March Foodie Pen pal!!!!

It is that time again!!!!  The time of the month (no, not that time of the month) where I receive a very exciting package in the mail!!!  I get my foodie pen pal goodie box.  This is now something that I get so excited about!!  I love trying new things and seeing what people come up with to send me!!  I received wonderful goodies this month…so without further ado…

 

It was a great balance of local  yummy items and delicious chocolate to feed my 24/7 cravings!!!  Of course, we opened it in the car after our speed run, which meant we had to taste test every little thing we saw!!!  First I went right for the granola…a huge favorite of mine!

I loved the cranberry orange pecan…it was a nice mixture of flavors and I will be adding it to my yogurt for sure!!!!  The Vanilla Almond will be making it’s way into my tofu pudding that I just made a huge batch  of!!

I busted open the pretzels for Eric to try out first!  They were a thumbs up and were also a yummy treat for Gavin as well.  He loved them.  I have to hold off on my chocolate indulgences, so I will be waiting until Sunday to try a few and make them into a nice little trail mixture with my new granola and some yummy yogurt!  The Clif bars will be gladly used for my post long runs!  I am not sure which to eat first…I think I will take half of each and then I get the best of both!!

This chocolate bar was totally different than anything I have ever tried!! It had a hint of lime to it, and it was actually a nice little blend!!  It had some sort of kick to it while still being sweet!!  The truffles are going to be the death of me!!

These received a huge squeal of delight!!  Some local yummies for me to bake up and enjoy!  It is a Double Chocolate Scone Mix, then a Chocolate Dessert Mix, plus a Chocolate Raspberry Spread!!  I think I need to make sure all three of these go together!  I plan to bake the scones for Easter morning and then add the sauce for a nice little dipping action!!!  Oh, so many yummy snacks and treats to enjoy!!!  A huge thank you to my foodie pen pal who sent me this wonderful package!!!  Now, to sign up for April!!  Hooray! 

Seriously, you need to give this a try!!  Click on the button in my side bar or on the link above!!!!

FOODIE PENPAL!!!!! Hooray!!!!

I was so excited to take part in this program, mostly because I love having pen pals, but also because I love healthy new finds!!  We are limited with what we can get over here, and so any healthy goodness that comes from the states is always welcome in a very over-dramatic and excitable fashion!!!  I was so lucky to get hooked up with a pal who is also a military wife and mom of two great kids!  She totally came through and hooked me up BIG TIME!!!!

As we know, I am a huge fan of chocolate, granola, oatmeal, chocolate, grains, green tea, chocolate, etc!!!  I swear, this package was seriously 100% bang on with things I am now in love with.  There is literally NOTHING in this package that I can get here!!!  That makes me really excited, because it is all new and all a treat!  My hub could barely get a clear picture because I was bouncing around and cheering like a total loser foodie!!

We are in love with the granola, and he is in love with the spicy goods that were sent just for him (how sweet is that??!!).  I have already enjoyed the oatmeal, and it was super good!!!!  I am actually going to hoard it so I can have it for my next half marathon!  I might have to order some on-line!  There were delicious single servings of trail mix, Lara bars, Dove chocolate, THEN packages of flavored quinoa, veggie rotini noodles and couscous!!!! I was in foodie heaven!!!

 

We are going to dig into the couscous and quinoa this week and then the pasta this weekend!  It could probably be seen as pathetic how excited I am about this!  I am literally saving the Lara Bars because I know once I eat them they will be gone…yes, that really does sound pathetic!  Oh well, I am sure there are others out there who get equally excited and pathetic about new foodie finds!  In the meantime, I have a new pen pal (not just a one time thing, hooray) and that excites me!  I am a lover of sending mail and handwritten letters, so a permanent pal is always a heart warming addition to my life! Now, we prepare for Spring (3 consecutive days of nice weather…) and look forward to being outdoors!!!!

 

What was your most exciting part of the weekend???

Weekly Goals and a change of plans…

It is time to set some weekly goals and post them to my fridge!  This is always a great way for me to stay accountable and feel accomplished!  It is always good to set goals you know you can complete, and throw in some challenges as well!  Since I am trying to do one thing a day that scares me, I will throw in a few ‘scary for me’ goals!

1.  Do yoga twice this week, once outside in the early morning or late evening

2. Make an appointment to see my doctor or podiatrist to check out my ankle.  NO RUNNING until I get the final word that it is okay (which it should be)

3.  Run 5 easy miles on Sunday (if given approval from doctor).  Run early to avoid the heat which leaves me running slow and feeling weak/dizzy (I should not complain about this….)

4.  Go to gym (parent room) twice for minimum 30 minutes of hard HIIT training on elliptical and bike. This gives me anxiety because Gavin usually freaks out, but I am going to try to keep it positive and hope he follows suit!

5.  Sit down at table for my 3 meals a day (this is a challenge…I am always putting my needs last, so I am always doing chores or errands and then shoving down my meals while running around).

6.  Make healthy snack staples: tofu pudding, granola, date balls, pumpkin protein bars

7. Hang pictures that have been sitting forever.  Organize book shelf by my desk.  Organize night side table in my room.

8. This is the scary thing for me…do not weigh myself this whole week.  Not once.  This is like an obsession with me, so to avoid that scale is just asking for an anxiety attack.  I am going to teach myself that I don’t need to be weighed 5 times a day.  This may seem silly or insignificant to others, but this is huge for me!!!

So there we have it.  My goals for the week. Of course, there are the normal ‘getting back to school’ things that need to get done for James, but I am going to be organized without being obsessive!  My kids are watching me closely and I know they are picking up on my attempts to chill out.  It is rewarding to see them calm down a bit and have fun without worrying I am going to worry…what a horrible cycle we are finally breaking together!  It is a proud moment and I won’t look down on it.  Here’s a pat on the back for all three of us!

What are your weekly goals?

New gear, motivation, and yummy treats!

So since it is getting colder and I was recently treated to some cold-gear, I realized I will be needing MORE cold gear!  I was looking around for some good items and then saw a few things at Old Navy that are not necessarily for the cold, but will work for the time being.  I plan on getting some thermal pants from our Outdoor Rec, and some more items from Santa!  Another realization came today…I can create my own adrenaline rush in order to get hyped for a workout when I am actually feeling dead on my feet!  PLUS, I want to share some of my favorite snacks that leave me feeling happy not heavy!

But first, the new gear I am going to try out, and am hoping works well!  I was browsing and saw that Old Navy actually has a new line of clothing for their active wear.  They are selling some highly rated compression pants, tights, tops and jackets.  Since I have issues with my legs, I have been wanting to really give these a ‘go’.  The fact that there was a 25% off sale on the items made me feel even more inclined to go ahead with the purchase!  Here is what I chose:

All three of these are the compression items.  When looking through the reviews, many people bought multiples of each item because of the great fit and quality.  Others commented that they have worn these in colder temperatures and have faired quite well!  I know it looks blah that I got all black, but I also have a few other items that are more colorful!  I am looking forward to using these for my running, hiking and my yoga/pilates classes that I will be teaching in my village (one weekly public class, and some private sessions).  I will be sure to report on these items as soon as I get them and have a chance to try them out!  In the meantime, go check them out for yourself and see if you think Old Navy is onto something good!  Now onto the purchases from Road Runner Sports!  I love these guys because being a VIP really DOES pay off.  Free speedy shipping, discounts on everything and there are always extra bonuses and specials!  Oddly enough the shirt I picked out and bought ended up as a recommendation from my Running Group and so now three of us will be sporting this bad boy for our runs!

I also got their compression sleeves to wear on my legs so I can get some relief from the calf and shin pain I seem to always suffer from.  The difference between now and 5 months ago is that I know it is just my legs getting used to these new miles + shoes, and I am not giving in!  I am icing and heating these bad boys, I am going to be taping them, and slipping them into these compression sleeves so the muscles heal faster in between runs.  I am sticking to my training and enjoying the muscle pain because I know it means I am working hard and pushing my body past the point of giving up!  Sorry suckas, you are not going to see me give in this time!

Hooray for new gear!  I will be waiting by the PO Box everyday!!  Now onto a little motivation for a tiring Saturday morning!  The hub was working (again), and after a horrible night sleep we both agreed that if there were a championship for tossing/turning, we would have won by a landslide!  I knew I had some strength/cross-training on the schedule for today, so I planned on a double dose of Jillian!  One round of the Shred and then Level 2 of Yoga Meltdown.  As I watched the time tick away this morning…well until about 9:30, I realized that I should just do the workout and hope for rest afterwards.  I jumped around a bit, put my workout clothes on, grabbed yoga blocks (for the boys to play with) and an extra yoga mat so the boys could work out with me.  I tried to get them super excited so I would also get excited…it worked well!

We were pumped and ready to go….until Gavin crapped out after the Shred.  He went for a nap, then James drifted off to do some Jump Start Learning on the computer…ah well, I finished strong on my own!  It made me feel really good to get the workout done and not put it off until ‘later’!  I also felt better about it because 30  minutes before I did the workouts I ate a little bit more trail mix than I needed!  I love trail mix, but it leaves my belly feeling heavy!  My treats of choice these days are therefore in the lighter category…

Tofu Pudding

Protein Balls Truffles

No Bake Chocolate Puff Truffles

…and Toasted Whole Wheat Pita chips with Natural PB and banana

 

So there you have it!!!  Some new gear I will review as soon as I get it, how I got my arse motivated to do my double workout this morning despite being exhausted (gotta love my boys), and some yummy treats that leave me feeling satisfied without a heavy belly!

What snacks do you favor?  What is a good way to get yourself motivated when you really don’t want to workout?  Any new gear or goodies that have you excited?

Carob Chip Banana Bread

A clean eating version of a yummy classic.  I am a fan of anything ‘banana and chocolate chip’, especially cookies that my Nanny always made (and I am still addicted to).  This recipe was in the July 2011 Clean Eating Magazine! 

The Ingredients:

• 1.5 c whole wheat flour
• 1.25 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed (ran out, so I used Wheat Germ)
• Pinch of sea salt
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
• 2 egg whites
• 0.25 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 0.5 cup raw honey
• 0.25 cup flax seed oil (I used EVOO)
• 1/3c chopped dark chocolate (I used carob chips)
• I added 1 tsp of nutmeg

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, flaxseed, salt and nutmeg.

2.  In a large bowl, beat bananas until smooth (I just mashed with a fork and used a whisk).  Add egg whites, and mix.  Gradually add in apple sauce, honey, and oil

3.  Mix dry ingredients into banana mixture, then add chocolate or carob.

4.  Mist a 9×5 loaf pan with cooking spray.  Pour batter into pan and bake for 25 minutes (I baked for 32 minutes), or until cooked all the. way through.

Ta Da!!  There, now you have one might fine tasting loaf to go with your afternoon tea (or coffee)!  Let me know what you think!

ENJOY!!

The right to snacks

I have met so many people who have varying ideas about food, snacks, meals, etc.  I have always been a person who needs a morning and afternoon snack (and nap if it is possible).  I have been trying to read a lot about nutrition, food as fuel, and finding ways to eat well without the discomforts that plague my stomach.  While trying to cut out a majority of the gluten in my diet, I am also trying to stick to as clean of a daily diet as possible!  I really do believe in the principles behind this way of eating, and I have to say it really does make me feel better!

One reason I love the ‘Eat Clean Diet’ is because it promotes having 5-6 small meals a day, rather than 3 huge ones…which is exactly how I roll!  I have always eaten breakfast, always!  I could never skip it because it is my favorite meal of the day!  Pancakes, oatmeal, Raisin Bran, Kashi cereals, English muffins, toast with PB and banana…the list goes on!  It is well known in my house that I would prefer to eat breakfast items for every meal of the day, but I know I would lack certain nutrients if I did that!  I think a good breakfast is the best way to start your day…the weird thing is, no matter what I eat for breakfast, I am always hungry within 2 hours. 

That is why I am always on board for a morning snack!  I have some favorites like: apples with natural peanut butter, date balls and a piece of fruit, a tortilla wrap with PB and banana, etc.  (I am weird and have certain things I eat for morning snacks and then other things that I eat for afternoon snacks…you will never see me snacking on a yogurt bowl in the morning!)

For lunches, I like to be sure I have some protein, carbs, veggies and then a piece of fruit or something else on the side..I love salads, sandwiches or wraps loaded with healthy fats, veggies and chicken, pita pizzas…oh, the list goes on!!

Afternoon snacks usually consist of: a yogurt bowl, tofu pudding with banana, perhaps another protein shake, no bake choco-krispie bites

In the evening, I like to have more protein, perhaps some form of a carbohydrate, veggies, and hopefully lots of flavor!!  One of my favorite meals is a tomato pasta with homemade sauce, fish with homemade salsas, chicken parmesan (the healthy way), quinoa tacos…and more!

Getting into my clean eating a lot more, I have noticed that by eating more natural items, less packaged stuff, more protein, and a better blend of foods, that I have been feeling better and fuller longer!  I feel better during my workouts and slowly am starting to feel the stresses ease away!  That is the thing with getting settled and slowly easing into big changes…eventually it will happen and you will just suddenly feel better!  Slow and steady wins the race!  If I can stay on track with my clean eats, my workouts and my daily routines, I think it will all be A-OK!!!  Now, to go get some more new recipes to try out and post on here!!

 

What are your favorite snacks or meals?