Post-Mexico Eats & Activities

Hey errbody!  (does anybody else immediately think of Tipsy - errrrbody in the club gettin' tipsy?)

Anyways, it's freakin' Monday.
My day started at 6:30 with an early shift at the gym.
Two words: Reality Check.

Since coming back from Cabo, I've actually adjusted pretty well to normalcy.  Minus the fact that we're smack dab in the middle of midterm season, so stress levels are pretty high!

I promise to do some more Mexico recap but I want to fill you in on my Sunday and Monday! 


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Sunday!


Breakfast:
I was surprisingly well rested and ready for action by 7:30 - I think I'm still riding that post-vacay high.  So, I hopped out of bed and realized I was starving but I didn't have any groceries in the house!


Remedy?
Berry Coconut Whole Wheat Pancakes! 

I added 1/3 cup of whole wheat flour, 1 handful of frozen berries, 1/2 tsp of baking power, 1/3 cup of liquid (I only had water but I usually use almond milk), 2 packets of stevia, salt, and some coconut extract.  SERIOUSLY DELICIOUS! and filling!

Workout & Lunch
I did some silly errands around the apartment.... unpacking a bit, some emailing, some blogging... then I headed out for a much-needed run.

You know those runs that you KNOW will kick your ass?  This was one of them.  I chose a long, hilly run for my first post-vacay exercise just to show myself how out of shape I was.  I only went 9.5 out of the 10 planned miles (because I got super hungry and decided to walk...)

It's scary how fast a weeks worth of crappy (but amazing) food + unusual exercising catches up with you.

I got back to the apartment and realized, once again, NO GROCERIES!
Fall back?  Quinoa Veggie Stir Fry!
1/4 cup of tricolored quinoa, a cup of broccoli and frozen greens, 2/3 cup of meatless crumbles and soy sauce for some flavor -- this is one of my favorite meals, hands down.

I also had a serving of Trader Joe's Sweet and Salty Trail Mix - my favorite.  I routinely eat this for snacks and dessert.

Side note: here are the purchases I made from a jeweler in Mexicoooo!
My first diamond ring (on my ring finger) - white gold band with a diamond and a sapphire.
And a platinum and Swarovski crystal ring (middle finger) for kicks.

Activities and Dinner:
I made a beeline for the door shortly after my lunch (and a few phone calls to Dad and Mom so they knew I survived my Mexican adventure) and headed over to my lady friends' apartment for some catch up and gossiping!

Took a quick break for Trader Joes:
- meatless meatball, black bean and corn enchiladas, spinach, braburn apples, eggplant, feta, almond milk, greek yogurt, more quinoa, more flour, trader joe o's.... the works!

Then I headed home for a nap and an early welcome home dinner with the girls.
Indian food -- always has a special place in my heart!

Vegan Aloo Gobi: curried cauliflower and potatoes - extra spicy!

Roti - whole wheat, over-baked bread.

GUESS WHAT: I didn't have dessert.
Okay.. well I got hungry around 10 and had more trail mix... but check out my commitment to healthy(er) eating.  My body is still recovering from Mexico...

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MONDAY:


Breakfast & Work:
I was up at 6:30 for a much-needed yogurt bowl and cup of coffee.
Hello, weekday work schedule... how I loathe you.

1 1/2 cups of MultiGrain O's, Fat-free greek yogurt, blueberries, cinnamon, stevia, and almond milk.
I'm addicted to carbs + creamy yogurt.

I was actually thankful for my early morning start, because I got to study a bit before taking one of the hardest Arabic tests of my life!  Talk about reality check: work + test?? ON A MONDAY MORNING.

Lunch:
I was debating on if I wanted to just pick something up in between work and class... but I decided to be smart and back a yummy lunch.

BLTC: Turkey Bacon, Laughing Cow cheese, Spinach, Tomato on Whole Wheat. This sandwich was so good... I haven't had a BLT in ages and it sparked a craving!  Guess what I'll be having from now on :) I also had an apple on the side -- braburns are BOMB right now.

Workout & More Work:
I had class until 2 and then a break from 2-4....

This break is usually my nap time, but since I had work at 4, I decided to squeeze in a workout.  Easy 7 mile run -- sadly I only made it to about 6 before I walked home... I don't think my body remembers how to run.  I'm a bit angry.

My anger didn't last long, because I was back at the gym to work a fun environmentally-friendly fitness festival!  My job?? To make people rappel down the side of our gym....

 Yeah, they said I scared away the customers...
What's wrong with a creepy face and some croutch huggers?

I WAS SO HUNGRY because I only grabbed a banana after my run...
By the time I got home, this happened:

Baked potato topped with veggies and black bean soup + dollop of greek yogurt. 

Looks lovely, doesn't it?
I'm actually embarrassed to admit it was kind of tasty.  But, then again, I would have eaten an old shoe at that point.  I had more trail mix for dessert and my tummy has finally stopped growling at me...

I'm off to do more work... in the form of research papers + Arabic.
Welcome back, Casey. 

Valentine's Day & Working Non-Stop!

Happy Thursday, everybody!
I'm sorry I didn't fill you in on my valentine-less week -- I've been at work! (perfect excuse as to why I didn't have a date on the "big day"... I was working. That's legitimate, right?)

Rather than give you a play-by-play of my random eats, I thought I'd give you some pictures of the past two days and a new pancake recipe that I'm loving!

The Valentine's Day outfit: my attempt to look like a female for once... instead of rocking sweatpants and running shoes to class.

A box of vegan cinnamon rolls that awaited my arrival at work on V-day: Macadamia Nut, Smores, Coconut, and Honey Bun. Yeah, they were demolished before my shift was over

I've had to grab dinner out on both Tuesday and Wednesday night, thanks to my awkward working schedule that leaves me 30 minutes between class and my shift at the gym...

Valentine's day dinner was a MASSIVE salad from SF Soup Co.
I also order a Greek Salad but I make weird substitutions: Beets, Kalamata Olives, Roasted Red Peppers, Croutons, Jicama, Chopped Romaine, Low-fat Vinaigrette, and I add Grilled Chicken!

I also enjoyed a Carmel Nut Brownie Luna Bar for my chocolate fix (x2 on Vday! One was my snack.. gotta celebrate the holiday with chocolate, right?)

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WEDNESDAY -- THE MORNING AFTER!


Workout: 10 mile run.  It was a hard run, mentally.  I took Tuesday off and I swear my legs forget how to move after a rest day... I had to push myself.

I woke up starving... probably because I'm always hungry sooo that's actually not a surprise.
Cereal and oatmeal weren't going to cut it.
Pancakes... I woke up and all I wanted were those fluffy, carbs smothered in maple syrup.

Usually, I make my Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancake -- easy and delicious.
But today, I tried out a new recipe, inspired by CCK's millions of dense pancake recipes!


Thick and Delicious Blueberry Pancakes.

Ingredients:
-1/3 cup of flour (I typically use whole wheat)
- 2 tbsp of rolled oats
- 1/2 teas of baking powder
- smudge of salt
- 2 packets of stevia (or sweetener of choice)
- 1/3 cup of liquid (I used almond milk)
- a handful of blueberries
- add ins: maple extract & pumpkin spice. (optional!)

Directions: Mix together your dry ingredients before adding in your liquid.  The batter should be thick!  Yields 3-5 pancakes, depending on how big you make 'em!

Yummmmmy huh?
They were as good as they looked! Maybe even better...

I think I found a new obsession.

Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

Hey guys!  
How was your weekend?
I bet you're all watching the Grammy's right now -- anybody else laughing at Taylor Swift's outfit and morning the loss of Whitney Houston?  Rough weekend for the celebs....

I don't want to post about Saturday because a large portion of it was spent either lounging in bed or studying... however I do have an honorable mention!

Saturday's Workout:
As alluded to in my post title, this weekend was all about stepping out of my comfort zone.  My workout comfort zone to be exact.

I planned a speed workout on the track with a guy from the gym but I woke up on Saturday feeling really sore and lethargic -- my body and my brain were just exhausted.  There was no denying it.  So I rescheduled and ended up taking an active recovery rest day.  How?

I decided to grab my yoga mat and run a really slow three miles before heading to an hour-long vinyasa flow yoga class! Wow!  It was perfect -- I actually enjoyed every minute of it.  Surprisingly, I was sweating an insane amount thanks to all the power yoga positions and the core work (it was actually a workout, not just a stretching session).  I left feeling 10x more rejuvenated!

Saturday Night's Activities:
Nothing much happened, although if you ask any other college student I'm sure they'd have a different story.  Instead, I decided to head to my girl, Annie's, apartment for some gossip, microwaveable dinners, modern family, and a much-needed study sesh.

Then I ended up cuddling up with a cutie to watch some dumb and dumber (THAT MOVIE IS HILARIOUS and soooo underrated!) -- I didn't make it 10 minutes before falling asleep.  It was a perfect Saturday night.

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Sunday has been non-stop.  Basically, the exact opposite of my Saturday!  But, hey, that's the balance in life, right??  I always enjoy those busy days... as long as they are followed by rest days.

Breakfast:
I was up at 7 for my morning shift at the gym, so I stumbled into the kitchen to grab a steaming cup of pumpkin spice coffee and a yogurt/cereal bowl.  

Non-fat Greek Yogurt, Blueberry Syrup, Trader Joe's Multigrain O's, Slice Bananas, Blueberries, a sprinkle of stevia, and Cinnamon!  Topped with Almond Milk... of course


Workout:
I get off at 11 and I texted my speed workout buddy (who I canceled on) to see if he'd be down for a track session... I was kind of skeptical because I rarely work out right after work.  I usually need a nap and some food before.  But, his response was inspiring - "Hell yes, let's do this!!"

THEN, 3 of my male coworkers caught wind of my workout plans and decided to join... so I was kind of forced to go.  BUT, I'm SO glad I did.  I never ever do track workouts and I very rarely do speed work, so this was another stepping out of my comfort zone moment!

Our workout:

1. - 2 mile warm up 
2. - SuperSet x 4 times
1. 100 meter sprint
2. 25 push ups
3. 1 set of stadium stairs
4. 25 crunches

1. 1 mile cool down

My thoughts?  I got in 3.25 miles, some strength training, some core work, some speed, and some bonding time with the fellas.  I also got my ass kicked in the push up department (somebody has flubber arms).  I'll definitely be repeating this on a weekly basis. 

Lunch & More Surprises:

I came home to the greatest surprise!  Another Valentine's Day care package arrived from my cousin!  I told you how my sister and my two cousins (aka my best friends/coolest people ever) were my valentine's this year, right?  

This goodie bag was packed with twizzlers, HOMEMADE MUDDY BUDDIES (chex cereal covered in peanut butter and coated in chocolate and powdered sugar), tons of cute vday cards, and condoms ahahahhaha hilarious.  I love this girl.

I also had lunch courtesy of my cute sandwich man at the gym!  
On the menu today: Avocado and Ricotta Cheese Sandwich with extra cheese on homemade artisan bread, a fig newton, and a lemon cookie! I love Sunday shifts at the gym!

Dinner & More Work:
I had a 2-6 pm shift at the gym with my roomie - Jenny. 
We got Subway -- veggie foot longs for 5 bucks?  CANNOT BE BEAT.

And this is my current state:

Nice end to the weekend huh?
Of for a study date and a possible dance in the rain -- details to come.

From Miles to Mediterranean

HAPPY SATURDAY!! 
Anybody recovering from a crazy Friday night?? A long run?  A long work week?
Put me down for all of the above!

I had such a fun and excited Friday! But boy am I paying for it this morning -- I just can't seem to get out of bed and wake up (I've eaten both breakfast and lunch in bed!)

Breakfast:
I had one of my favorite breakfasts of ALL TIME!
It involves peanut butter... so.... that explains it all.

Peanut butter jars are a treasure around here but, unfortunately, they don't come around too often (lies, lies... I've gone through two this month).  Instead of filling up the jar with Overnight Oats or Warm Oatmeal.... I went with Trader Joe's Multigrain O's, bananas & blueberries


With each bite that got a bit o' pb leftovers, I swooned.

Workout:
10.5 miles.
Easy.
Hills.
Awkwardly had to run with my sports bra because it was too warm for my long sleeve.
I ran to one of my favorite spots and dedicated the run to Lisa's Grandfather who passed away recently... it was too beautiful not to share it with somebody special.

Lunch & SURPRISES!

I was kind of late getting back from my run so I threw together the quickest lunch I could find... it ended up being the tastiest of my Quinoa Leftovers so far!! 

Sauteed quinoa, turkey bacon, brussel sprouts and feta cheese with garlic salt and pepper. Wow the flavors were amazing.  That feta and bacon combo really stole the show... I also had a Carmel Nut Brownie luna bar.  Those things are da sheeeeit. 

However, I did have a little something special arrive in the mail just in time for Valentine's Day!  My sister's care package - filled with TONS of french chocolates, candies, and cookies from her recent trip to Paris.  And the most amazing card (I love my sister!) AND a Nutella cookbook!!!!

 She threw in an extra valentine - old school style - just for fun!

Honestly, I've been eating these dark chocolate caramels nonstop... don't even get me started with those butter crackers.  SISTERS make the best friends and the best valentines!

Dinner:
Originally, Annie and I were going to head to a great hole-in-the-wall Indian restaurant... but then...
We remembered it was girls date night and we should be sitting outside by the heat lamps, gossiping by candlelight, and getting some seriously good Mediterranean food!

As always, I went with the Middle Eastern Plate, which has a little bit of everything - double salad with a Tomato Basil dressing, Chicken Pomegranate, A Spinach and Cheese Filo roll, a Cinnamon and Raisin chicken film roll, a Levant pinwheel Sandwich, and some fresh fruit, cheese, hummus, and pita!

It looks like a family meal for four...
but I demolished it - as in, no prisoners.

I even had room for...
Molasses Gingersnap ice cream in a homemade waffle cone with a chocolate bottom

Oh, yeah.
Ohhhhh, yeah...

So, my night also included
- a fun trip to Trader Joe's (new almond butter, pb, and cookie purchases were made)
- almost getting a ride home from a really cute stranger (but then... we were responsible and decided not to... worst decision of my life.  It started to rain and we had to wait for the bus)
- a friend's birthday party (dancing, alcohol, the whole 9 yards)
- an impromptu house party (my roommate was walking around taking "shots" of cheese.... oh yeah)
- shenanigans... complete shenanigans.

My body is sore and tired today -- yoga anyone?  Active recovery rest day?!

Two Days in One

I hate getting behind on blogging... hate it.
But this whole school thing sometimes takes precedence -- don't you hate it when you catch yourself thinking like a responsible adult for once??

ANYWAYS, I was going to just skip over Wednesday and fill you in on yesterday's adventures, but I remembered I went on a great run on humpday so I wanted to tell you about it!

Breakfast & Workout (Wednesday)
Remember those crazy fools who ran 21 miles with me on Saturday?

Well, one of them is in my Tues/Thurs lecture (on Public Opinion and Voting Behavior - snooze) and she asked if she could tag along on my Wednesday morning run!  Hells yes you can!


We planned to meet at the trails to do a fun (and muddy) 10.5 miles around 9, so I fueled up an hour earlier with two slices of sprouted wheat bread (one with jam and one with honey & cinnamon) and 2 slices of turkey bacon from TJoes!

Our run was muddy muddy - at one point I almost cried because my poor shoes were getting gross.  Then I remembered that I'm not a girly girl and I should probably suck it up... so I did.  But I died a little inside.

Just some gorgeous views from our run -- I forgot how much I love trails!

Wednesday Lunch:

I had 30 minutes to grab some lunch before class, but I'm never hungry after running (okay, lies... but today I wasn't).  I was racking my brain for what sounded good and finally decided to go with the last of my greek yogurt with some Trader Joe's Multigrain O's, blueberries, bananas, and cinnamon!

I felt really cool eating out of the container... but really.
I also had a Nutz Over Chocolate Luna Bar -- yum.

I got out of class at 1 and ended up napping until 3... it was pathetic.
I'm literally an 80 year old woman.  BUT snacks included the last of my crunchy PB & whole wheat pretzels and some more cookies.

Dinner:
Leftovers!
The mushroom and green chili chicken is still delicious as ever!! But paired with some quinoa, chopped spinach, mushrooms, brussel sprouts, and feta cheese and topped with greek yogurt -- IT WAS AMAZING!!  Perfect comfort food.

I was insatiably hungry - so I kept munching on pretzels until I was full.... I'm going to be that marathoner who gains wait while training :( gahhhh.

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Thirsty Thursday!!  Is that just a college thing?
Unfortunately, I don't believe is such things.  My Thursday schedule is hell and by the time I get home around 8, I'm exhausted!

I had a rough Thursday... I woke up tired (how does that happen) and I was a grump the whole day.

Breakfast:
Okay, I wasn't a grump when I was chowing down on three slices of Healthy Cinnamon French Toast topped with blueberries and maple syrup.

It's like food porn... I can't get enough.

Workout:
My legs didn't want to run.

But I wanted to do something so I went for an easy 3-3.5 miler then headed to CARDIO KICKBOXING!  I've attempted this class twice before and I've left both times... it's one of those choreographed boxing things and I feel like once you get lost it's a really ineffective workout.  But my friend goes all the time and swears by it.... so why not?

It was so much fun!  I felt like a freak -  jumping around, kicking, punching pretend creepers... but I worked up a sweat.  AND this morning, I woke up so freakin' sore.  My arms are loving me.

Lunch, Snacks, and Adventures:
Lunch was my recent obsession -- meatless meatball subs on two slices of whole wheat bread.  I also mix in some spinach and cheese to put it over the edge :)

And obviously another Luna Bar because no meal is complete without it...
After classes I had to drop off my Valentine's Day Care Packages!!!! for my sister and my cousins :)  we're each other's valentines... it's kind of cute.

There was a line a mile long in the two postal places by my apartment, so I decided to take a stroll to the next closest one :) which turned out to be an excellent decision.  They were super nice and, as a reward for walking 2 miles out of my way, I stopped for an Ooey Gooey Vegan Brownie

Are you drooling yet?
I texted the pics to my ladies and sparked some serious chocolate cravings... The brownie is made with a mixture of rice flour and garbanzo bean flour + sweetened with agave nectar and held together with vegan butter and flax.  YUM.

Dinner:
I have a seminar that goes till 8...
so this happened.

I even took another picture instead of recycling the other FOOTLONG VEGGIE SUB pics... just to prove to you that I'm weird and obsessive and apparently really boring when it comes to food choices.

Best decision?  Adding some buffalo spicy sauce to it!  Genius.

I also picked a fight with a boy, ate a bar of this dark chocolate with almonds (read: an entire bar), and curled up in bed with Hulu to watch bad tv reruns...

You'd think I'm PMSing and/or pregnant... however, I don't get my period AND well, it would have to be one heck of an immaculate conception for the latter to happen hahahah

And on that note... I hope you're weekends are off to a great start, my friend :)

Seared Turkey Breast with Mushroom and Green Chili Gravy

I am so excited to share this simple, delicious, easy-to-make recipe with you guys!
I wish it photographed a little bit better because it tasted like a million bucks... but really


Seared Turkey Breast with Mushroom and Green Chili Gravy

Ingredients
- 2 turkey breasts (or chicken - you can probably use meat substitutions with this too)
- 1/2 chopped yellow onion
- 1 cup of chopped mushrooms
- 1 small can of diced green chilies
- 1 tbsp of Wondra flour/thickener
- 1 cup of chicken broth
- salt, pepper, garlic salt to taste

To prepare:
- Start by coating your turkey breast with garlic salt and pepper and pan frying them in non-stick cooking spray.  These are thin and relatively small so they cook up fast!
- Too the pan, add in your onions and your chopped mushrooms and continue sautéing until browned.
- Add in your diced green chilies and your chicken broth and simmer for about 4-5 minutes before adding the tbsp of Wondra and any additional salt and pepper. SUPER EASY!

For dinner, I served my turkey and gravy atop a bed of tri-colored quinoa cooked in chicken broth, a side of roasted brussel sprouts and roasted sweet potato chips -- best meal I've had in awhile!!


I roasted up a bunch of veggies and cooked a full pot of quinoa to have throughout the week. This is part of my brilliant strategy to fuel my body right... and stop eating bars of chocolate.

Back on Track Plan:
Confession time: I've been a complete pig recently.  Which I justify because I run more than the average Joe... but it's taking a toll on my body.  I can feel myself getting slower and crapping more than usual on my runs -- I'm telling you, chocolate, chips, and diet soda are NOT good fuel.

Normally I eat pretty healthily, mostly because I love healthy foods, but this weekend was a complete mess.  Filled with some wine here and there, tons of sweets, and tons of chips (which have zero nutritional value...) -- my body hates me.

So, to get back on track, I've been drinking tons of water to flush out all the sodium (critical since I'm bloated as all get out), I cooked up a bunch of healthy leftovers for the week, I've been running like usual, I've been trying to catch up on sleep (underrated but so necessary) and I've been listening to my body - stretching and doing some core work on top of cardio.

Workout:
Yesterday (Monday), I had a shift at the gym before class so my workout had to wait until the late afternoon (after my 2 hour nap... wow).  I ran an easy 8 miles, shaking out my legs and assessing how they were feeling post 20 miles on Saturday.  All is well :)

Other eats from the day:
Bowl of oats topped with maple syrup, bananas, blueberries and chopped pecans!
I always add almond milk post-picture... it's a strange habit of mine.  I also add almond milk to my yogurt bowls AND my ice cream.... start judging, it's okay.

Oh hey foot-long Veggie Delight with Melted Pepperjack Cheese.... I love you.
I hate it when they assume you want a 6 inch and I'm like "Please, I could eat a 6 inch for a light snack... load up the 12 incher" -- I also had a chocolate caramel brownie Luna bar for dessert.

My snacks for the day and my dessert AND my 2:30-3 am snack consisted of Trader Joe cookies and Honey Whole Wheat pretzels dipped in crunchy peanut butter... I thought my roommate was going to strangle me because I was literally in bed munching away in the middle of the night.

I don't know if anybody else finds it hilarious that I sleep walk to get my tubs (plural) of cookies and my jar of PB and get back into bed and eat.... I find it disturbing, but delicious.  And very necessary. 

Alright, folks, I hope your Tuesday is off to a great start!!

I'm excited for class + work today (I have some extremely attractive individuals in my lectures... and that includes my 90 year old professor) 

Off to run!