Tuesday, February 9, 2010

School Day

First off, my legs are KILLING me right now. It's awesome, but is also very hard to get up and down out of my chair-- I really need to stop drinking so much water :)

It's my long day at school today ,and then I have book group tonight. I actually had time to read the book for once and it was so good. Hopefully by the time I get there it won't be all over...

Tuesdays are a NONE workout day for me - but today I wish I would have gotten up really early to help these legs out a little by doing some cardio. Oh well...

My lunch today: hummus/two slices of feta/ red peppers/carrots/Marys Gone Crackers



Snack: homemade granola/apple/black tea(I'm out of Yogi green tea- YIKES!!)


A snack for my nutrition epi class(they are my new food testers!)
They are trying my granola & for Valentine's I brought them dark chocolate Dove hearts!!

(sorry it's upside down!!!)

Monday, February 8, 2010

Monday Workout



I had a couple of personal training clients this morning, but snuck in a great circuit workout for myself. I already can feel my quads(front leg muscles) are going to be sore tomorrow. Yippee!!

My workout today:

2 minutes jump rope
Squats on the riser(see picture above)- 12x each side
Static lunges(front foot on the bench)- 12x each side
Pushups on the smith machine- 15x
Static lunges(back foot on the bench)- 12x each side
Dips off a bench- 15x
Platform jumps-10x
Lat pulldown- 12x
Squats- 15x
Biceps curls- 12x
Tricep rope pulldown- 12x

I did this twice minus the jump rope!

Ab circuit
bicycle crunches- 20x(alternating sides)
elbows to knees crunches- 15x
reverse crunch- 15x
REPEAT
butt buster with a band(ONCE with a BLUE BAND- YIKES!!)

Cooking on a Sunday

Yesterday was a wonderful day of cooking, relaxing and getting some homework done. I made some granola for the week with: oats, sunflower seeds, walnuts, raisins and dried cranberries(sweetened with pineapple juice). For dinner I made a warm asian salad. After three days of dinner plans- it was nice to have a day at home together.

My granola...


Dave's warm asian salad plate...


My smaller portion of warm asian salad...


Warm Asian Salad Recipe:


Gluten free sauce(2 tbsp.)

2 tbsp. of Whole Foods creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup of red peppers, sliced
1/2 cup of carrots, chopped
1 cup of celery
2 cups of cooked brown rice
1 3/4 cups of diced freshly roasted chicken(could substitute tofu)
1 tsp. of canola oil

Method:
Make two cups of brown rice by package directions. In a bowl mix all liquid ingredients together(peanut butter, sesame oil and gluten free sauce). Heat up 1 tsp. of canola oil in a fry pan on medium to high heat. Add in diced tofu or chicken, and all the veggies. Cook til desired tenderness of veggies(I like crunchy veggies so I cooked them for 1 minute). Add in the sauce and cook for 30 seconds. Add the cilantro, then the brown rice, and cook for 1 minute. Serve hot. Add fresh cilantro if desired, as a garnish.

Note: This would be really good without the brown rice, but Dave likes more to his dinner than protein and veggies :)

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Hummus recipe



I've been making hummus since college and have loved converting non-hummus lovers to hummus obsessed hounds. I think the difference in making your own at home and purchasing a container full is the acidic aftertaste of most store bought hummus. So why not try making your own at home...

My Hummus Recipe

- 1 can of organic(if possible) no salt added chickpeas(drained)
- 1-2 tablespoons of tahini(sesame paste)
- 1-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 garlic cloves minced
- salt and pepper to taste

Other add ins:
- 1/2 cup of parsley chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1 roasted red pepper
- 1/2 can of pureed pumpkin
- 1/2 cup of kalamata olives

Methods:

After you have drained the chickpeas place in a food processor. If you do not have a food processor, place the beans on a plate and smush all the chickpeas with a fork. Then add the tahini, garlic, salt and pepper. If you have a food processor- mash for 15-20 seconds. If not, mix the ingredients with the smushed chickpeas. Add in 'add-ins' now and mix or process. Next, add the olive oil slowly to either the processor or the bowl until the hummus is a consistency that you like of your hummus. I usually process for another 20-30 seconds. Serve immediately or store in the fridge. I personally like my hummus more at room temperature and not just from the fridge. Serve with veggies or Mary's Gone crackers.

Game Night

Last night, we had a few friends over for Game Night. We played some 'parlor' games and laughed hard all night long.


The menu for the night:

Homemade hummus & veggies(carrots, celery and red peppers)
5-layer dip(healthy style) - recipe coming soon
turkey chili with chipotle peppers and sweet potatoes
pistachio bark
gluten free peanut butter cookies with dark chocolate kisses


Beer and wine glasses table


The bowls and limes for the chili(note: I forgot to put the lime wedges out)


The 'grub' table...




My famous hummus and veggies(recipe coming soon)


Two of the Game Night ladies and a tired Lenny...


Some of the Game Night crew...

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Race up Boston Place

The building I raced up today...twice...


Yes, that's right twice!! This morning I competed in the American Lung Associations Fight for Air Climb where my team and I raced up One Boston Place. The amount of stairs you ask....789...flights of stairs...82...floors...41!!!! My first round felt great, I was disappointed I didn't push myself more. I had about an hour and half to wait for the rest of our team to go, so I went for a quick breakfast where I had a 'side' plate of corned beef hash(I had never had it and wanted to try it). Unfortunately, my dear friend and teammate had a family dog emergency this morning so I stepped and climbed again with my teammate Elise. So actually I raced up 82 floors today! :) Below are some pictures from this morning...


Half our team's 'before' picture(Ali, Nyssa, me, and Dave)


The cones into the stairwell...


The post 'free' race food(bananas, Odwalla bars, and my favorite brand of GLUTEN free chips



Did I mention I love these chips...



Same half of the team's 'after' picture...we look pretty sweaty...

Friday, February 5, 2010

CPR/ Grocery Shopping

An early start this morning- with a client and then a four hour CPR training(to keep myself up to date).

I had to rush out the door this morning and stopped at Buloco to grab a quick breakfast before CPR. I got scrambled eggs, black beans, salsa and cheese.



Tonight we're having my friends over for a pre-race dinner before ourFlight For Air Climb. We'll be climbing up One Boston Place- 792 steps of pure pleasure!

So off to Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and Market Basket I went with my friend Carrie to get enough food for two nights of hosting!

My pile at Market Basket- note:the Diet Coke(We haven't had soda in the house in six months!)




My car after all three stores(Carrie's bags on the left, mine on the right:)


Leftover gluten free buffalo chicken sausage pizza for lunch on a bed of baby spinach...


Off to do some cooking/cleaning/homework...

Dinner in Dedham

My grandmother was in town last night, so Dave and I headed out to Dedham to my aunt and uncle's house. My aunt made a wonderful dinner for all of us: chicken with artichoke hearts and olives, steamed broccoli, kamut pasta and marinara sauce. I forgot to take a picture of my plate though- argh!!


My cousin Tyler tried to help me take a picture of the chicken, but snuck his beer bottle in at the last minute to support Long Trail...




Almost empty dinner plates= a good meal



There was a fruit tart for dessert- NOT gluten free :(

Thursday, February 4, 2010

MFM



Every Thursday I get an email from Gwyneth Paltrow’s blog Goop. This week was a little different than her normal recipes, travel ideas, or fashion tips.

This week she highlighted Meat Free Mondays which is a environmental campaign that Sir Paul McCartney created with his children: Stella(the designer) and Mary to "raise awareness of the climate-changing impact of meat production and consumption."

Meat Free Mondays was started due to literature by the United Nations, stating that "the livestock industry as a whole was responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than the whole of the transport sector."

The campaign has been written up in magazines, and has become huge hit in the U.K.

Sir Paul McCartney happily writes about eating one meal without meat:

"It’s amazingly easy to take one day in your week, Monday or any other day, and not eat meat. When you think about it, there are so many great alternatives, for instance, in Italian cooking, so many of the dishes are vegetarian already and Thai and Chinese cuisine are the same. All it means is that you have to think a bit about what you’ll eat that day but, in actual fact, far from being a chore, it’s a fun challenge."



I think I might try this. What about you all?

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Kickass Cupcakes(gluten free heaven)




Dave got his bonus today and he asked for two things to celebrate: beer(as usual) and a Kickass Cupcake! My brain and rear end said no, yet Dave was saying yes. Actually his exact words "it wouldn't be a celebration if he ate one alone"- what a cupcake pusher!!!

There is only ONE place to go in the area for the best cupcakes- Kickass. Their cupcakes are fresh, creamy, and delicious. She carries two to three cupcakes everyday that are gluten free(vanilla with vanilla frosting, vanilla with chocolate frosting, and mojito)and then many other flavors of 'regular' cupcakes. They are all amazing- but I'm usually in the mood for the plain plain Jane - vanilla on vanilla(on the left).

Dave got: Mochiatto - chocolate cupcake, caramel center and mocha frosting topped with chocolate covered espresso beans(on the right). Note: He ate it in TWO bites!!


Roasted Chicken(recipe)



Whole chickens were on sale this week at Whole Foods for $1.59/pound, so I picked up about a 4 pounder on Sunday. I've used ONE chicken for three meals!

With this one chicken I made:

- roasted chicken dinner with smashed peas and roasted sweet potatoes
- chicken/apples/carrot and feta salad on a bed of baby spinach
- slices of chicken in butternut squash soup
- homemade chicken stock(2 quarts in the freezer)



The salad I made: chicken(3/4 cup)/carrots(2x)/Macintosh apple(1/2 apple)/feta(1 oz.)



Salad dressing with the salad


Dressing included:
2 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove minced
2 tsp. of olive oil
1/2 tsp. of agave nectar
salt and pepper


Chicken salad on a bed of baby spinach



Roasted Chicken Recipe:

whole chicken(4-5 lbs)
2x cloves of garlic
rosemary(couple of springs) OR any other FRESH herb you have in the house
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
optional- chicken stock


Preheat oven to 375°F. Place garlic, and rosemary into the cavity of the chicken. Next, tie the legs together with kitchen string(I didn't have any so I didn't do this). If youd do have string pull the wings so the tips overlap on top of the breast; tie in place, wrapping string around the wings and body. Rub the chicken with oil, salt and pepper. Set the bird in a roasting pan, breast-side down. Roast the chicken for 25 minutes. Then, turn the breast-side up and continue roasting, basting occasionally with pan juices, or chicken stock until a thermometer inserted registers 175°F. This will take about an 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the string before carving.



Roasted Chicken Tips from Eating Well

Roasting Tips
1. Very cold meat won't roast evenly. Place it on the counter while preheating the oven.
2. A heavy-duty, high-sided roasting pan is essential for conducting heat evenly. Never substitute a cookie sheet. A broiler pan will work in a pinch, but the roast will inevitably be somewhat chewier.
3. Give it a rest. A roasts internal temperature will rise about 10 degrees while resting. The natural juices will also reincorporate into the meat's fibers and the skin or crust will dry out slightly for a more toothsome yet more succulent dinner.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Food for the day




Tuesday= Meg at school ALL day long. So I came prepared to keep my mind running well all day long.

Food for the day:

- 2 cups of Olivia's Organics baby spinach
- tuna salad with chopped carrots and celery, low fat mayo, agave nectar, and salt and pepper
- Mary's Gone Crackers to dip into the tuna
- apple
- banana(I already ate this in my first class:)
- 10 pistachios
- 1 1/2 cups of leftover turkey/sweet potato chili for dinner with 1 tbsp. of 50% light Cabot cheddar on top
- homemade yogurt made this EuroCuisine
- 2 pieces of homemade pistachio bark

For breakfast I had:
- 2x pieces of Abigail's brown rice and millet bread and scrambled eggs(1 whole egg and one egg white) made into a sandwich

Monday, February 1, 2010




Every night, or almost every night Dave and I sit down and watch the NBC Nightly news. I think it's important, since I do not always have the time to look at the New York Times online to hear/read what has happened in our country and in the world for the day.

I love the Nightly News for two reasons:

1. I love Brian Williams
2. I love the segment 'Making a Difference'

My one problem with the news is that it can be very sad to hear, and watch all the truly awful things that have happened in our country/world. But, during the last five minutes of the NBC news, Brian Williams does a segment called "Making a Difference" where he presents stories on ways our fellow Americans have 'made a difference' in lives.

I added a clip from one of my favorites: Same Cafe

Quick trip to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's

After leaving the gym this morning I decided to get my errands done early so I could go home and finish my nutrition epi, and medical nutrition therapy homework. I know, sounds like fun homework doesn't it!

A week ago I purchased Whole Foods mozzarella and last Friday I went to go use some and I noticed part of it was moldy. So today, I took back the cheese because as Whole Foods publicizes they have a 100% guarantee on all their products.
Whole Food's Policy

The guy working at the customer service desk at, Whole Foods River Street, was fantastic, and told me if I ever had a problem with ANY product to just it back. It's nice that their employees are so open about their policies.


I also purchased, while I was there, some boxes of kamut pasta, which is 'ancient' grain pasta that some people who are gluten intolerant can consume- me being one of them :)

I like this pasta because in difference to others choices this one has 6 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein per serving, and Dave will actually each this pasta where other whole grain choices he would never touch!


Eden Organics Pasta



Nutrition Facts

Fresh Pond & Lunch

Yesterday we took Trot to Fresh Pond for a loop with my friend Jen and her dog Lenny.

Trot... and the back end of Lenny


Trot in full trot....



Lunch: Fried Brown Rice and Veggies(fried = sauteed in olive oil)


Start with stir frying frozen veggies: peas/carrots/edamame/asparagus/spinach


Add in the cooked short grain brown rice


Add red peppers, scallions, and sauce


The Finishes Product



Recipe to follow...check back later....