What I Ate: Tuesday

I thought I would do a post of my eats for the day for two reason. One, I always try to get back into a healthy routine after vacation and two, my breakfast was pretty awesome.

An egg sandwich with spinach, avocado, and tomatoes + a side of strawberries. So maybe it’s not that awesome to you but anytime I eat something with avocados, it’s awesome in my book. {Plus, just one avocado has more potassium then a banana.}

Lunch was packed and brought to work. {spaghetti squash with broccoli, wild berry yogurt, a cheese stick, blueberries, and almonds} I ate this while helping the kids heat up their corn dogs and chicken nuggets while enforcing the rule that no one can eat their cookies until their sandwich is done. I love my job. {Oh ya, and today was my first nine-hour shift with no breaks! It might be a long week…}

While we were eating, a girl pointed to the floor in which I found a billion raisins and the box…

I asked who dropped their raisins and I got two very logical answers: The three little pigs and a ghost.

Needless to say, no one admitted but I knew who it was when I found 10 more stuck to his pants and on his seat. Oh well, it took two seconds to clean up anyways. :)

When I got home I was pretty hungry so I quickly grabbed the PB jar and an apple and went at it. Two spoonfuls later, I was happy.

While eating my snack, I quickly whipped up a batch of Katie’s Quinoa Cranberry Cookies {I used raisins because we don’t have cranberries}. While mixing, I had a handful of dark chocolate chips.

After they semi-cooled, I taste tested one right before I went to the gym (for my first workout since vacation).

Dinner was fruit salad and cheesy ground turkey enchiladas.

Dessert was one more Quinoa Cookie…

So there you have it. Not to shabby of a day.

Have a great night!

Tropical Smoothie

I was so excited for spring break that the first thing I made was a celebratory smoothie! Nothing like a good dose of Vitamin C to start the break off right.

I’ve been a bit “under the weather” lately, but I’m not really sure what with. I haven’t had any cold or flu symptoms but have had neck/headaches daily. Anywhere from my back, neck, behind my eyes, and temples have been feeling not so great.

So I’m hoping this smoothie is going to work its magic and cure everything! :)

If not, it looks like I’m back to drinking Tension Tamer Tea each night. (Which by the way, is so good!)

Tropical Smoothie

makes one serving

1/3 cup skim milk

1/3 cup  greek yogurt

1/4 cup orange juice

1 small banana

3 pineapple rings (about a half a cup of chunks)

1/2 cup crushed ice

1 tsp shredded coconut + some for garnish

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender and mix until well combined.

And yes, I did make another batch of energy balls right after I drank this smoothie. Told you there would be plenty of baking over break.

Self and Salad Love

I love taking care of my body. Now that I know how to properly fuel and take care of my body, life is so much more fun!

The feeling of getting a cold and planning what tea to drink and how to fuel up on the Vitamin C. It’s almost like a challenge- how fast can I kick this cold in the behind with my nutritional knowledge?

The feeling of around 3:00PM (my afternoon snack time) and thinking through my day and what food group I’m lacking. Do I need some carbs? Protein? Calcium? I love that I’m learning to listen to my body and when I’m in a slump, I can usually figure out what I’m lacking.

The feeling at the end of the day as I’m finishing up my desert with no regrets because I fueled my body for what it needed that day and indulged, not deprived.

The feeling of completing my workouts for the week and enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon.

The feeling of never letting myself reach the point of “I’m starving!” but rather eating 3 meals+ 3 snacks a day and keeping my metabolism regulated and level all day. This is a huge one for me- I used to get to the starving point a lot and then bingeing occurred. I used to never be able to stop at 3 cookies or one piece of cake but now that I fuel all day long, I’m never so hungry that I eat everything in sight. And boy, can I just say that I love this feeling. Sort of like you thought your were in control when you starved yourself but now you realize you really had none?

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Anyways,

Ever heard of Waldorf Salad? I was completely unaware of what it was until my mom requested in for her birthday. I have been hooked ever since.

Along the way however, I have come up with my own little version.

Waldorf Salad:

1 medium apple

1/3 cup chopped celery*

1/2 a banana

1/4-1/3 cup walnuts, broken into small chunks

1/3 cup plain yogurt- Greek or non, according to your nationality preference :) *

1 tsp lemon juice

4 dashes of cinnamon

A large bowl

*okay, I didn’t actually do measurements when I made this so I am not 100% sure they are correct but, they should be close enough!

Chop your apple and celery into bite size pieces, combine.

Slice and chop your banana and break up the walnut pieces also into bite size portions.

Add your lemon juice; stir. Finally add yogurt and cinnamon and stir in very well.

Enjoy your new obsession. I promise it won’t disappoint.

I often make this for breakfast or as a side at a meal. But really, any time is Waldorf Salad time.

Happy Weekend.

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Holiday Breakfast

Happy Christmas Adam!

I started the day off with a nice sweaty workout {30 mins on elliptical and 15 mins on stationary bike}. I’m taking a break from the gym till Monday or Tuesday and will be fully enjoying “a break” for the holidays. Plus, we most likely will go on a walk to check out all the Christmas lights around town.

Todays breakfast was a lovely reward after the gym.

Before:

After:

2 eggs, clementine, pink lady apple (my favorite!), and greek yogurt

Are you sick of that holiday plate yet? As you have probably guessed, its my only one so get used to it. :)

The rest of the day will consist of holiday baking and movie watching, what else would you expect?

Oh and someone got my favorite Peanut Butter M & M’s…

Let the feasting begin.

Whats is something you love to make for a quick but hearty breakfast? Feel free to link up, I always need ideas!

Whole Foods Adventures

You know your on break when…

Getting out of bed before 10:00 is not allowed

Breakfast is planned and consumed in a leisurely manner

Whole Foods field trips occur (I took my cowgirl sister yesterday and she loved it…Welcome to the family! I just have to get my dad to go now…ha!)

Christmas music is constantly playing in your house…in multiply rooms.

Cookies are consumed by the dozen….every. single. night.

Ending the night with a Christmas movie is not only encouraged, but required.

Have I mentioned how much I love Christmas break? I’m not a big fan of the whole reality thing anyways ;)

Okay, so on to the Whole Foods trip…

Meet my new favorite nut. How any respectable food blogger could wait this long to try pistachios, I have no idea. However, I am completely hooked now…which I’m still trying to figure out if that’s a good or bad thing. I snapped this picture once I realized they could all be gone by tomorrow.

So I went with a list this time to Whole Foods because I usually end up buying the most pretty/random veggies and not using them in a very creative way (aka they get put in a salad or roasted). So I grabbed a recipe from Emily, and well, it was AMAZING!

I am so excited that there are some leftovers.

Topping it with greek yogurt was like putting the icing on a cake. Perfect.

If you don’t see me post tomorrow, it’s probably  because this will be my breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

What is your favorite thing to do on breaks or the weekends?

Lunch Time

Hey, remember me? Yep, I’m still here….just a bit consumed with school and work. However, it’s going to be a 3 DAY WEEKEND!! I am planning a post especially for y’all. :)

I forgot how hard it is to eat healthy during the school year….I do so much better in the summer. Up early, to bed late, to many cookies as self motivation to do my homework, off campus lunches, and not to mention the senior snack room at school! (Free food??? Hello!) Today was one of those weeks days, all I could think about when I got off work at 11:00 pm was ICE CREAM. (8 hours at school + 8 hours at work = unhappy, unhealthy Nicole.

However, I packed my self a healthy, protein packed lunch tomorrow to get me through another 16 hour day:

Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich on Udi’s gluten free bread, orange, carrots, blueberry greek yogurt, almonds and dried apricots.

I am going to try to resist my urge to visit the senior snack room tomorrow; however, if someone brings tye-dyed cupcakes again, you know where to find me.

Tell me, what helps keep your energy up on long days??

Maybe I should try exercising but unfortunately, that’s the last thing I want to do when I get home. I’m pretty sure my gym card probably expired its been so long.

My mom and I have a theory that this Texas (105 degrees) heat drains energy….you don’t even want to leave the house it’s so hot. Oh how I miss Colorado….

Better Breakfast Challenge: Day 2/5

(Go here to read day one of the Better Breakfast Challenge)

Hey friends! How was your breakfast this morning?? After possibly losing sleep last night thinking about what I should make for breakfast today, I created this beauty.

BBC Day 2:

1/2 cup Greek yogurt (sweetened with half a pack of truvia…I’m still developing a taste for plain yogurt), grapes, cantaloupe, and Love Grown granola

 

It’s the 32nd day here IN A ROW that it has been over 100 degrees. Thank you, Texas. I think swimming will be my exercise for today.