipping of the chair, and some more construction.  All of this drove Cooper into  tizzy causing him to come whining loudly and incessantly at my door.  Until I opened the door, where he jumped onto my pillow allowed me to pet him a few times before biting me.  Which got him immediately removed from the room by the BOY who was eager to come share the tales of his morning.  People…I couldn’t make this stuff up if  tried!

IMG_20140913_093903536

I told the BOY that he needed to feed Cooper (‘but it’s only 6am’…’yes that’s what time I wake up every day and feed him’).  The BOY moved himself and all of his possessions taking over my couch and Cooper was able to scarf down breakfast in one bite.  Feeling calmer, he returned to my room.  After exploring the entire room twice, he finally curled up between my legs where we both fell back asleep.

IMG_20140913_082440211 IMG_20140913_082540035

Around 8am, when I finally woke up for real, the BOY returned to bed stating that he needed to be woken up at 9:20 so that he could be the first one at the La-Z-boy store when it opened at 10.  I whipped up French Toast for breakfast and brewed a strong pot of tea!

IMG_20140913_082304229

I don’t know about where you are, but we’ve had a cold spell.  It’s supposed to be 60 degrees this weekend but it’s been much more chilly than that the past few days making it the PERFECT morning to bake my #firstloafoftheseason of Pumpkin Bread.  I found this recipe on Pinterest (in between pinning wedding ideas).  With the BOY asleep and my eager assistant chef busy searching for hidden treats, I got to work.

IMG_20140913_084609266_HDR

This recipe makes 3 big loaves which was perfect…one for us, one for my friend running with me tomorrow, and one for the birthday party I’m going to this afternoon.  I didn’t have enough oil, so I subbed in applesauce.  This recipe is really easy and has lots of spice (my favorite) so perfect for a Saturday morning breakfast.  I popped my bread in the oven, eagerly awaiting the smells of fall, and happily settled onto my couch for a a Law&Order marathon.

IMG_20140913_100332

When the BOY woke up, he decided to call the store instead (much smarter idea) but sadly discovered that someone cannot come out to fix his precious chair for another week or so.  It’s going to be an interesting few days.  But at least we’ve got warm tea and pumpkin bread to get us through…

 

Autumn Pumpkin Bread

From Hope in Every Season

Ingredients

1 29oz. can pumpkin puree

1 1/2 c. oil

3 c. sugar

6 eggs

4 3/4 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp. cloves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 and grease 3 loaf pans.  Mix the pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs.  Combine the dry ingredients and then stir into the wet mixture.  Pour into pans and bake 45 min. or until done all the way through.

 

Have you made anything with pumpkin yet?

It Took Me Long Enough…

Luv What You Do Chicken, Crock Pot, Life , , ,

To get to my goals and all…

IMG_20140907_184046735_HDR

I’ve been working hard during the week, getting fall yoga started with a camping themed class for the little ones, pinning wedding related stuff, crossing my fingers that we are close to finalizing a venue, and celebrating Girl’s Weekend in Memphis!  There’s only so much time in the day and some many days in the week and I’ve been spending it the good way…which means that I am late on my September goals.  If  you’ve hung out with me lately, then you’re probably not super surprised as I’ve been going non stop.  More surprising is that I even remembered that I made August goals : )

IMG_20140908_165714405

I have also neglected to share a fantastic new crockpot recipe with you.  Just in time for the weather to cool and me to bust out my fussy socks.  What’s super funny is that one of my coworkers (who follows my Pinterest board) also made the same Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken this week.  The only bad thing about this recipe is that the BOY devoured a HUGE plate and I don’t have any leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

IMG_20140909_202057503

So as you can see below, this wasn’t the most productive month is some ways, but it was definitely a memorable one in others!

IMG_20140807_164716

August Goals

1. Go to the farmer’s market and eat more greens-FAILED IT!

2. Throw a fiesta–ROCKED IT!

3. Progress half marathon training-TIED IT!

IMG_20140802_094252

September/October Goals

1. Really start eating more greens

2. Do weekly yoga

3. Go for long bike rides

4. Volunteer for the marathon

5. Move forward with wedding plans

 

Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken

From Gimme Some Oven

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped white onion

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce (use low-sodium if desired)

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger

1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup cold water

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

(optional toppings: sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds)

Directions

Add the chicken breasts to the bottom of your slow cooker in a single layer.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the garlic, onion, honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and black pepper until combined. Pour the mixture on top of the chicken breasts. Cover slow cooker, and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily with a fork. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon to a separate bowl and shred it using two forks. Transfer the remaining teriyaki sauce from the slow cooker to a medium saucepan.

Meanwhile in a separate bowl, whisk together the cold water and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved and no longer lumpy. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the teriyaki sauce mixture, and whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, and let it boil for about 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, and pour the sauce on top of the shredded chicken. Toss to combine.

Serve topped with scallions (green onions) and toasted sesame seeds if desired.

 

What are your fall goals?  Is anyone else a little behind this fall?

Monday After Memphis

Luv What You Do Dinner, Life, Seafood , , ,

My weekend in Memphis was nothing shy of spectacular!  Sunday Funday with mimosas and these girls was such a treat!

IMG_20140907_161808

This  morning, I was on the 5:50am plane out of Memphis and back in Chicago shortly after 7am.  My first stop after cuddling Cooper was a nap.  I had to catch up on a little bit of sleep before the busy day ahead.  I happily and intentionally overindulged this weekend…think wine flights, beer, and pizza! 

IMG_20140907_165558879

Although I blew off my workout today, I had strong intentions of getting back into my healthy routine.  The BOY and I had our last venue appointment today (spoiler alert…we liked it a lot!), and then I ran off to Costco and the grocery store, making a quick stop for lunch along the way.

IMG_20140908_135232881

When I got home, there was a bunch to do.  It’s amazing how messy one boy can make our little house…ha ha!  I had paperwork to accomplish, laundry to clean, Scandal to binge watch, and of course more Cooper to cuddle.  Since the BOY was in class, I knew I could whip up my go to ‘get back on track’ dinner.  Salmon and veggies.  I also found a delicious bagged  salad that completed the meal.

IMG_20140908_182954875_HDR

It’s one week to go before my race, so I should be doing some sort of run tomorrow morning.  Which means…I’m off to bed!  But first, I’ll leave you with a funny picture of Cooper who backed himself (hind legs first) into the cabinet today.

IMG_20140908_153918

What is your get back on track meal?

What is on your meal plan this week?

Meal Planning 9/08/14

Monday: Teriyaki Salmon and Salad

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

Wednesday: BBQ Shrimp

Thursday: Leftovers

Tonight Instead of Pinning…

Luv What You Do Travel, Yoga ,

I am taking a break from pinning color schemes, flower arrangements, and unique wedding ideas tonight.  The BOY got started with dinner by making the turkey meat, which meant all I had to do was throw everything into the oven for our hearty Turkey Taco Casserole.  After kitten was loved and fed and dinner devoured, I got down to work.

IMG_20140624_075932350

Yoga is back! 

Our fall yoga starts tomorrow at work. I have full little yogi and junior yogi classes and maybe some high schoolers too.  Because some of the kids are the same, I definitely need to work on a creative new plan for tomorrow…and update my music again.  It’s going to be a FUN Fall!  I’m thinking tomorrow’s theme will be camping…in honor of the end of summer and all.

IMAG2714

I also need to get packing.  I leave for Memphis on Saturday before the sun rises, and I’m not sure when I will have time to collect my sun dresses and Sperry’s for my girl’s weekend of BBQ and mimosas : )

IMG_0557 IMG_0556

So as you can see…I kept myself busy with non wedding business.  I should confess (because I’d just feel bad if I didn’t) that even though I stayed away from my ‘Fall in Love’ wedding board ( I spent most of my time on the Yoga Kids board), I did contact a few photographers.  A bride-to-be never rests! 

Yet that is exactly what I need to do.  I’ve got plans for an early morning run!

Do you use Pinterest?  What is your favorite board/thing to pin?