All She Wrote

Hey all! I’m not feeling 100% tonight so I’m gonna do a quick recap and then hang out like this cutie pie:

And drink a mug of this Teopia tea:

:D

I was up by 7am this morning thanks to Mother Nature. I wasn’t hungry for breakfast so I decided to make 2 batches of muffins. First was blueberry chia muffins:

Next was my raspberry oatmeal muffins:

DD decided she would help me out by reading the recipes out to me:

Once hungry I whipped up a bowl of oats in the microwave:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup flax seed porridge
• cinnamon
• blueberries
• walnuts

I spent part of the morning playing Big Brian Academy on the Wii with DD and the rest doing housework. Once showered and prettified, I made a lunch for the road as DS had an out of town hockey game this afternoon. I packed a WW bagel stuffed with Allegro cheese, mortadella and lettuce.

And a bowl of pineapple and grapes:

Tasty, tasty!

The drive to the game took us along the shores of Lake Ontario…

I was a gorgeous day with not a cloud in the sky and the water looked brilliant.

We were home by 5:30 so I threw a quick meal together. I baked these multi grain battered fish sticks,

And served them with couscous and steamed broccoli.

The fish was just meh. I’ve never been fond of anything breaded and this just reaffirmed that. The fam gobbled them up, though. My sweet end was a small bowl of gelato. I took a photo of the container because it was just prettier than using the flash. ;)

And that’s all for today! Pretty exciting, eh?! Tomorrow will be a low key day for once. A visit to the farm, a little shopping and dinner and my parents for Dad’s b-day. Nice.

Bye for now!!

Jinxed Friday’s

I’m glad you all liked yesterday’s post! I had a lot of fun writing it. I’d like to do more posts like that in the future. Especially when my schedule slows down some and I have the time to put a good amount of thought into it. Does anybody have a theme they’d like to throw out for a future post???

Since getting my new camera last weekend my breakfast photos had been so blah. I’m still trying to figure out the right setting to use in the semi darkness. The other photos have been great, though. Especially the ones that I’ve taken of the kids inside. The Kodak never took good quality pictures indoors.
-1 cup water
-1/3 cup Sunrise blend with quinoa
-cinnamon
-almond butter
-cherry pomegranate blood orange jam
I think that jam has a BIG name for the BIG punch of flavour it packs!

Here’s what was suppose to be my pre gym snack:
Pre gym because I never ended up making it! My neighbour called me at work to let me know that our garage door hadn’t closed this morning so I had to take care of that at lunch. Something about Friday’s lately has been against the gym! Last Friday I had to go to the school to give DS his puffer now this! Wonder if I’ll make it there next week? LOL!

Although I didn’t get my cardio in, I did manage to get a load of laundry in & out of the machine and into the dryer and another into the machine before I left. I also dealt with some clutter that’s been driving me bonkers. I also had a wee bit of time to finish up a magazine I started at skating last night as I sipped on a vanilla bean latte:
So I guess I got some piece of mind! :D

Lunch = Mama Peas lemon lentil soup.
Huge shocker that I would’ve packed leftovers, I know. I gotta tell ya though…this is one fantastic soup! That girl knows what she’s doing in the kitchen!!!

Later in the afternoon I munched my way through the last of the snap peas.

On the drive home I also ate a raspberry fruit leather…

The fam was having pizza for dinner so I made my own version. I topped a Flatout wrap with some tomato paste, green olives, chickpeas, chicken breast and Allegro cheese. I let it bake for 10 minutes at 425*…

I think mine was MUCH better than theirs! Dessert was a chocolate chip All Bran bar.

After dinner DD and I went grocery shopping. My fridge is now happily stocked with oranges, apples, grapefruits, strawberries and clementines. I had gotten very low in the fruit department. I’m just settling in to watch Criminal Minds on A&E. I’m kinda addicted to that show! What are you all up to this weekend??

Bye for now!!

Before and After Kids

**Thought I’d try something a little different with this post. Hope you all like it!**

Before I had kids I used to wake up a half hour before I had to be at work and still make it on time. Showering and shampooing at night was how I rolled. After kids I need to get up 1.5 hours before I need to be at work and still manage to be a few minutes late some mornings.

Before kids I never ate breakfast….unless you consider a big mug of coffee on your drive to work breakfast. After kids I eat within an hour of being up. Someone had to set the “breakfast is good for you” routine and I’ll admit to happily being that person.
-2/3 cup water
-1/3 cup sunrise blend with quinoa
-cinnamon
-dried cherries
-almond butter/chocolate honey
Before kids this is what my first meal of the day would’ve looked like:
After kids, it’s what my morning snack looks like.

Before kids I used to hang out over the lunch hour with co workers. Usually at a restaurant or patio, weather permitting. After kids I use my precious hour to get my workout in or in some cases (like today) order lunch through office staff association, have co worker collect it and bring to my desk while I run errands like a mad woman because there’s no time after work.
This turkey sandwich was very good once I got rid of the offending dill pickle. I despise dill pickles. Sue me.
The salad was a little weak in the portion department, but tasted pretty good none the less.

Before kids I wouldn’t have thought twice about buying latte’s pretty much every afternoon as a pick me up. After kids I can not afford lattes more than twice a month because we all know I work to pay for my kids athletic desires. :D I opt instead for just as sweet sugar snap peas.

Before kids I would’ve gone straight home from work and plopped my butt on the couch. After kids I leave work and go straight to the care giver to pick up often “grumpy from the school day” kids. I will admit to grabbing chewy candy from the office candy dish to keep their mouths occupied for the 5 minutes it takes to get home.

Before kids dinner was never cooked daily. It was more of an “eat whatever you want” and was frequently enjoyed while we sat on the couch watching what we wanted on TV…and we could actually hear it. After kids cooking dinner is an everyday event and is NEVER eaten in front of the TV (although I am subjected to listening to Sponge Bob while cooking). Even if we are eating on the fly or at separate times, a home cooked meal is a constant:
Mama Peas delicious Lemon Lentil Soup with a toasted, Allegro cheese filled Ezekiel English muffin.

Before kids my evenings were spent doing whatever I felt like. Maybe reading a book, taking a bath, talking for hours on the phone. The possibilities were endless. After kids I spend my evenings attending sporting events and if I’m lucky, like tonight, I get to go to one right after the other at opposite ends of town.

Before kids I went to bed whenever I wanted. After kids I get to go to bed once lunches are made, school work completed and signed, clothes are set out, change for hotdog/pancake/milk and pizza’s days is counted and, during winter, proper outdoor clothing is at the ready.

Before kids I would read for hours before actually being tired enough to fall asleep. After kids I’m lucky to read one page before I’m snoring and drooling all over my pillow.

You know what? As busy as my life is with high energy children, you couldn’t pay me enough to go back to “before”. Sure I was free to do what I pleased when I wanted and could buy most “anything” I desired, but there is nothing comparable to the joy I see in my kids faces while they are having fun at their sports of choice, bringing home a good mark from school, digging into a home cooked plate of pasta and just enjoying life and all it has to offer as only innocent children can. I’ll take “after” any day!

Bye for now!!

A Tropical Breakfast

I’m happy, and relieved, to say that today went by at a much smoother pace. I also had a better sleep last night so maybe that has something to do with it. And hey! What was up with The Biggest Loser last night? I was annoyed that the first part of it was last weeks show. Then I missed the last ½ hour because I couldn’t keep my eyes open. BOO TV programming!! At least my breakfast photos look much better today…
-1 cup water
-1/3 cup Quaker oats
-coconut extract
-1/4 cup crushed pineapple
-mashed banana
-hemp seeds

-shaved coconut
No need to visit the tropics when I can eat this for breakfast! Well, maybe that’s stretching it a bit! :D

I enjoyed one of my Pineapple Flax Muffins pre gym this morning:

I’m gonna have to pull out my bakers hat in a few days because these babies are almost gone. I also sipped on a Stash tea:
The gym was a little on the warm side today and I’ve learned that running in that type of heat sets me up for an upset belly the rest of the afternoon so I walked some at a speed of 4.1mph with a 6% incline and ran some at 6.1 with a 0.5% incline. This balanced out well.

Time: 45 minutes
Avg Hr: 154
Max Hr: 178
Calories Torched: 416
Distance: 3.8 miles

I brought a serving of quinoa stew with a thin slice of Asiago bread for my lunch today. I’m surprised there’s still some of the bread left! My boys must’ve forgotten about it. And I’m not about to remind them. ;)
Later on in the day I crunched my way through a bag of carrot sticks (which I took the time to cut while making dinner last night) and sugar snap peas:
The peas were amazingly sweet. I could’ve eaten the whole bag if I’d had it with me.

Dinner tonight was roasted pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes and bok choy:

I followed Coco’s tutorial on how to cook the bok choy and it came out great!

I just got back from the kids swimming lessons and am getting ready to watch Criminal Minds. I’m feeling a bit hungry too so I’m thinking a small bowl of cereal is in my near future. Then bed. *sigh* LOL!

Bye for now!!

Tick Tock Tick Tock

Well peeps, work just about killed me today it went so slow. OMG! 7hrs felt like 70! It’s been quite awhile since that’s happened! AND it’s a pay week so time should be moving along. Sometimes I get caught up in all that I do/have to do outside of work and it freaks me out a little. I think that’s what happened today. I was constantly reminding myself that it was Tuesday (Pilates night) and not Thursday (skating/hockey game night) ARGH!

**WARNING** Crappy breakfast photos ahead! The ghost in our house changed the settings on m camera. Must’ve been him because no one will admit to it!!
-1 cup water
-1/2 cup kamut flakes
-cinnamon
-raisins
-chopped peanuts
-kefir
Ouch…that’s are really bad! The other one was worse!! The actual food, on the other hand, was bang on!

Snacks du jour included the following:
I had full intentions of running on the treadmill today but when I got to the gym both were in use. Meh, I just hopped on the elliptical. I upped the resistance some today and was rewarded with a nice burn in my legs.

Time: 45 mins
Avg Hr: 158
Max Hr: 181
Calories Torched: 443
Distance: 5 miles

My HRM went all loco on me before my workout. When I checked the time it read 5:31am. Strange. I went into the settings to fix the time and realized that it had my height at 3’7”….AND….the date said “March 5, 2005!!! WTH??? LOL! It’s all fixed up now, but I’m still a bit baffled as to how everything got mixed up. HA!

I found a bonus serving of mango dal in the freezer this morning! YAY! Once warmed up I used a small piece of Asiago bread to scoop up the juices…

Best. Lunch. Ever.

Seeing as work was so pathetically slow today, I took the opportunity to Google some helpful kitchen tips for you all. Enjoy!

-Before you chop chilli peppers, rub a little vegetable oil into your hands and your skin won’t absorb the spicy chilli oil.
-To keep potatoes from budding in the bag, put an apple in with them.
-If your salt is clumping up, put a few grains of rice in with it to absorb excess moisture.
-Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator--it will keep for weeks! (I do this and it really works!!)
-Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot griddle perfectly shaped pancakes every time
-To get odours out of plastic containers, place crumpled newspaper inside the container and seal it overnight

There you go! :D

I made a nice pot of pasta for supper tonight with a ground chicken sauce. To make the sauce I cooked a chopped onion, carrot and some celery in basil infused oil then added a pound of ground chicken and 3 garlic cloves. Next into the pot went dried basil, oregano, salt, pepper & hot pepper flakes. I let that all cook about 10 minutes before adding 1 can of tomato sauce and a few tbsp of tomato paste. Right at the end I added a good half cup of chopped parsley.

This is the type of pasta that I used:

Just look at the amount of fibre in this pasta!!!

I don’t normally eat pasta but when I saw at the store that this had 10g of fibre I thought I’d give it a try. And it was great! I served myself a scant cup and bulked it up with steamed veggies. Then I topped it off with a half cup of the sauce and freshly grated Parmesan cheese:

I swear there is pasta under there!! LOL! ;)

Right after dinner DD and I made our way to Pilate’s. It was just her and I in the rebounder class which was fun. My core dynamics class was a big time ass kicker. Literally. We worked our “buttock” muscles tonight and I’m positive that I will feel the pain tomorrow!!

I’m now settling in to watch “The Biggest Loser”. I also snacked on an All Bran bar. (Please excuse the flash)

So, how about I catch you all tomorrow?? Sounds like a plan, right? :D

Bye for now!!

Nothing New To Report

How is everyone on this fine Monday evening? Not much happened in my world today which isn’t a bad thing!

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup Quaker oats
• cinnamon
• dried cranberries
• almond butter
• pineapple jam

I’ll never get tired of how creamy almond butter makes my oats.

I spent the day keypunching. Fun times. I had a couple of snacks to help power me through…

We found out this morning that the yoga group signed up for another 10 week session but on Monday’s this time. Apparently we can still be in there until 12:40. Fortunately it didn’t affect me today because my lunch this week is 11:30-12:30 so I went on the elliptical anyways.

• Time: 45 minutes
• Avg Hr: 156
• Max Hr: 173
• Calories Torched: 431
• Distance: 5 miles

One of my co workers went to Panera’s this weekend and brought me back an Asiago cheese loaf. What a wonderful surprise that was!! :D

I cut off a small piece at lunch to go with my salad that I packed:

This was a mix of romaine, chickpeas, broccoli, cauliflower, chicken and honey Dijon dressing. Eating this reminded me of warmer days. *sigh*

The boys had hockey at 4:30 and DD had dance at 6 so I put a pork roast in the crock pot this morning in order for everyone to have a hot meal ready when we needed it. The house smelled SO good when I arrived home! I served mine with a thin slice of the Asiago bread and some corn. The cauliflower on the plate went in the trash because it tasted kinda funky. Must’ve been in the fridge too long.

The meat was fork tender. Loved it. I happily ate my way through a piece of b-day cake for dessert.

This was a really good cake. I normally don’t like icing, but this wasn’t too sweet at all. YUM!

I’m currently sipping a cuppa joe and watching Criminal Minds as I type this out. Multi tasking, anyone? LOL! I have a few odds and ends to finish up tonight before I can snuggle under the covers with my book. That’s my favourite time of day…when everyone is asleep and it’s just me and a book. I’m most relaxed then. What’s your favourite time of day and why??

Bye for now!!