Archive for July, 2009

This Is Our Fate…I’m Yours

Okay the camera had been MIA for past few days  (thank you Mr. Vodka Tonic(s) last Friday!)  Luckily though, a friend had it and now…………

I’M BACK BABBBBBBBY!

Now for a fabulous breakfast…..I went with some Vanilla Greek Yogurt, MYMIX Granola, TJ Superfruit preserve, Maranatha Almond Butter and sliced banana!

Usually when I get the Greek yogurt I get plain, but htis time I had accidently picked up the vanilla. I’m not sure if it was because all the ingredients I had but I didn’t love the flavor.  It was a bit too sweet for me.IMG_1527

On the side I added Hemp Bread with Naturally Nutty Vanilla AB and more preserve.IMG_1523

 

I was craving a bit of Mexican today at lunch.  Using the different ingredients I have at my house I made a healthier version of a Taco Salad. 

I began by crushing up a few Guiltless Gourmet Blue Corn chips, then I cut up a few cherry tomatoes into smaller bits bits and threw them on top. Using chicken that was already cooked, I heated it up and then cut it into smaller strips. Then I took Franks Hot Sauce and covered the chicken and proceeded to heat the mixture up once more.

I threw in some lettuce and placed the chicken on top of the mixture.  I added my condiments of 2% Shredded Cheddar, Reduced Fat Sour Cream and some Salsa.

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It came out fabulous! Not to mention very filling yummmmmmm!!!IMG_1530

 

Okay, so over the past five years or so my aunt and I have seen an obscene amount of concerts.  More than any normal human being would see unless they worked in the music industry.  In fact, I’d say it’s safe to say that my aunt and I are qualified enough to be able to work as a roadie, music promoter or writer for Rolling Stone.

It is no wonder after the many many shows I have seen that I haven’t taken pictures of any of the artists.  Here’s a just a handful of artists I’ve seen (many of them on numerous occasions):  John Mayer, Anberlin, Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Vans Warped Tour, Coldplay, The Police, Kanye West, Fleetwood Mac, Britney Spears, Bruce Springsteen, Goo Goo Dolls, Martina Mcbride, Alanis Morrisette, Tori Amos, Usher,Shania Twain and soooo many more!

If I had documented each concert I had been to I would have quite the photo album to show off! Well, I’ve decided it’s never too late to begin so when I saw Jason Mraz last night I made sure the camera was ready!

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Jason was so fabulous! At first when he came out it was very mellow and he just went from song to song (amazing songs!).  He really started to feel his groove in the middle of the concert and interacted with the crowd more, danced around and was loose and silly.

The vibe of the concert was very beachy/reggae.  You felt like you were on a native island just enjoying life and the spirituality of nature and man.  The whole concert was very reminiscent of his latest album which is much more stripped down and mellow compared to his other two albums.

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One thing I did notice about Jason is how skinny he is! I’ve heard that he is into vegan and raw food but I think it has made him too frail looking. Don’t get me wrong, I’d still go 7 Minutes in Heaven with him, but I actually think he looks better when he was a little more “filled out”

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BUT he is still fabulous and we all love him!

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And We Are Back!

SOOOO I have been at the beach since Saturday. I took off completely from blogging, and even from picture taking. 

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The first three days I was there was cloudy and a bit rainy! I was so discouraged because I had wanted to get out on the beach and work on a nice tan! Luckily on the last day (Tuesday) the sun was out in full force; it also appeared to be out on the day I was leaving boo!

Even though I was on vacation I tried to track my eating and not be too bad. I definitely ate  a lot of sweets however. brownies, blueberry whipped cream pie, sweet bread, fudge and lots of “Grandpa” cookies. I tried to keep the rest of the eating clean however.

I had oatmeal, eggs and sausages for breakfast, lunch was minimal, open faced turkey sandwich, smoothie, some fruit.  Dinner was when I ate the most! Chicken Pita with fruit and new potatoes, Spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread and salad, Grilled chicken breasts with my three bean salad, watermelon, baked beans. Not to mention LOTS and LOTS of chips!!!

One thing I did indulge a bit in was vodka cranberry and vodka tonics.  I had never had a vodka tonic but I must say it is now my new favorite drink! I try to pick clear liquids if I am to drink, less calories that way.  A little vodka with come tonic and a fresh squeezed lime made for a tasty drink. 

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I did get a couple days of good workouts in. I ran two times in the morning, played a nice game of beach volleyball and walked up lotsof stairs. I really love running on the beach.  First off, it’s the beach! It’s much more calming and interesting than a treadmill.  I also feel like I am pushing myself more than on a treadmill.  I have no idea how fast I was actually running but I know my heart rate was higher than it usually stays than on a treadmill.  I think I should run outside more often.

I wasn’t sure what would happen when I came back and stepped on the scale. Not too much damage was done! I’m not sure if it’s due to the diuretic (which I am still drinking) or if eating more helped but I managed to lose a couple pounds.

 

NOW onto today’s food:

When I had gotten back I had a package from Mix My Granola.  In my granola I put Low Fat Granola, Organic Banana chips, Dried Blueberries, Organic Pepitas. Chia Seeds, Caffeine Powder, Walnuts and apparently LOTS OF LOVE!!

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For breakfast we work I went with Trader Joe Greek Yogurt with fresh blueberries, MMG (mix my granola), organic apricot jam, and some Peanut Butter and Co. Cinnamon Raisin Swirl.  I also added low calorie Trader Joe Wheat Bread with a bit of Naturally Nutty PB.

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For lunch I polished off the rest of a sandwich I had gotten at Earthfare.  It was a roasted Veggie Sandwich with Portabella Mushroom, Eggplant, Zucchini Squash, Roasted Red Pepper, Pesto, Olive Oil, Spices, Mozzarella and Classic Ciabatta bread.  I also added some organic bean salad (which has chickpeas and red kidney beans) and last I had a ton of Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies.

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These things are hard to resist! I just keep dipping my hand in the box and munching. They are so fresh, yummmm!

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BEACH TOMORROW!

I am so ready for my vacation! It is finally friday and tomorrow around 1 pm I will be hitting the road and in the sun and sand until Wednesday!

My lovely morning started off with half of this Clif bar.

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I was lazy at lunch and was for some reason craving a Salad and Sweet Potato.  We ordered from Tripps and I got a Cajun Chicken Salad. *As described by the online menu* Tender Chicken Breast grilled with cajun seasoning, bell peppers, greated cheese,  and spicy roasted nuts.  It didn’t seem too unhealthy, there were some breaded croutons.  I tried to pic the healthiest and tastiest salad they had, hope my choice was okay!

On the side I got plain whipped Sweet Potatos, hmmm I looooove Sweet Potatos.  I put a little cinnamon on them; it was divine!

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SOOO I decided to try out Jillian Michael’s Diuretic Drink which is supposed to rid about 5 pouds onf water weight.  I doubled the recipie, I got a gallon of distilled water, 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of pure cranberry juice (not from concentrate) and seeped two willow root tea bags. 

She complained that it tasted awful, but I don’t think it’s that terrible.  However I find a lot of healthy foods that people find disgustng taste to not be so bad.  So maybe it’s just me!

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I am ALSO excited because I got two packages yesterday!! FIRST was my Naturally Nutty Vanilla Almond BUtter.  I brought it (and left it ) at work, but it is so delicious! All the hype from different blog sites got it right, yummmm.

My Moja Mix also came it. LOVE IT!

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My Mix Includes: Three Brothers (Wheat Flakes, Rye Flakes, Oat Flakes), Figs, Brazil Nuts, Walnuts, Goji Berries and Chia Seeds.   Overall I really like it! One thing I will do next time is add double of some of the add-ons.  The Three Brothers Mix overwhelms the extras.

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AND my cute Playboy workout top came in!

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LOVE LOVE LOVES it all!

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Salute Your Salad

Morning all! I am so close to vacation time and I cannot wait!

I began the morning with a lovely Pecan Larabar. I must say that I have yet to have a flavor that isn’t tasty.  Some of the flavors look questionable, but thus far nothing has disappointed me!

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In an attempt to eat everything in my fridge before I am away for five days, I decided it was a good idea to eat both of my Trader Joe’s Greek Yogurt.  Note the word thought it would be a good idea. 

I added in it a fresh apricot, granola, blackberry preserves and Peanut Butter and Co. Cinnamon Raisin Swirl.  ON TOP of all that I had Ezekiel bread with Almond Butter and Banana.

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This had me stuffed for days! I’m not sure how I even managed to eat lunch!

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I opted for another salad; this week has been a Salute! to salads

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(and a salute to your shorts)

I tried out a nice Green Salad with goodies like red and green peppers, pickles, tomato, cucumber, sprinkle of cheese and a few pieces of ham.IMG_1463

I added an array of “salads” form the Harris Teeter bar (bean salad, tabbouleh, and a couple others)

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I felt like I need a little more protein so I added a Frozen Entree.  Normally I try to stay away from these, they usually are loaded with preservatives and sodium.  Since this was an impromptu purchase, I decided to find one that was least toxic.

 

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I went with the Lean Cuisine Steak Tips.  Only ate about half of it though.

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 As if my stomach could take anymore from breakfast and lunch I had a pre-workout smoothie.

In the smoothie I had Trader Joe Frozen Tropical Fruit, along with Vanilla Whey Protein (ON), couple ice cubes, two strawberries, almond milk, non-fat yogurt and a splash of nonfat milk!

On the side was less than half of one of my muffins I had made earlier.  This one invovled Peanut Butter and Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams.  I warmed it up some and it was divine!

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5 Days To Go

Okay folks, beach in about 5 days!! I can’t wait for vacation and see all my extended family! It’ll definately be relaxing. So how fast has this Summer/this year gone by so far???

Breakfast was super simple.  Egg-whites with Reduced Fat Pepperjack cheese along with French Meadow Hemp Bread and Trader Joe’s Almond Butter with a bit of Banana!

THat is my favorite thing to eat, bread with Almond Butter and Banana. I could eat that allll the time!

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Lunch was a nice big yummy salad.  Lots of pretty colors (thanks to red and green peppers, shredded carrot and broccli) in my salad along with some grilled chicken breast, goji berries and almonds.

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Add a nice side of sliced apple and red grapes (<3 me some red grapes). So simple and very filling + a fab way to get your requred veggies (because I do love veggies but have the darndest time getting my 3-4 servings in!).

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Snack was a smoothie using Amazing Grass Chocolate.  I used a packest of AG,quarter of banana, 1/2 cup almond milk. 1/4 nonfat yogurt, some Barney Butter and 1/3 cup of Oatmeal.

I don’t think I’ll use Oatmeal again or I’ll need to mix it up WAY better than I did. It was too thick and I could taste the Oatmeal bits, it was kinda like drinking a chocolate glob.

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cure for a hangover

So you know after a night of drinking you really want to eat a ton but when you order all your food you can only take a bite.  Yeah that happened to me. 

I went to Cracker Barrel to order a lot of food and eat three bites, but those three bites were tasty!

I started with Water and Sweet Tea, I was going to get some OJ but I figured that would be overkill

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I ordered up some Oatmeal with pecan pieces and banana

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I also got Turkey Sausage and Egg Beaters, I only ate about half of this

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I don’t go out a ton but it’s nice once and awhile to meet new friends! Even if the next day you have a bit of a hangover, but thank goodness good friends take you to Cracker Barrel…good times!

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I felt like doing a little baking today. Using the Banan Bread Recipe I made for July 4th weekend I decided to make cupcakes. This time I used Applesauce instead of butter

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I put different things in each cupcake, Barney Butter, Blueberries, Granola, Peanut Butter and Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams, Newman’s Own Dried Apricots, Newman’s Own Organic Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Co. Cinnamon Raisin Swirl, Walnuts

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It didn’t take long for them to bake…I’m interested in trying them out!

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Now for my favorite song! I’ve been obsessed with it and have listened to it a few dozen times today

It’s too big, it’s too wide
It’s too strong, it won’t fit
It’s too much, it’s too tough
He talk like this ’cause he can back it up

He got a big ego, such a huge ego
I love his big ego, it’s too much
He walk like this ’cause he can back it up

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funny thing happened….

So I got home and there was a package on my front porch (squeeeeeal!)

I THOUGHT it might be my Almond  Butter I ordered from Naturall Nutty last Thursday

So I went inside, and went straight for the kitchen for some scissors and to finish the rest of my Larabar this morning.  I was super hungry when I got home.  My favorite Larabar is the Apple Pie. Actually it’s one of the only ones I’ve tried!

So I opened the box and lo’ and behold!

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Soooo happy! :) Not only do I have another Apple Pie but now I can try the other flvors! Hooooray!

 

Now where the duece is my Almond Butter!

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BBQ MJ

 

HAPPY THURSDAY! This week feels like it’s gone by fast, but each day goes by too slow…has anyone else had that feeling?

I’m debating my weekend plans, stay in down and catch up with friends, or go take a trip to VA? I’m sure I will decide at the last minute! now onto breakfast!!

 

So I have seen recipes and menus that have featured brown rice for breakfast.  I could never stomach the idea (literally) because to me brown rice is not a breakfast food.  It just seems too heavy and out of place for breakfast at 9 am.  But as one who is never afraid to try something new I decided to try a recipe I found involving brown rice.

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I used the Ready Serve Brown Rice and popped it in the microwave for a minute.  I only used about half of the container but I then mixed little pieces of apple, cinnamon, Newman’s Organic Cranberries and honey.

I have to say the result was delicious, it was sweet just like eating oatmeal (but different texture).  I really liked this combination!  I also added a Morningstar Sausage and Egg white with cheese for a protein and fiber filled breakfast!

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Everybody loves BBQ Sauce right? For lunch I took chicken breast and cut it into shredded pieces, I then slathered on some BBQ sauce and mixed it all together.  With a whole wheat hamburger bun, some lettuce and a litte ranch I was able to make a homemade version on a Barbeque Sandwich!

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In wake of the passing of Michael Jackson, I bring to you one of my favorite videos featuring MJ. I’d also like to dedicate this video to my friend Stephanie and to Bruce Springsteen’s Orgasm Face.

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Taco Salad!

I LOOOOVE these guys, Flight of the Conchords:

“you know I’m down to just my socks and you know when I’m down to just my socks what time it is…it’s time for business. it’s business time that’s why they call them business socks”

 Flight of the Conchords- Folk Rap

” ain’t no party like nana’s tea party, heey,hooo”

Flight of the Conchords- Business Time

Now off to breakfast! I had Trader Joe’s Greek Yogurt with fresh blueberries, goji berries and some blackberry preserve.  I added half a French Meadow Hemp Organic Bagel with Trader Joe Almond Butter and banana!!

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I got these Trader Joe Beef-less Steak Strips a bit ago and decided to use them before they went bad.  I came up with  a healthy taco salad! I used Organic Blue Corn Tortilla Chips with lettuce, the beef-less steak with melted 2% cheese with salsa and sour cream.

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You Are My Voice My Microphone

I decided that I would occasionally add songs (or at least try to) if there was a particular mood I was in, or if I happened to hear a song that stayed stuck in my head all day. This is my first time putting a song on here so I am not sure how it is going to play when you click the link. At the very least, I believe you can Right Click and Save Target As and save it on your computer.

Today’s song:  Coconut Records – Microphone

 

Now onto breakfast! I was debating between a Hemp Bagel and Oatmeal, and Oatmeal decisively won!  I took a half a cup of Oatmeal, with some crumbled Maple Clif Bar, Walnuts, Shredded Coconut and Peanut Butter and Co. Cinnamon Raisin Swirl!!

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Added Morningstar Sausage Patty for a complete breakfast, so yummy!

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I ate my snack a bit early today.  I’m really trying to be good with my food choices (I’ve actually gained about 10 pounds over the past 5 months).  Beach trip is in 2 weeks, I’m so pale!!!  Today’s snack was so delicious I was sad when I finished it :(

I made a smoothie using Amazing Grass Superfood Chocolate.  I put a packet in with 1/3 of a banana, two strawberries, 1/2 cup Almond Milk and some ice cubes.  I normally put yogurt in there but I couldn’t read the expiration date on the container and I know I’ve had it for awhile in my fridge, I just didn’t trust it!  When I started to blend it was waaaay too thick so I poured some nonfat milk in.  This did the trick and OMG did it taste sooooo good! I love the chocolatey flavor!

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My lunch today is a bit dull! I was in a rush this morning and hadn’t even thought about lunch the night before, so I was a bit under-prepared.  Thank goodness Lisa came in with an interesting lunch!

She had a Summer Vegetable Stirfry with Tofu all on a bed of rice (all gluten free).  I have to admit it did smell fantastic!

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I decided to get the grilled chicken sandwich from Chick-Fil-A and add some carrots and Trader Joe hummus.  I also has some juicy and sweet Watermelon and Canteloupe.  Yes, it paled in comparison to Lisa’s lunch!

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Such juicy sweet fruit!

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