Snowy Day & Hula Hoops

Hello,

Overnight oats were delish:

 

-1/3 c each oats, milk, plain 0% greek yogurt

-1 Tbsp chia seeds

Soaked overnight & topped with:

-1/2 banana

-1 Tbsp slivered almonds

-1 Tbsp granola

Lunch was leftovers, but a good mix, all heated up and topped with some extra feta cheese:

-1 square of spanokopita

-1 c brown rice

-1/2 c toasted chick peas

To make the chick peas, drain a can of chick peas & toss with a tsp or 2 of evoo, and any spices you want. I like a tsp or 2 of maple syrup, cinnamon & nutmeg. Then, spread the beans on a cookie sheet & bake at 350* for ~15 minutes. Really good, really.

After about an hour of studying muscles, I decided to go get some of my own. I headed to the gym for a Body Defined class, but when I arrived....

 

It was a hula hooping class! I didn't have a cool outfit like these ladies, but I was better that I thought I would be, and it was fun.  Abs might be sore tomorrow!

Started snowing like crazy today. The real heavy snow in huge flakes. It was cute, but I don't want any of that craziness that has shut down MD, DC & VA.

Sushi & Spinach

So nice to have a long weekend!
I finally got caught up on a bunch of things that I have been putting off...including blogging.

I knew that I wanted today to be a productive day, since I relaxed and had fun the rest of the weekend. So, I started the day with an energizing Green Monstah: 

 

-3/4 c 1% milk

-1 frozen banana (could use fresh & add a few ice cubes)

-2 big handfuls of spinach

-topped with ~2 Tbsp homemade almond-oats granola

-1 scoop chocolate protein powder 

 This was really so good. You don't taste the spinach AT ALL. It just gives it a cool color, but tastes like a banana smoothie. Plus, it feels good getting a vegetable in by 8am. I might add a Tbsp of almond or peanut butter instead of the protein powder next time, because it was pretty sweet.

I lost some steam in the late morning, so I decided to go for a walk around the park for 20 minutes or so to clear my head. I buckled down after that and dug back into my work (planning my group interventions for overweight pre-teens in East Boston).

Tyler and I made a sushi dinner for Valentine's Day, so for lunch, I assembled some rolls from the leftover ingredients. 

2 rolls with:

-1/2 c. brown sushi rice

-2 oz imitation crab meat

-cukes & carrots

-wasabi, soy sauce, ginger

This was the second time that I have used brown rice for sushi, and I have to say that its good! I tried to buy the "cleanest" imitation crab meat, but even this "natural" brand had some questionable ingredients. I love the stuff though! And I can't afford sushi-grade tuna or anything fancy.

Aren't my flowers and turquoise table so pretty together? More pics of the kitchen coming soon when I'm done re-decorating.

 

Almost forgot that I had some kale chips for a snack. Just try them, trust me. 

 

 Wash a bunch of kale & tear bite-size pieces from thick stems

Place on a cookie sheet and coat with ~2 tsp evoo (I use a spray olive oil) & salt

Bake at 350* for around 10-15 minutes, until crispy, but not brown

Dip into ketchup

I more than needed to get out of the apt again, so I went to a 15 minute Core class and a 1 hr. Bosu Challenge class at the gym. I was exhausted by the end, but it was a really good workout. I am really starting to love the Bosu. No pics, but I made some spanokopita and salad for dinner. It was okay, but could have used about twice as much feta cheese + more oil.

 

I also snacked on some dried pineapple from TJs, which they brought back after a 6 month hiatus. I know, because I looked for it everyday. It is dangerously good.

And one last note: I have started thinking about my looming upcoming birthday--25!!! I feel old!! So to get myself more excited, I really want to make this cake (only smaller...maybe):

 

 

!!

 

 

HNY!

Happy New Year!

Tyler and I didn't feel like partying much last night (or spending $100+ to party) so we just headed out to absorb some free stuff going on in town. One of the perks of living in the city!

Winslow Homer Ice Sculpture. There were about 4 or 5 other sculptures that we saw.

Walking on the frozen pond at the Public Gardens.

Overlooking the snowy gardens

 

I hate resolutions because I just feel like they are inherently short-lived & so cliche.
But, I did get a new Clean Eating Magazine in the mail and I am going to follow their 14-day eating plan to get rid of some of the less-healthy snacking that has snuck into my diet over the last month or so. The magazine is not about dieting at all, but has a very reasonable approach to eating that reduces sugar, salt, and unnatural stuff. The recipes are really good, too, and are full of ideas for healthy eating so you don't get in a "chicken tenderloins, brown rice and steamed veggies" rut (and there is no fat free cheese involved, so I am a fan of that). Okay, enough endorsements for CE mag.

I've been addicted to oatmeal for breakfast lately...
-1/4 c. steel cut oats
-1/2 banana
-1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
-1/2 Tbsp chia seeds
-1-2 tsp agave nectar
-dollop of unsweetened applesauce

Most exciting is my new.......

Milk frother from Ikea- the best $1.99 ever spent

This helped me make a really good latte today with 1/2 c. 1% milk and some Starbuck Via (Instant coffee-Colombian brew) from Tyler's mom, who is a manager at Starbucks. (A lot of our Hanukkah/Christmas presents were Starbucks themed). I added one packet of Stevia sweetener.

Okay, off to run some errands, then some crafting hopefully on this snowy day.