There’s not much better than ice cream on a sunny, fall afternoon.
Or after a brutal workout.
It’s been a week of treat ‘yo self. But how often does the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck head down South from NYC? I enjoyed a cone on Monday and a cup on Tuesday.
Monday night I stopped to pick up a Salty Pimp after a bitch of a challenging workout with my trainer. He only looks sweet and innocent.
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I’m home after one helluva week.
I may have left my heart in Vegas.
The softball team tied one, lost one, won one, and then lost another… that we never should have lost… but whatever. I’m already looking forward to next year!
Seeing as how I’m on the late flight back to ATL, this is going marvelous Monday of pictures.
I wore my lucky socks. Because bacon.
How could I pass up this pre-game photo op?
We cleaned up niiiiiice for the strip.
We enjoyed the kitsch of old Vegas.
I went for a morning run on the Strip and found a rainbow a the Billagio!
They say everything is bigger in Texas but I think “they” got it wrong.
I’ve never seen bigger pancakes than the TRIPLE stack at The Griddle. I didn’t even finish 25%!
But I did drink allllll the drinks.
And learned that sometimes… you just have to take a time out.
But what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. 😉
Back to the grind I go…
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Check back on this post for the Quest protein chip winners!
Have you ever been to Vegas? Did you like it?
Could you have finished that pancake stack?
Fall gets me excited for new produce.
It’s the little things… am I right?!
While I’ve seen a lot of strange in Vegas (some good, some BAD), this strange but good meal was done in advance of the trip.
Side note: I planned ahead?! Who AM I?
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Travel can be a challenge when it comes to food.
Or it can be a fun adventure!
I’m no stranger to packing up my meals and going. I once flew with 21 meals! This trip is a little different. I’m in Las Vegas playing in a softball World Series. That means long days on the field, not knowing when the next food opportunity will come. We don’t have a fridge and I doubt my ability to keep food at a safe temp in the Vegas sun all day… snack time it is!
Packaged foods are happening. That doesn’t have to be all bad! I’m not snacking on the “typical” things. Here are a few items I’ve packed up to withstand uncertain schedules, heat, and a lot of roughhousing.
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This is week of firsts.
Well, one big one…
I’m going to Vegas for the first time! It’s also my first time playing in a softball World Series (the reason for the trip). And I play first base! It’s going to be a marvelous week.
I have a couple of fun things planned for the blog while I’m gone (stay tuned for an awesome giveaway Wednesday!). Today is the first treat – my friend Kenny and I met in grad school. As class clowns devastatingly beautiful straight A students, we were instant friends. 😉
Kenny came to me asking for help with a sugar addiction and I instantly identified with the struggle. If you’ve been reading for a while (or since last week), you might have noticed I have a ridiculous sweet tooth myself. I’ve posted tips I use for managing it:…
You can do anything with cauliflower.
Really… I bet you could even make ice cream. Maybe… that might be weird.
I’ve made cauliflower pizza, pancakes, waffles, sriracha muffins… the sky is the limit. Why not sheets of noodles? It sounds strange, but it works!
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Eat your greens!
I can still hear my mother yelling saying this to me at the dinner table.
Growing up, I was the pickiest kid on the planet. If it was green, the only way I’d eat it is if it was raw and covered in so much ranch dressing (specifically, Marie’s ranch) there was no possibility of tasting it.
Fast forward 20 years and I’m voluntarily starting my day with this sludge:
Mix together in a small bowl and a allow to sit 1-2 mins to allow the mix to gel.
It’s a very “green” tasting mix, which is why I add a little stevia… even my altered taste buds need some help. Here’s the “why” behind the ingredients:
One cup of matcha green tea has as many antioxidants as 10 cups of regular tea. As if that’s not enough reason to start supplementing with it, it also enhances metabolism, reduces stress, lowers cholesterol, and combats aging and cancer.
One of my favorite benefits is the caffeine. It’s perfect first thing in the morning. It doesn’t cause the shakes though! The relaxing properties of L-theanine in matcha promote concentration, memory, and mood.
This isn’t your cafeteria nastiness. Gelatin is actually flavorless, making it easy to add to just about anything. I began taking it for digestion at the suggestion of Lindsay (see her post here). It 100% works for that! I’m more “regular” than I’ve ever been. It can help to heal the lining of your stomach and digestive tract, and is a detoxifier.
For someone who is active, gelatin is especially beneficial because it contains half of the 18 essential amino acids, which help build muscle. With 6 grams of protein per tablespoon, it’s a great way to add more protein to your diet. It is not a complete protein, but it helps the body fully utilize the complete proteins you eat. It also supports skin, hair and nail growth, and is good for bone strength and joint recovery. Rumor has it that it can help tighten loose skin and improve cellulite.
Aside from making everything taste better, cinnamon is good for your health! It stabilizes blood sugar levels, making it popular for those with Type 2 Diabetes. Cinnamon might also reduce the effects of high-fat meals by reducing response of triglycerides (a type of fat) in the blood but as much as 30%.*
It can also lower your bad cholesterol (LDL), reduce inflammation, and can decrease cancer risk (especially leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells, which my dad had). It can control yeast with it’s antifungal properties. Allegedly, candida cannot live in a cinnamon environment. When added to food, cinnamon acts as a preservative, slowing bacterial growth and food spoilage. Even smelling cinnamon can have positive effects on cognitive function, memory, and headaches!
*This is not a license to raid the nearest Cinnabon… it has been found to be toxic in large doses. And I don’t think even OD-ing on it will fight that sugar rush. 😉
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These Peanut Butter Pumpkin Oreo Blondies are dangerous. Laced with everything that’s good and delicious about fall, you’ll never be able to eat just one.
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