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.

PDR, Recovery, & Rest

Happy SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!! Giants for the win, baby :) 

I hope everybody's weekend was filled with some fun times and fantastic food...

mine definitely was. 

if any of you are avid Pinterest/humor section browsers, this was our inspiration: 

We got close, right?

Workout: A PDR

Well, I got the best text a girl could as for: 

"Casey, do you want to tackle a 20 miler with me on Saturday?"

My response?

"HECK YES. Name the time and place!"

In reality, I was beyond nervous -- especially since my furthest distance was 15.5... but what's an extra 5 miles, especially with great company and fun trails? 

Before our epic 20.5 miler

After... still just as excited!!

We kept an easy 9 min/mile pace and ran some hills, some trails, and some road routes to make it to our desired mileage.  It was fun!  We talked about everything from running, to feet, to boys... it was a long run.  And I had a blast.  My legs held up pretty well, they just started feeling tired.

Recovery:
I showered, ate some meatball subs, pb & cookies, and slept for hours.
Also, I had only gotten 3 hours of sleep the night before (don't recommend that...) so I was exhausted.  I felt like my body just shut down... as did my mind!

Oddly enough, I wasn't hungry at all.  I kept forcing myself to eat random things -- apples, pb, luna bars.

Dinner:
I headed over to my girls' apartment and we lounged around - they're reading the Hunger Games series (soooo good and addicting) - I napped, then we headed to a healthy fast food place for dinner.

Healthy fast food?  Does such a place exist?
You bet!  Only in the bay...

Vegan Chili and Cornbread + a Dolphin-Safe Tuna Salad Sandwich on Whole Wheat

Both were delicious!!
We had plans to get frozen yogurt afterwards... but my stomach just wasn't having it -- instead we ended up with a cookie, some chocolate, and some coffee :) perfect night!

Super Bowl Sunday:
No workout. Work from 7-11 am. Sleep. And this happened.

Oh, college life.... 

We had all the best junk food: chicken tenders, buffalo wings, chips and salsa, guac, queso dip, gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, 4 types of m&ms, ritz and pepperjack cheese, apples, pb, bell pepper slices, and another assortment of chocolate bars. 

Sufficiently stuffed.  Like, I had to take tums because my tums was upset. 

I've declared super bowl sunday one of my favorite holidays!  It's an excuse to be a pig - kind of like Thanksgiving :)  gotta love it. 

Anyways, I have tons of school work to catch up on!

Monday, here we come

Working Out Challenges

Yeah.... 30 degrees and below? Wasn't ready for that one.


I'm kind of obsessive about getting my workout in for the day (there, I admit it).  I like to push myself, I like to sweat, I love the endorphin rush, and, of course, I love my food.

So, I'm determined to keep up my usual running/workout routine while in DC (visiting my parents) for the next 10 days.  PLUS, if you knew my family, you'd understand that eating is like 98 percent of our daily activities, so now probably isn't the best time to start getting lazy.

HOWEVER -- I am from California.  Where there is sunshine.
NOT from DC, where 30 degrees is "warm."
OF COURSE, that didn't stop me from trying to act tough and go for a run yesterday after breakfast because "it's only a little chilly out." bull hockey.

Hello, Casey, you are looking mighty attractive today.  "yes, I know..."

Anyways, after 7.5 miles of windy weather and avoiding ice patches... I could no longer feel my face.  I had to stop at Burger King to call my stepmom (Nelly) to pick me up.  sad.

I learned my lesson.  Cold weather is no joke.

You know what made it all better?
1. SISTER arrived from San Diego (26 hours of separation was getting unbearable)
2. We went to a delicious restaurant and ate way too much -- typical.

Mon Ami Gabi -- an indulgent, French restaurant with locations around the country.

All of us were hungry (read: starving and grumpy) AND my dad has this habit of ordering everything on the menu (just because he has to try it) so... we ate, a lot.

The Bread: each table is greeted with a warm, freshly baked French baguette (with butter!)

The Appetizers: We selected a bunch of tasty apps for the table (family style, of course).  And, keeping with tradition, our list of appetizers kept growing.

Duck Confit with Fingerling Potatoes, Cranberries, and a Red Wine Reduction

Country-style Pate -- amazing!!!! Gotta love liver..

Baked Cheese in a Tomato Sauce, served with Garlic Pesto Bread.  THIS WAS MY FAVORITE OF THE NIGHT -- AND SERIOUSLY ADDICTING!! That baguette that we were greeted with was definitely put to good use...

Mussels in a Garlic, Onion, and White Wine Sauce.  Also amazing for dippage. 

Dad's 4 Mushroom Soup... cause that goofball loves soup.  and mushrooms.

The Entrees:
Yes, we did actually order more food after the appetizers..
My family all suffers from bottom-less stomach syndrome (BLSS) AND eyes-are-too-big-for-the-rest-of-our-bodies-so-we-end-up-ordering-way-too-much syndrome (no acronym for that one...)

Sister ordered the Fish Du Jour with Swiss Chard, Mushrooms, and Fingerling Potatoes 

I ordered the Seared Scallops with Butternut Squash Puree and Roasted Brussel Sprouts without Brown Butter (healthy... ish).

Dad ordered the special of the day: Duck L'Orange with Potato Au Gratin.  His duck was super moist and delicious!  I dominated with potatoes...

And Nelly ordered the Steak Au Poivre with Steak Frites -- which, by the way, are actually addicting.  I'm not kidding on this one.  We got our waiter/waitress (unclear) to bring us another order.

Of course, any sane person would declare themselves stuffed.... But then...
Our waiter/waitress came over and asked if we would like to pre-order the Souffle Du Jour which was a Coffee and Creme Anglaise concoction.  Before the sentence was finished, Sister screamed "yes."

Oh... and I food bullied everyone into ordering a Chocolate Pudding Cake with Salted Caramel 

and an Apple Berry Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream.

I'd say we did pretty well, don't you think?
We have delicious leftovers too... no dessert leftovers though (big surprise).

Afterwards, we bundled up and headed home.

Nelly and Sister found my hood hilarious.  Apparently it was malfunctioning and I looked like a freak with my fur flaps flying all over the place -- whatever, it was damn cold.

See what I mean about the weather?
I am determined NOT to let it ruin my workout mojo. 
Check out this article on re-buttles and counter arguments for every workout excuse you can think of!  Looks like we're all out of luck....

New Year, New Coast

Hello, from Washington D.C!


This girl decided to keep you on your toes and switch coasts on ya...
Yeah, if you couldn't tell already, traveling is an integral part of my "holiday" plans!

But you know what that means?
It's the party that never ends!!! (until it does... on January 16th)

My last night in San Diego was spent doing the traditional New Year's day dinner
Prime Rib, Roasted Veggies, and Healthy Mashed Potatoes

I didn't eat as much meat as it looks like I did... my body still isn't used to all this animal protein! BUT I did fill up on about half a plate full of sautéed zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, and onions!  I've been sautéing them with salt, pepper, italian seasoning, onion, and garlic and it's delicious.

Sister and I also rang in the New Year with an old favorite: Golden Spoon.
We decided to get our yogurt and our toppings to go and create a make-shift yogurt and topping buffet bar --- while watching our favorite serial killer (Dexter... you are the man of my dreams)

Yes, those are chopped nuts on top of my fat-free frozen yogurt.
This year will be healthier....

But froyo is healthy, right?

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I was up bright and early (ish) to get my bfast on before heading out for a run.

I've been loving the yogurt bowl recently:
- 1 cup of non-fat greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup of cereal (I alternate between whatever we have in the house)
- some fresh fruit
- cinnamon and sugar free preserves
- topped with almond milk/soy milk (I don't know why, but I always eat my yogurt like this)

I'll take a picture next time so you can see how ridiculous the milk/yogurt combo looks.
But looks aren't everything (another good reminder for the new year!)

UGH, I've been meaning to complain to you for awhile...
I've been in a running slump.

It's a disaster.  I cramp.  My legs feel like lead.  I debate calling different family members for a ride home.  I have to walk just to make it through a long run.... it's bad.

I went on an 11 miler yesterday and I had to alternate between running and walking after about 7.5 miles.  What gives??  I'd say all those desserts/probable dehydration is catching up to me.

ANYWAYS, I'm going to easy back in and ramp up my miles.  nothing to worry about.

I hopped on a 1 o'clock flight to Washington and was served an excellent meal on the plane:

Tomato bisque and a chopped salad topped with cheese, turkey, tomatoes, and olives. 

This meal didn't quite satisfy my 11 mile hunger, so I ate an apple and fiber one bar I packed for emergencies.  The fiber one bar took the place of the warm, chocolate-chip cookies the stewardess was passing out... new year will be a healthy one!


Okay, and after my dad picked me up in 30 degree weather, I stopped for a soft-serve cone.
Go figure.

I'VE BEEN SPOILED ROTTEN BY SANTA CLAUS!!!!!

Because my dad and mom #2 (I often refer to her as smom, because she smothers/moms me all the time.... true love of a parent, I know) live on the East coast and I don't get to celebrate the holidays with them, they keep the tree up and my presents all wrapped until I get here!

Which means.... presents galore.
I had birthday and Christmas presents to open!

Some highlights:
- MY BRAND NEW MACBOOK PRO (I desperately needed an upgrade... my old macbook was making airplane noises and I was getting weird looks in the library)
- A BRAND NEW NIKON (details to come later... I'm trying to figure out how to work it) 
- TICKET TO BOSTON FOR SPRING BREAK!!! to visit my sister... what else would I do with my spare time?  


WOOHOOO.
Okay, I'm off to plan the day/maybe prepare for a ridiculously cold run.

Some things to think about: A healthy New Year for you??
We often get caught up in the "lose weight for a resolution" trend, but let's not forget that it's about being healthy not about losing weight.  Here are some articles on how to stay on track during the last of the holiday get togethers and how to make a healthy change for the new year!
- FitSugar: Healthy Change to Help You Lose Big Pounds
- CookingLight: Our Best Healthy Lunch Ideas
- FitSugar: Holiday Plate Makeover
- FitSugar: Benefits of a Cheat Day

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HELLO 2012.... welcome :)
 

I've been to Los Angeles, Disneyland, and back in a whirlwind of a weekend. Which explains why this New Years post is longggg and delayed.

Friday morning we were up and out of the door by 10 am to make it to Santa Monica for lunch!
I got to choose, so I went with a recent favorite: Tender Greens

We all went with really big salads -- I got the Grilled prawn salad with Spanish chrorizo and a lemon vinaigrette! yum.  Oh, and a cup of Tomato Basil soup.

 For dessert we had to have a cute individual pumpkin pie and a cowboy cookie!

We walked along Venice Beach -- which is wayyyy different than the SoCal I'm familiar with... and somehow, we found a hidden gem: Scwayzie's Bread Pudding - as seen on the Food Network!

We got a scoop of their Warm Chocolate Chunk bread pudding and we all took a bite and tossed it, so we wouldn't be overly stuffed.  We hopped back in the car after enjoying the boardwalk and decided to delay checking into our hotel in order to see the sights of Los Angeles a little bit!

We saw the Hollywood Sign, Rodeo Drive, Sunset Blvd, Mann's Chinese Theatre.... from the car (because we were too lazy to park and walk around) but hey, it works!

THEN we checked into our Hilton Disneyland Hotel!
Where I got to see LISA for dinnnner!  She drove up from Orange County to come hang out with me/meet my ridiculous family!

We IHopped for dinner -- there were many pancakes, eggs, and pieces of turkey bacon consumed.   My favorite, however, was the Funny Face Chocolate Chip Pancake we all split for dessert.

We spent the night giggling, eating cheesecake and carrot cake that Mom brough back from Morton's steak house, and catching up!!

Midnight... new record for Casey.

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Saturday, December 31st - NEW YEARS AT DISNEYLAND! 

We were up at 6:00, breakfast at Starbucks (hello, perfect oatmeal, I love you... oh and that triple shot of espresso helps too), at the park by 8!

It was a perfect day at the park! Honestly the best Disneyland AND overall amusement park experience I've ever had!  We got to go on every single ride we wanted to, and we only waited in line for maximum 20 minutes!  It was crowded but manageable!

Space mountain

We stopped for lunch in New Orleans somewhere...
Sister and I split the Jumbalaya with veggies and cornbread.
 

and fresh Beignets shaped with Mickey Mouse!
 

Dessert on Main Street!

Some teacups -- that we twirled like nobody's business.

We all took on ghetto alter egos! My name is La Funyun... Sister is F'Breeze... Mom is Peequitia.... and Arnie (mom's boy) is Lattttay

It's a Small World!

Then on to CALIFORNIA ADVENTURES

Dinner at CALIFORNIA ADVENTURES!
Mom hooked us up with a set menu dinner at Wine Country Trattoria


Seafood Pasta

Fig and Pecan salad with Goat Cheese

Bread and olive oil!

Tiramisu, French Macarons, Panna Cotta, and Salted Caramel Chocolate Torte. 

Rode a roller coaster right after dinner.
Brilliant idea on our parts...

CALIFORNIA SCREAMIN'

Then we watched the World of Color water show!!

And rode some swings.

HAPPY FREAKIN' NEW YEARS!
 

From my family to yours :)