Week 6 Already?

Hurray for meal prep!!!  I am loving my lasagna this week. Okay, I admit it is a bit dry, so if you are looking for saucy it might be a good idea to save some extra sauce to add when you reheat. Personally, I don't mind. My biggest issue is that the mozzarella on top hardened up that top layer, so it is a bit difficult to cut into pretty bites - layers sliding everywhere. Maybe next time I will put a bit more sauce on top and put the cheese inside one of the layers...or I could probably leave the mozzarella out completely...gasp!!  Despite all that, it is tasty and definitely a make again recipe. I am going to freeze a couple of the portions,so I can have them next week. So many delicious healthy meals, so little time in one week to eat them.

Week 6 of Double Light - is that even possible??  My trainer got a bit creative with naming each day's workout. "Jacked-up Thursday"made me laugh...let's see if I am laughing tomorrow :)

There was a bit of twist for Monday. My trainer introduced super sets. Instead of completing all six exercises in a circuit, he paired two exercises. I had to do a set of the first one and then straight into the second exercise. Then right back to the first, then second, etc. with no rest until after the third circuit. Then we moved on to the second pair of exercises. It was a good change of pace.

Of course, there were squats. I am not sure I will ever be happy with them, but I better just suck it up since they don't seem to be going anywhere.

 Tricep kick backs - I have done them before, but I feel like I was getting better extension this time.

 Bent Rows - Goal is to lift elbows higher than your shoulders.

 I am going to say this even though my trainer is reading this...I like these.

Leg Scissors - Feet up and crisscrossing back and forth until your legs fall off.. Okay, perhaps I am exaggerating, but it feels like it.

 A post workout selfie from the floor...I takes me a minute to recoup.

Dinner was super easy. I put leftovers on my plate and warmed them up. I am definitely going to make another basket of those grilled veggies. Such a delicious simple side dish.

When you don't share with your puppy....she starves to death right there in your lap...or so she would have you believe.

Tuesday morning, the awesome Meg at Running Just As Fast As She Can was starting her organized swim practice and I offered to do an "empathy swim" that morning, which meant I had to go with my husband at his normal time.  See how dark it is?  See they aren't even open yet?? Time check - 4:20 a.m.!!!

By 4:35 a.m. I was on the pool deck taking proof-of-swim selfies. I didn't realize I was getting mirrored goggles when I ordered them. I was not happy when they came because I wanted clear. I thought the mirrored would be too dark. However, I love them. They aren't dark. They are super comfortable on my big head. And I look awesome with bug eyes, right?

I swam, I walked, I ran and generally worked to keep my heart rate up for 40 minutes. I felt really good about pushing myself even though my trainer was no where to be seen. He was doing his workout in another part of they gym. Obviously, I was much happier after the workout.  On a side note, my husband was concerned this picture didn't show I was smiling. Apparently, he is not familiar with "smizing".

The last of my farmer's market blueberries went on my Tuesday oatmeal. I am pretty sure they will have them next week and some will come home with me again.

 Remember how I said I have been gaining confidence in my abilities. This box arrived at our office.

It came to the lower level door which meant it had to go up these stairs to my office. These stairs are the worst steps known to mankind - narrow, steep.

I did have to empty the box because it was falling apart, but I carried the whole stack of books at once up the stairs to my desk!  I did not wait for my boss to come to the office to carry them.  I did it! Truth is even though I can do it,  I do like getting guys to do the heavy lifting cause I also enjoy being a delicate flower. Surely I can have it both ways, right?

Since I did the pool workout in the morning we skipped my cardio Double Light Tuesday. All day I had intended to do it, but for some reason my neck started hurting the last hour of work and I got a headache. When my trainer suggested my cardio was good for the day, I quickly agreed.

Tuesday night was tough. I just wanted to snack. Yet again, I was saved to a degree by the fact we don't have "goodies" in the house. I could have dashed to Farm Fresh to get something, but I felt too guilty. Truth is I have slipped out for a snack (or more) a time or two after my husband has gone to bed. And now he knows.

Wednesday it was nice to sleep later, but I did get up in time to do a little dinner prep. I was grilling these at 6:30 a.m. Yes, it was already time for another batch of the stuffed peppers I made last week. I got the whole dish prepared and ready for the oven. Then into the fridge it went.

I got so involved in making the peppers I didn't leave time to make my breakfast. I grabbed a piece of my veggie lasagna and called it good. I am not super particular about eating traditional "breakfast foods." I knew I'd be eating out at lunch, so I just wanted to stay on track. The lasagna is right about 300 calories. That meant no muffin or donut when I stopped to pick up a couple items for work from Walmart.

We ended up eating lunch at St. Louis Bread Company (known by most of you as Panera).  The company was started in St. Louis and when it became Panera, they kept the St. Louis "Bread Co." branding in this area. Now I know I am about to get controversial....don't mess with Panera. I rarely go there because in my opinion it is a bit pricey and the place is always packed at lunch time. But I am a go with the flow girl, so Bread Co. it was. I know people rave about the Strawberry Poppyseed salad so I tried a Pick 2 with that and the Turkey, Avocado BLT. For my taste, there was too much fruit and dressing in/on the salad. It was simply too sweet for my salad tastes..I should have thought to get the dressing on the side. The sandwich, despite having all the things I love, was bland. The meal was $12, which is more than I want to spend for lunch. On the upside, I've been taking my lunch for the last few weeks, so  the splurge didn't make me feel too guilty. Caloriewise it was was good - 540 according to the Panera website. For the record, I can eat my weight in their Cinnamon Crunch (430 calories) and Asiago cheese (330 calories) bagels

 I know it is silly, but I do love their clear cups.

This morning when I stopped at Walmart for work stuff, I noticed some tank tops. I got this one to troll my trainer a bit.  He actually really liked it and didn't tease me too much about my impulse buying issues.

Even though it is more snug than I would like, I decided to wear it for my workout. According to the schedule it was Washboard Wednesday...the dreaded ab workout.

Dumbbell Russian Twists - Dumbbell I get, twist I get, not sure where the Russian comes in.  Despite the somewhat confusing name this was my favorite exercise of the workout. Feet and shoulders off the ground - twist side to side lowering the dumbbell to your hip while using your legs to counter balance. Hello, obliques and lower stomach muscles. I am going to say it...I kinda love this picture.

Bent Windshield Wipers - Twisting body from side to side with feet up and knees bent. As you twist, don't let legs touch the ground. Trust me, there is a point when you definitely want to let them fall to the side.

 Alligator Planks - WHAT??  I will let my trainer demonstrate.

The idea is to walk along on your hands dragging your feet behind you. I got into position. Was able to move each hand forward one "step", but couldn't drag my feet -- I needed them to stay put to keep from collapsing. I tried a couple times and then we moved on to a modification.

Instead of the Alligator Plank I did a normal plank with knees down.

 I had to hold it until....

Ironically, in most of the pictures while I was working out, you couldn't see "just kidding, I take naps" - those words got sucked into my rolls. Good thing I work out. I am eager to see how the tank will look in the future.

While I was doing my workout,the peppers I prepped in the morning were in the oven. By the time, I was ready for dinner it was ready for me :)

Just in case this post is not long enough, let me squeeze in a quick garden update. The tomato plants are out of control. Even though they are crowded, I think they are happy in their box. However, they aren't staying in the cages as well as I had planned. I am hoping the tomatoes get enough sun to ripen despite being crowded.

I now have tons of green tomatoes. I know I need to be patient because it will probably be 2-3 weeks before I can hope for anything to be ripe.  However, if these tomatoes ripen without getting stolen by birds or squirrels we will be in the tomato business :)

Yellow cherry tomatoes. 

Red grape tomatoes

The tomatillos are looking good too. Inside those green husks a fruit that looks like the green tomatoes is growing.  It will gradually fill the husk and cause the husk to split open. Then it is salsa verde time!!

 My dill has gone to seed. The flowers are so pretty and delicate.

 The jalapeno plants don't seem to be getting very big, but at least I see baby jalapenos!!

I just took Millie out to go potty. For once, I didn't mind that she had to examine our entire yard. I just hung out in the hammock enjoying the breeze and this sunset.

Thanks for sticking with me through this long post. However, after you have seen that face, what else is there to say.... good night!

Weekend Plus - A Recap

I turned into a bit of a slacker late last week and this weekend. I kept telling myself I would post Friday, then Saturday. Then I figured I might as well wait until Monday. So hang on...here we go!

Day two of the conference I knew better and brought my lunch from how so I would have it if/when sent back to the office. Before I left though I met a couple of our presenters - Luis & Roberto Hernandez - winners of Biggest Loser (season 17). They were super nice and I learned they attended my alma mater (a bit after me though). Truth is I didn't watch their season, but wanted to share in case there were any fans out there and who knows when I will have another brush with celebrity, right?

My husband has inspired a new snack...apples with peanut butter. He likes PB2, but I'd rather have less of "real" peanut butter. He also got me started on adding a bit of cinnamon to the peanut butter. It is amazing how a pinch of cinnamon can take a snack up a level of tastiness. Maybe it connects it to all those baked goods that use cinnamon. Cinnamon is my secret ingredient in chocolate chips cookies...but don't tell anyone.

Wednesday's workout was a core workout. Several of the exercises were ones I'd done previously, but there were a couple of new ones. This one was targeting the obliques. I held a 25 pound weight and did side bends. The weight was heavy but the motion felt pretty good.

Another exercise was a lower back raise. It involved me leaning over the arm of our couch. Pictures were taken, but they were clearly NSFA (Not Safe For Anywhere)!

Thursday I worked half a day. I wanted to make my sister from decadent birthday cookies - Easy S'more Cookies from Cookie Rookie. It was a bit of a challenge. You start with a basic chocolate chip cookie. Actually, the recipe calls for the prepared refrigerated dough, but I used my go-to recipe. For some reason my cookies didn't turn out like normal, which made slightly uglier bases than I wanted. The next step was to top the cookies with mini-marshmallows and toast under the broiler. As you can see toasting was a bit uneven. Then you dip cookie halfway in melted chocolate and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. I admit mine aren't nearly as pretty as the originals, but they were delicious. I only kept a couple for myself and gave the rest to my sister.

Turns out, I got involved in the baking, and didn't do that day's workout. I am making it up this weekend - I promise.  ***Update - I lied. Sorry :( 

Dinner was simply a steak and grilled asparagus. I sprinkled the steak with a bit of chopped basil - it was a very nice flavor.

Friday night I had a strength training workout. My trainer asked if I wanted him to do the exercises with me. Of course, I said yes. I suggested a few ways we could make it a "couple's workout". We did the Romanian Dead Lifts (one leg) while holding hands (the ones not holding the weights!)  Usually, I have him stand next to me in case I lose my balance. By holding hands we were able to counter-balance each other. I, also, found something that makes squats a bit more tolerable. We stood face to face and palms together and did synchronized squats while gazing into each other's eyes. Okay, it might have been more like a stare down. It was as close as I was getting to a date night, so I took advantage :)

After my husband went to bed, I had a small derailment. There were leftover chocolate chips in the house and remember those Lime & Sea Salt chips I bought and was saving for an occasion to share...well...  First, there was some salty, then I wanted sweet, then back to salty...you get the idea. I wish I could say I stopped myself sooner, but when my tummy started to ache a bit I did throw both kinds of chips into the trash. Not just in their packages, but I actually dumped the packages out into the trash can. It had to be done.

Last Saturday I didn't make it to the farmers' market, so I was determined to make it this weekend. In fact, I went to two different ones. Both markets have more than produce. I am enthralled with this booth. The lady makes the most incredible stuffed toys.  I wouldn't even know where to begin to choose!!!

Maybe this guy...until my husband said he looks like a big roach that needs to be squished. I still don't see it.

Another booth was a gardener who sells plants (iris and daylilies). She brings a sample of the flowers and you can order plants that she will bring to the market in the coming weeks. When I was in my 20s my mom was very into daylilies and I got sucked into loving them too. Unfortunately, most of mine have quit flowering. I am pretty sure they need to be divided and saved from the weeds I am having trouble fighting the last couple of years.

 Again, I don't know how I could choose.

A display of cards created by a local photographer. I've made many cards with my photos. Most were given as gifts. I have thought about selling some.

I loved this booth of signs.

My farmers' market purchases included some favorites and a couple of new items. I've never had kohlrabi - the seller suggested eating it raw. The cherries are sour, but I am planning to use some in smoothies. I was surprised to see blueberries ripe already...they are so good!

Millie got a bone from the market. A booth that sold beef had a big box of bones for a dollar each. She was a very happy puppy.

I steamed some of the green and yellow beans together - aren't they pretty. I wrapped a chicken sausage in a corn tortilla and added half an apple to the plate. It was a tasty lunch, but ended up not being as filling as I would have liked.

For dinner, I decided to make a veggie lasagna that would double as some lunch prep for next week. My version was based on this Skinny Veggie Lasagna from Pinch of Yum. I used more sauce (an extra cup) and more veggies (close to twice as much) than the recipe instructed. My veggies were onion, broccoli, peppers, zucchini and mushrooms.  I also used kale instead of spinach in the ricotta mixture.

The ricotta mixture was not enough to make an even layer, but it was definitely enough to taste in the finished lasagna.

 It smelled so good when it came out of the oven, my mouth was watering.

I cut it in 8 portions instead of 9 like the recipe. I recalculated the calories because the recipe seemed a little low. My portions came out to about 250 -  not including the veggies. I wasn't exactly sure how much I put in, but I can't imagine it was more than 50 calories per serving.  I was very happy how this recipe turned out and I would definitely make it again. I am looking forward to the leftovers.

You may be relieved to know I am not eating my sweet potato hash everyday. How could I with these beautiful blueberries to put on oatmeal?  They are so delicious. I only have one serving left though to get me through to next market day :(

Sunday was all about a family get together to celebrate my husband's grandma's 95th birthday.  My mother-in-law asked me to make the chicken/veggie kabobs I made a few weeks ago. But since we had to grill them at home and then take the food to the farm (about 20 minutes away) I was concerned they wouldn't hold and would dry out. So I went a slightly different direction. I bought chicken drumsticks for 69 cents a pound (can't beat that) and brined them using this Tyler Florence recipe. Drumsticks are like natural kebabs, right?

I grilled the chciken using my own barbecue sauce....well, a mix of Kraft and Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauces. We grilled the veggies in our new grill basket. 

There isn't much that looks better than BBQ hot off the grill - even that slight charred piece!

I was very pleased with how the veggies turned out too. We had a combo of green and yellow summer squash, red/yellow peppers, red onion and mushrooms.

To transport I put everything into a big crockpot. Miraculously, everyone was on time and the food stayed nice and hot. When we got to the farm we turned the crockpot on warm, just to keep it hot during serving. 

I was a bit nervous how it would turn out. I am sure we will be doing this again :)

What tricks do you have for transporting food?

I am looking forward to a good week....what are your plans?