Veggie Prep and More

I promise today there will be no "naughty" foods (or treats as I should call them) posted. I've been fighting my inner chip monster this week. We have little bags of Ruffles at work, leftovers from an event. Obviously, I have eaten my share (by which I mean more than my share) beause I love chips. However, I have purposely been packing healthy snacks to keep me from giving in every time I want chips. Monday was a chip free day! Let me repeat Monday was a chip free day. Tuesday, however, I didn't have a solid snack plan, so I took the chip option for my snack. Again, I am looking for balance, because realistically I don't see chips being completely eradicated from the rest of my days. I need to figure out how to enjoy them without derailing a healthy lifestyle. I ate one serving (an actual serving) and was done - win! I like this particular mix of nuts (unsalted). I actually bought them about a month ago in Cincinnati for my marathoner and they didn't get opened. They are a satisfying compliment to my apple. Apples sometimes give me a hungry feeling after I eat them, but I think the nuts prevented that feeling.

My husband had already cooked some chicken earlier in the day on Monday, so at dinner time I had plenty of room to grill for all the dinner veggies plus veggies to use later. I didn't do much to prep them just a little salt and pepper.

My dinner plate. I didn't realize I arranged it all like soldiers in a row until I got ready to take the picture. I mixed a little of the jalapeno pesto from last week with light sour cream to dip the chicken in.

All the leftover veggies except the corn were chopped up and added to steamed broccoli to use in my egg muffins.I know I've posted about them many times here and on Facebook, but I can't help myself from touting this go-to healthy convenience food. I prepped the veggies right after dinner an put them in the fridge.

The next morning I made a batch of egg muffins. About a third of a cup of veggies per muffin makes a nice serving of veggies since I usually eat two at a time. .

 Add beaten eggs/egg whites - I usually use 3 whole eggs and 9 egg whites to make 12 muffins. Top with Parmesan. I used to mix the Parmesan with the beaten eggs, but then it all sinks to the bottom of the bowl and is hard to distribute, so now I just sprinkle it on right before baking.

Two went on my plate to eat with oatmeal and raspberries for breakfast.

The rest went into the fridge for breakfasts and snacks later this week (my husband grabbed a couple on his way out the door this morning). They keep all week and warm up very well in the microwave. I've been known to eat them cold in grab-n-go situations

Now about that corn....I think this is the only way we cook corn anymore. Remove the husks and silks and  then just throw it on the grill as is - no butter, no salt, nothing. Turn it a few times. You will notice the little charred spots and the corn gets a deeper yellow as it cooks. We like our corn lightly cooked (crisp tender) - just leave it on a bit longer if you want it more cooked. It is super sweet and delicious. I am serious - nothing on it. I've tried the whole soak the corn in husks and cook it so it steams technique. Frankly, it hasn't worked for me. I can't see how done it is. It actually tends to be drier - probably because I end up cooking it too long. I also like a few little char spots from the grill grates. When I make it, I usually have an ear for dinner and then cut the rest of the kernels off the cobs.

This week I will be eating it as a side for these turkey meatloaves, I made last night after dinner. I can't stress the importance of meal prep for me. When I come home from work ready to chew off my arm it is makes me feel good that I can make a solid healthy choice and eat right away. I enjoy cooking and the variety of individual meals.  However, meal prep is more of an insurance plan for me for the inevitable days that does't happen.  Even if you just make a couple of the components ahead of time it reduces stress.
Some of the corn will no doubt be sprinkled in chicken tacos. In addition to it being delicious, the point is that is prepared and available. I have also been known to eat a serving of corn as a snack...it is sweet corn after all. I found a new Mexican Street Corn Tostada I will be trying soon....need to run it through the calorie calculator first to be sure it is an affordable meal.

Double Light 

Monday 

Romanian Deadlift (one leg) - The dreaded RDLs (we've done them a couple times already). Turns out, I might have a bone to pick with my trainer. I googled Romanian Deadlifts and those people got to use TWO legs. The hardest part of this exercise for me is balancing on one foot. Apparently this exercise works your hamstrings and glutes to get a butt that "pops" according to one video I watched.

Fielder's Curls - I felt pretty good about this one, especially the more I did it and got comfortable with the move.

I know you just watched a video, but I liked this still picture too. It makes me feel powerful.

Marching Plank - Start in plank position and alternate raising legs. I could really feel it in my core, but unfortunately could only do a couple at a time so I never got in a rhythm. Again, I say this is going to go so much better when I am fighting a whole lot less body weight. I am trying to remember that when I eat. I am a bit mortified how hard I know I am working and it looks like I am hardly off the floor cause my body is so "thick" - I am trying to focus on where my spine is to get a more accurate perspective.

No need to elaborate on my feelings about marching planks.  This picture pretty much sums it up.

Tuesday

5-10-5: - I was somewhat excited about doing this one because it was the same as a workout we did the first week. I was very curious if I would be better than the first time around.  The first time we did this workout, we did it in the hallway at home. I thought I was going to do so much better that I wanted more room to really run. So we went to a local track.

I did't get a side view picture, but I am pretty sure it would have looked like this...

Oh wait there is video...you decide.... (please excuse the wardrobe malfunction - I need some better fitting pants).

I would like to say, I felt like the picture of my trainer, but I did't.  By the end of the first set of five my legs were total jelly and I was sucking wind. I seriously felt like I could not move my gigantic cement legs.(very much like I feel in a bad dream when when I am trying to escape some crazed murderous maniac and I am stuck in slow-mo). That all being said, I know I did better than the first time. At no time did I feel like I was going to throw up...and I never begged my trainer to stop. Definitely could not say that about the first time we did it.

I will close up with a exciting news from the garden...the tomatoes are starting to bloom like crazy.

 And I finally discovered two little babies on the Sun Gold (our favorite!) plant. Sorry about the focus  - I could not get the camera to focus on the babies for anything.

And finally, if tomatoes took selfies....

Yes, I did switch to the forward facing camera, stick my hand in the tomato bush and snap a picture. I know, I have inanimate object personification issues.

Hope your week is going well!!!

What's for Breakfast?

I love to read about what other people are eating and get new ideas to incorporate into my diet. I thought I would share what I am eating. Here is the breakfast edition.

I am such a creature of habit!   I am currently rotating between two different breakfasts - smoothie or cereal with fruit. I will also reveal my obsession with blueberries.

A few months ago a co-worker got me thinking about smoothies. Of course, I'd heard of them before, but they never really appealed to me. I wasn't feeling all the "crazy" ingredients people put in them.  I like to keep things pretty simple. My co-worker was always talking about the yummy fruit blends he was having. When mentioned that he bought this blender at Walmart for less than $20 - I decided to give it a try.  This model is Faberware. It came with 5 cups and two blades. It works great.

After trying several different combinations, I have settled on a favorite - banana/blueberry.  I break up a small banana, 1/2 cup spinach leaves and 3/4 cup each of frozen blueberries and almond milk. Aldi recently had blueberries for 99 cents a pint. I bought 5 pints and froze them.  If I'd had more freezer space I would have bought more. I really like using frozen fruit because it gives the smoothie a nice consistency. Okay, I confess - I like the consistency because it is like a shake.

Here it is - a big glass of purple yumminess. I know the spinach idea freaks some people out but you really don't taste it. And with the blueberries' vibrant color you don't even see the spinach. Now I know a 1/2 cup of spinach leaves isn't going to make a huge difference, but I believe every little bit helps get to the greater goal. Spinach is high in vitamin A - good for the eyes and immune system - which both of mine could use all the help they can get :)  I usually eat my smoothie with a hard boiled egg or a piece of string cheese (240-270 calories). At first I was concerned that it wouldn't keep my satisfied until lunch, but I have found that it does.

My second go-to breakfast is cereal. I have a weird little cereal thing. I love me some Fruit Loops or Reese Peanut Butter Crunch (and many more), but I don't like them for breakfast. Bottom line is I like the unsweetened cereals for breakfast. Then I like to add fruit - blueberries for example :)

My real cereal weirdness...I like mixing several cereals together. I think it comes from when I was a kid and my mom would mix the ends of cereal boxes together to clear the clutter. For as long as I can remember as an adult I have bought several kinds of cereal and dump them all in together. I make a big batch of my mixed cereal, store it in freezer bags and toss the boxes.

This is the current blend I am working on - cheerios, rice/corn chex, puffed wheat, rice krispies, corn/bran flakes. I like the different textures and shapes of the cereal. 

I usually eat a cup of my blend. It is a little tricky to calculate the calories for all the different cereals. Instead of trying to do that I just took the higher end of the cereals I used and call it 120 calories per cup.  None of the cereals are more than that per cup. For the time being my issue is portion control, not whether or not I am eating 20 calories plus or minus for breakfast.

I told you...I am obsessed with blueberries (and bananas) lately. This bowl is 1 cup cereal, 3/4 cup 1% milk, 1/2 cup blueberries and 1/2 banana (280 calories).

I have been reading recipes for the egg muffins. I think I am ready to take the plunge. I've been a little anti-egg in the morning lately - from a taste standpoint.  However, the egg muffins have caught my interest. It also looks like a good way to get a few more veggies in. See exploding garden.

I whipped up a batch this morning using Skinnytaste's recipe.  I had some leftover grilled asparagus and peppers that I chopped up and added to some broccoli.  I ended up using 2 eggs, 6 egg whites, 2 cups veggies, 1 oz shredded Parmesan and 2 Tbsp reduced fat Mexican blend cheese  to make 9 muffins. I am a little confused on how hers came out to so many more calories. I figured them at 44 calories per muffin and double checked it on a recipe calculator which gave me 47 per muffin. I made a half batch according to her recipe, but it looks like we both got 9 muffins. Maybe her muffin pan makes bigger muffins.

I ate one when they came out of the oven - delicious!! I took two to work for my afternoon snack. They were still good in the afternoon, but I did like them a little better fresh from the oven. Maybe I needed to have something with them at snack...a few grapes or something.

What are some of your favorite breakfast options?  Please, please don't say waffles and bacon or breakfast pizza :( 

Side note:  I wore a top to work today that I wore for some our engagement pictures three years ago. After gaining about 20 pounds of "happy to be married weight" the top got stuck in a box in the closet.  Happy to be wearing it again :)

August 2011

July 2014

Look how skinny that husband is!!  Now that I am back where I started I am looking forward to the next side by side when my loss shows up too :)