Favorite Pasta Recipe

I think my body is starting to get use to getting up so early. The past couple of weeks when my alarm goes off at 5:15 I don't feel like death which is nice. I normally get out of bed around 5:30 but I feel like I am going to make it a goal get up closer to when my alarm actually goes off.

Anyway this morning I got in a quicker 5K in yesterday.



I ran on an .05% incline the entire time... and if I remember correctly it went something like this 

Mile 1: 6.6 mph for about an 9:05 Pace 
Mile 2  6.7 mph for about an 8:57 pace 
Mile 3.80 mph  6.8 for about an 8:49 pace 
Mile 3 for (.20 miles) to mile 4 (.20 Miles) at an 6.9 mph for an 8:42 pace 

Last night I made this amazing pasta recipe from Prevention RD. I do not believe I have shared it before because I gobble it down before I can even take a picture. This was from lunch leftovers.  I like it because its cheesy (my favorite) but has spinach and tomatoes too... yum!

Actually I was reading the Runners World Cookbook last night and I was so excited when I saw this...

Yesterday I had one of each Category expect for Blue and Purple (even the examples given)... Tomatoes, Mangoes, Avocados, and a Banana. 

Seriously.. I am in love with this cookbook! Tonight I am trying for the second time  to cook with seafood... should be interesting....

Now its time for walk to Dunks... it is seriously so nice out for January!

Tigers are not for me

Monday Night

I keep telling myself I need to go to Yoga on Monday nights. The Yoga class at my gym is so so. Its called "Gentle Yoga" and its a little to much "gentle" for me. BUT the thing is its on Monday's so it falls into my schedule, and its free... so I am trying to make myself like it. I went last night and it was alright. I definitely felt a good stretch in some places. BUT she did this thing called the Tiger Pose? Where they scrunched our faces like a Tiger and make our fist like one and went "roar"... that so much is not my style... I rather be doing a plank... especially when there is Basketball being played and 20-30 something year old men are walking by... ha-ha and I know some of them. Oh awkward Gym moments.

Also I am a morning Gym person... last night I saw the full on "new years resolution's" people as I pulled into the parking lot for my Gym.... its like... where did all these people come from?!?

Tuesday

I have a tendency to always want to go 100% when I run. So this morning I tried a "shake out run" I ran at a lower pace then normal and didn't try my to run as fast as I could. The entire time my legs felt like lead and I blamed it on running 6.2 miles on Sunday. Then I realized that I had put the incline on to 1%... I am so not used to that yet! BUT I feel like if I am going to do some half Marathon Training on the treadmill it should be with an incline. 

Anyway this was my workout with a cool down and warm up...

Eats

So I am not a big Salad person at all... I am not really sure why. BUT I enjoy veggies much more in a wrap or sandwich.  BUT I was shopping at Trader Joe's on Sunday and I knew I was not going to have a lunch for Monday so I picked up their Super Spinach Salad. SO GOOD! I need to make this at home when summer rolls around and its too hot to actually cook.

Also last week I got in the male The Runners World Cookbook... AMAZING

Last night I made the Chicken- Mango Fajitas that was a recipe from the book.  They were so good... and boyfriend approved.... even with the Mango! :)  

I will end with a funny conversation I had with my boyfriend last night 

Me: Can you pick up a soft Avocado on your way home?

Jon: What do you mean by soft

Me: Touch the top... if it gives a little then its good. 

Jon: Where are the Avocados?

Me: Produce section 

Jon: Okay... I don't even know what an Avocado looks like.... 

Sigh...Men ha-ha but you have to laugh! 

Incline.

Today I wanted to be able to do an interval workout... but I definitely did not get out of bed in time to pull that off. The workout I wanted to do is 37 minutes long plus 5 minute cool down so around 42 minutes on the treadmill... I ended up on the treadmill for 33 minutes this morning. I am thinking MAYBE Friday I will go to the gym. Friday's are normally my off day, but I took Sunday and Monday off so I could make up for not doing long run Sunday by doing a longish run on Friday on the treadmill and keeping it interesting with an interval workout... we shall see... I tell myself this every week I take both Sunday and Monday off and it does not happen. ;)

Although...now I look back at this morning... 10 minutes would have not killed me in my morning schedule... oh well.

Anyway... So what I did instead was I ran 3.2 miles. Around Mile .50 miles I thought to myself lets make this interesting so I increased the Incline to 1%. Which is not anything outstanding but it definitely added to the intensity!

Mile 1= 0.5 miles at 0% incline at 6.7mph then 0.5 miles with at 1% incline at 6.7mph
Mile 2= Full mile at 1% incline at 6.8mph
Mile 3= Full mile at 1% incline at 6.9mph
The last 0.20 miles = 0.20 miles at 1% incline at 7.0mph (I felt like I was sprinting! BUT It felt awesome!)

According to this pace converter it ends up being

Mile 1= 8:57
Mile 2= 8:49
Mile 3= 8:42
the last .20 miles= 8:34

Which seems a bit off from what the treadmill was telling me what mph= pace was but oh well...

Oh... also found a new breakfast. I can eat the same breakfast for like week straight and then out of no where I get sick of it! I did not want oatmeal again this weekend... so I went with this..

I bring about 4-5 strawberries/2 tablespoons of almond butter and Trader Joe's Whole Wheat English Muffins... it tastes like peanut butter and jelly. So good! 

Cyper Monday

I did not purchase anything on Black Friday, Small business Saturday or Cyber Monday! YIKES! BUT Come Cyber Monday I did need something a healthy meal! I am not sure if its the meds I am taking from the strep, being sick in general or from Thanksgiving but I am feel like I feel full!!!

Anyway come Monday it was meatless Monday's in full force. Jon asked he could vote to veto Meatless Monday's and I replied no. Ha-ha but secretly get likes my vegetarian meals!

So what did I make? Quinoa stuffed peppers with a side of green beans! 

Recipe found here. 

I recommend it! 

Sacoooooooooooo!

This past weekend I attended a Saco trip and wow... is that fun!? For those who do not know Saco is a river in New Hampshire and Maine that you can canoe down and camp on various of beaches and campsites. We left at 6:30AM on Saturday and got home around 7:30pm on Sunday... and it was a wonderful way to end the summer!

I made so veggie burgers from Prevention RD... they were so good! I substituted oat flour for whole wheat flour because I did not have oat floar, which later someone who works in food science said I could have just but the oats I had in a food processor or blender to make the flour... genius will do that next time! BUT for my first time making homemade black bean burgers they were not bad!



getting ready...


Life is rough on Saco...










On Sunday I wore that sports swim bra from Athleta! Worked amazing... we actually had to paddle/pull the canoes a bunch on Saturday and I was one that had to so it held up! 

not sure what everyone was looking at here...

Camping... 

Some of the ladies on the trip!

Pretty much how we all felt at the end of the trip..

They do this trip around the same time every year and I am a firm believer its a great way to end the summer... Do you have anyways in which you like to say goodbye to summer?

Meal Plan and Workout Plan

Ah sorry this is so late! I have had it in draft for awhile... 

Sunday: Crockpot Chicken with rice and green beans 

Monday: Goat Cheese and roasted tomato pasta   

Tuesday: Chicken and Couscous                              

Wednesday: Zucchini Pizza

Thursday: Left overs

Friday: Leave for NY!

Workout outs

Sunday: 3.50 Mile Run

Monday: Yoga

Tuesday: 3.0 Mile Run

Wednesday: 3.0 Mile Run or Cross (I Ran this morning... I should have done cross fit cause now my knee hurts! :(

Thursday: Strength +2.0 Mile Run (may do cross instead)
Friday: OFF DAY
Saturday: 5K Race.!

Meal Plan 8/4/2013

I hope everyone had a good weekend, I had a very nice weekend. My friends Theresa Adrian and I threw our friend Ann a baby shower! It was a lot of fun and Ill have pictures of that... 

Anyway right now I am cooking fish for the first time. I have never really liked fish but I am starting too, and I know you should eat it a lot, so hopefully it comes out good! 

So here is the meal plan for the week:

Sunday: Foil Baked Basil Pesto Salmon

Monday: 75 Degrees and Sunny 
Dinner: Baked Mac with Tomato Sauce and Goat Cheese
Workout: Ran 3.30 miles outside. Possibly Yoga for runners in the evening.
Wear: Floral Dress w/ Jean Jacket and Heals.

Tuesday: 78 Degrees and Sunny 
Dinner: Quinoa Chicken Parm
Workout: Run 3.0 miles outside
Wear: Jeans, peplum top, blazer.

Wednesday: 77 Degrees and Sunny 
Dinner :Zucchini Noodles in a Thai Peanut Sauce
Workout: Run 3.0 miles outside
Wear: black and white polka dot dress from target

Thursday: 74 Degrees and Scattered T-Storms
Eat: Shredded Zucchini Pizza
Workout: Body Sculpt class in the AM, 2 Miles in PM
Wear: Khakis and top?

Friday: 77 Degrees and Isolated T-Storms
Dinner: Happy Hour
Workout: OFF DAY
Wear: Jeans, Anthropologie top, blazer

Saturday: 82 Degrees and Sunny! 
Dinner: Jon's Brother Joe and Sarah's Pig Roast (Make black bean burgers & buffalo chicken dip)
Workout: Waltham Common Boot Camp
Wear: not sure...

Dessert Idea... I got this from Carrots n Cake and it is a wonderful Dessert! I used about 6 Raspberries, 30 chocolate chips, about one and half spoon fulls of Almond Butter... YUM! 

Workout, Eat, Wear

Ah so I know this post is late, I am going to try to make this my "Friday Post". BUT this is my Fitness/What to Eat/What to wear post for the week.  Maybe ill even start to do some pictures of outfits...

Sunday
Eat: Three Cheese Skillet Lasagna from Iowa Girl Eats. I cheated on my "eat healthy" thing but when I saw this MY God did I have to make it.
Workout: Rested

Monday: 
Eat: Spaghetti Squash & Tortellini with Lemon Juice and Feta 
Workout: Rested (I was going to do Yoga but I go lazy... awesome Yoga DVD by the way)
Wear: Black Pants with new Target Peplum Shirt.

(Note: I have to admit I am not a fan of Peplum anything. BUT with the style being all loose fitting shirts these days I wanted something that would give me a bit more shape, I love the pattern on this one, and I was pleasantly surprised!)

Tuesday: 79 Degrees Sunny 
Eat: Buffalo Chicken Wraps in Crockpot
Workout: Ran 3.3 miles outside (the mornings are so beautiful, perfect temperature to run outside!)
Wear: Black and White polka dot dress from target

Wednesday: 81 Degrees and Sunny 
Eat: Farmers Market Skillet. I made this last week and it was SO good!

Workout: Run 3.1 miles (excluding cool down and warm up) outside!
Wear: Pink Pencil skirt with black and white stripped top?

Thursday: 80 with scatted Thunderstorms 
Eat: Left over Farmers Market Skillet 
Workout: Body sculpt class in the morning, 2 mile run in the afternoon
Wear: not sure...

Friday!!! 77 Degrees & Sunny
Eat: At Adrians getting ready for Ann's Shower!! so not sure!
Workout: Rest
Wear: not sure... maybe jeans?

Saturday: 81 and Sunny! *ANNS BABY SHOWER!**
Eat: What is served at the shower.
Workout: SWIM after I get home for 60 minutes. I seriously can not wait for this.
Wear: (Hopefully it comes in time...) Mint Dress from Deloom! 

Meal Planning

SO its been RIDICULOUSLY hot in New England the past couple days... this is pretty much what I feel like doing!

(Source) 

Anyway Happy Friday... I try to do my meal planning on Friday's so here we go....

I am a werido and I check the weather before I meal plan for each day, because I feel like the weather has a big effect on what I feel like eating that day.

Sunday- 79 Degrees, Partly Cloud.

                Eat: Stuffed Poblano Peppers

                http://www.preventionrd.com/2011/10/meatless-monday-stuffed-poblano-peppers/

                

                 Workout: 5 Mile run OUTSIDE. 

               

Monday - 79 Degrees, Partly Cloud

                Eat:  Santa Fe Summer BBQ Pizza

                http://www.iowagirleats.com/recipes/?recipe_id=6029937

                 Workout: Power Yoga in the AM

                 Wear: Floral Dress with Chambray top

Tuesday- 77 Degrees, Scattered Thunderstorms

                Eat: Buffalo Chic Tacos- Crockpot Style

                http://www.preventionrd.com/2011/07/buffalo-chicken-tacos-mr-ps-nachos/

                Workout: 3.5 Mile run in AM

                Wear: Kaki Pants with T shirt- Jean Jacket!?

Wednesday- 80 Degrees, Isolated Thunderstorms (Jon Golf)

                Eat: Lemon Chicken Pasta

               

                Workout: 3.5 Mile run in AM

                Wear:

Thursday- 77 Degrees, Isolated Thunderstorms (Jon Softball 6:00)

                Eat: Farmers Market Skillet

                http://iowagirleats.com/2012/05/14/farmers-market-recipe-collection-farmers-market-skillet/

               

                Workout: body sculpt class in AM then 2 mile run PM.

                Wear:

Friday- 78 Degrees, Scattered Thunderstorms

                Eat: HAPPY HOUR/Jess Comes to visit! 

               

                Workout: REST

                Wear:

Saturday- 84 Degrees with scattered thunderstorms. 

                Workout: RACE DAY! COLOR ME RAD in the morning

                Bring Jess to Boston.?!?

Work Breakfast: Fage Plain Greek Yogurt with Blackberries (9) and Hemp Plus Granola 

Work Lunch: Veggie Hummus Wraps 

AS you can see next week is suppose to me amazing weather! I can't wait to get some early morning runs in outside.

Laughing Cow

So I have fallen in love with Laughing Cow cheese. I have only tried their Light Swiss Cheese Wedges and their Cream Cheese Spread Wedges, but as a proclaimed cheese obsessed person... yum.

Last night I wanted something healthier for dinner even though I was exhausted because the Bruins kept me up WAY past my bed time. They pretty much played another hockey game. Lucky for us the next game is on Saturday Night, a non school night. Woot.

So I made this really easy recipe. I was at whole foods, and they didn't have or I couldn't find the laughing cow cheese so I just used swiss cheese instead of the flavored one, but it was still so good!




Nutrition facts for one tomato...

Another favorite treat is to have the swiss cheese over a rice cake... yum yum yum.

Happy Weekend! Go BRUINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yoga and "Frozen Yogurt"

I have been a slacker on tracking my workouts on blog, but I have been a slacker in real life too! I will get to it eventually...

I been really tied up lately with stuff, so I put my 2 weeks at the Gap, Saturday is my last day at least for the summer.  BUT I already can tell I could get way to use to this one job gig. Monday nights are normally Gap night (or lately Bruins playoff game night) and last night I had no Gap and no Bruins game to watch so I took a Yoga class at my Gym like I have been meaning to do on Monday nights for forever now. It was great...expect in my Gym the Yoga/Fitness studio is next to the hallway (with window walls) that goes to the Basketball Courts... My gym has a bunch of leagues that play at night I was doing Yoga moves with all these men walking by I kept trying not to laugh at myself. Especially because I know one guy who plays on the league pretty well and if he saw me he would definitely have made it awkward/made me laugh. Ha-ha so I really wasn't in the "zen" of yoga but I am not really into that part anyway. I like the stretching of the muscles and trying to improve my strength and flexibility through it. Other then that distraction the class was pretty good! It was called "gentle yoga" and I could have used a bit more of a challenge, but taking the class to gets started is good. The other classes I could take would be Kundalini Yoga which definitely would not be my thing or Hot Power Yoga on Sundays which I could see myself liking, I just need to get good at this Gentle Yoga first... What are your thoughts on Yoga...?

Anyway after Yoga I wanted a little treat.... I was recently inspired by trip to legacy place Jon and I went  on one evening. He was nice enough to come along with me for some errands which he hates so I said I would treat him to ice cream (yes he is a little kid at times). I heard good things about J.P Licks so we went there.... OMG IT WAS SO GOOD! 

That right bottom picture right there was my inspiration... (Note: I won a 5 dollar gift-card from JP licks for posting this picture on instagram, how cool is that!?)  I got cookies and cream frozen yogurt. What I did is took a Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt and blended it in a blender with 3 Oreo cookies. I then froze  it over night (it really only needs a few hours) and then let it sit for about 30 minutes before eating it. I could still taste the Greek Yogurt so sprinkled one more cookie on top. I think want to try it with just plain yogurt and see how it comes out.

Nutrition Facts from My Fitness Pal....

Have you ever  tried to make homemade Frozen Yogurt? 

Breakfast and Lunch Lately

For the first few years of having a desk job full time I would buy the frozen meals such as Smart Ones, which are very good! BUT the years went on I found myself gaining weight and this was one of the first things I cut from my diet... the hard part then is... okay what do I eat now?  Preparing breakfast and lunch for the office can be hard. BUT here are some of my favorite breakfast office meals...

Greek Yogurt. I thought I hated Yogurt and especially Greek Yogurt but then I started to buy plain Greek Yogurt and make my own mix.



In this picture is raspberries, I have only included raspberries once, but it was pretty good! Pending where I shop I do plain Greek Yogurt Chabani or Trader Joe's (I like Trader Joe's better). Then I add blueberries and Granola Cereal. If I shop not a trader Joe's I pick up whatever is the healthiest one here, if I shop at Trader Joes I buy Hemp Plus Granola which is SO good.  I use what I estimate 1/4 cup of Cereal and 15 blueberries....

If I am feeling a warm breakfast I do Vans Waffles . These are expensive though, so I only can treat myself these every once and awhile.



I add Almond butter and blueberries on top. So good!


After a couple of weeks of my veggie wrap I needed something new for lunch... so I made myself a Salad. I must say I have never really been a "Salad" person, but put some strawberries in the Salad and yum!!

This recipe was inspired by Fit Foodie Finds  Strawberry Spinach Salad but I made a few adjustments. In my salad I did Spinach, Cucumbers, Dried Cranberries (Trader Joe's), Toasted Honey Almond Slices (Trader Joe's), Fat Free Cottage Cheese (Trader Joe's), and Fat Free Balsamic Vinaigrette (Trader Joe's). One day I took out the dried cranberries because its a lot of sugar and I added a half of avocado instead that was very good! 

So what about those days I wake up and I just don't feel like packing a lunch, forgot my lunch at home ect? Well we have a Subway in the town I work where I can walk too. Not ideal, some of there ingredients have a lot of hidden crap in them but its better then some other fast food choices.... 

So how do I Subway? Veggie Delight with Avocado (if they have it), Swiss Cheese (put on after they toast it) with Spinach, Tomato, Cucumbers, Onion, Green Pepper, with light mayo (I know bad), and sprinkled with  black pepper... you see a pickle there but I don't normally do pickles! :) 

What do you bring to the office for Breakfast and Lunch?

The Paper Bag Lunch

I struggle of what to bring to work for lunch for breakfast and lunch... more so Lunch. One of the reasons I started to get motivated to eat healthier and start to work out more is because I gained weight and I think my work lunch was a big factor. Everyday I hate those "smart ones" or some version of a frozen lunch meal. They are tasty but so over processed and so so so munch sodium.

So once I kicked that habit I just started to do left overs for lunch. Which is so so. BUT I wanted a lunch that's a bit more on the lighter side... and then I stumbled on the blog fANNEtasticfood.com and she spoke to me. She has snacks and lunches for people on the go. (AKA... ME and you!)

Anyway I made her Feta Hummus Wrap. 

Its a little extra time in the morning to make but so worth it! Also to try to save some Avocado I cut up half of it in the morning then left the other half in a bag with lemon juice on it to preserve it! Ya making Avocados go further... 

Oh and Yesterday I received my first Boston Strong apparel. I may or may not have gone over board with buying this bracelet and 3 Boston Strong T shirts, but it all goes to the one fund so its totally worth it. 

Get Boston Strong Here and Here  or donate directly here 

"Healthy" Chicken Enchiladas

So my workouts have been really bad lately due to increased hours at the Gap. I hate that. I need to start getting up earlier during the work week  to run in the morning when I have a shift at Gap at night.  I can't let this slide...

I have been half thinking about transferring to Athletica (A Gap Inc. company)  They do Yoga Classes there, ect. They are just one small box store instead of Gap which is 3 large box stores. I feel like there pace may be a little more me.  We will see though. I kind of had my breaking point this weekend when all I wanted to do is be outside and I was stuck in the mall 8 hours. That can't go on. 

Anyway... Also my Healthy food intake the past week as slacked as well. BUT this week I want to make a change so I started off the week with good tasting meal with that is semi healthy. Sundays are normally my "spend a lot of time cooking meal days". 

So I made these "Healthy" Chicken Enchiladas.  They have a lot of sodium in them (about 50% of what I should eat each day) but if you watch your sodium intake for the rest of the day, then these are a healthier version. I also didn't make my own Enchilada sauce so that's where a lot of the Sodium came from. I got mine from Trader Joes.