Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Weekend Update + WIAW

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I get behind in my over-sharing.

Thank god for Instagram!

There has been a lot going on lately that I’ve just run out of time to blog about!  Hump Day seems the perfect time for a download.

I’ve been getting some good runs in (between all the summer storms).  This is taken on the GA Tech campus.  Saturday marked 5 years since my dad died.  Without intention, I found myself heading to his alma mater for a run.

It was nice to run by all the places we used to walk past on game days and relive some of my own memories from grad school.  The rain didn’t hold off for long – about 5 mins after I took this pic the sky turned black and it started pouring.

GA Tech

Sunday I met some of my favorite Atlanta bloggers for lunch at Dough Bakery, my favorite local vegan spot.  That’s (very pregnant) Alayna, Tina, Lee, me, and Heather.  Heather is former Atlanta blogger… she left us for Colorado. 😛

I always have so much fun with these ladies.  We talked and ate for a long time before I had to run back home to get ready for dinner.  That’s right  – I said run.  I ran a total of 6.65 miles there and back thanks to Atlanta’s new Beltline trail!  I’m lucky my friends would be seen with me sweaty and dressed like a bum.

Atlanta Bloggers

The dinner I was running home to was at one of Atlanta’s best new restaurants: King + Duke.  I’m too lazy to write  full review, but let me just say… if you are in ATL or are coming to visit make a reservation.  So.  Good.

Their wine program is excellent, which you know makes me happy, and the food is even better.  Don’t skip the roasted beet and carrots with feta and harissa, the roasted bone marrow with smoked mushrooms, blackberries, and short rib marmalade, and the “Dates & Ale” (a fantastic sticky toffee pudding with Sweetwater IPA cream).

Marrow at King + Duke ATL

Meat butter

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This WIAW was less indulgent than this weekend.  Thank god.  I love going out to eat, but whoa.  I was dragging on Monday after eating half my meals out over the weekend.  I jumped back on the healthy eating train with reckless abandon.

WIAWbutton

Read on for my eats, and then check out Jenn’s link up for everyone else’s delicious days.

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Breakfast:

My morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos) was of course the start to my day.

If you follow me on Instagram you saw that I have a mini crisis: my air conditioning quit working.  I live in the South.  It is HOT.  I was really glad I thought ahead and made a nice, cool breakfast: overnight oats!

This bowl is a little different because I combined a few protein sources.  The oats, cottage cheese, and protein powder made for the most deliciously creamy bowl of cheesecake-like oats I’ve ever had!

Blueberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats

Blueberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats

  • 1/4 C oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill GF)
  • 1/4 C cottage cheese
  • 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 T peanut flour
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Blueberries
  • Stevia, to taste
  • 1/2 C almond milk (or other liquid)

Combine everything in a bowl, cover, and place in fridge overnight.

Remove from fridge in morning.  You may need to add additional liquid, especially if you choose to heat it.

Top as desired and enjoy!

Note: I order my peanut flour from iHerb – I like it better than PB2 because it is less processed and doesn’t have the added sugar and sodium.  Use my discount code – USO924 – for $5-10 off your order!

Mid-Morning Snack:

I love making random mixes with no salt deli turkey.  Often I do fruit, but today I had some celery to use up.  I broke up the turkey and mixed it with nutritional yeast, cayenne, pepper, herbs de provence, and apple cider vinegar.  Then I chopped up my celery (and some of the celery leaves) and stirred that in.

Deli turkey salad

Lunch:

I’m getting low on groceries, so I had to bust out the emergency veggie burger.  If you’re going to eat frozen food, the Lightlife burgers are pretty tasty.

Eaten with spinach salad, celery, kabocha, and a quick dressing made from spinach hummus, apple cider vinegar, cumin, and red pepper flakes.  Yes, I spent time “plating” this at work.  People stared.

Lightlife veggie burger salad

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

This was fancy-looking, but I’d made it the day before.  Baked swordfish in a foil pocket with veggies and Indian spices.  It was fast and the clean up was easy – just throw away the foil!

I posted the recipe here on Facebook if you’re interested.

Indian Baked Swordfish

Dinner:

Did I mention my A/C is broken?  It was 85 degrees and humid in my condo.  I couldn’t think of a single thing to eat for dinner because I was SO hot.  So I got creative.

Egg pizza.  The idea was to cook the egg in a big pan so it would be thin like a pizza crust, then top it and finish in the oven under the broiler.  It would have been perfect had a greased the middle of the pan a little better.  It stuck.  No worries… I just ate it out of the pan.  Less dishes to wash!

egg pizza

My toppings: broccolini, edamame, tomato, spinach, and ricotta salata.  It was really good!  Will try it again, this time properly greased to get onto a plate.

Midnight Snack:

I ate some snacks at my mom’s… she made a quiche and had these yummy chocolate-salted nut things from Trader Joes… but it was just bites and when I got home I still needed a little something.

Despite the heat, I wanted cake (when do I NOT want cake?).  I made my favorite 150 Calorie Chocolate Microwave Cake, topped it with a peanut flour “icing,” and served it with a side of cookies and cream Arctic Zero.  And a little Stevia-sweetened Smuckers strawberry jam… it went really well with the peanut butter icing!

150 calorie chocolate cake

***

In less than I week I turn 30.  And I identify with just about all of these 30 Signs You’re Almost 30.  My mom likes to remind me of #19.

What do you eat when it’s too hot to eat?

Do you make and effort to have your food look pretty at work?  It’s so much nicer than eating out of tupperware!  This should probably be added to the signs you’re almost 30…

Back to the Gym + WIAW

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Patience is a virtue.  

 

That’s what I keep trying to tell myself.

Monday I was cleared by my surgeon to begin light exercise.  Good thing because I had already scheduled an appointment with my trainer for that night.  😉

Going back to working out after surgery (or any long break) is humbling.  I started with a leg extension weight 100 lbs lighter than I did 3 weeks ago.

first workout

 

We did a lot of lower body – mostly body weight stuff – and then 2 isolated bicep and 2 isolated tricep exercises.  It was really light, but I realized I’d have to go slow… especially when the twins got hot and swelled up.  It was crazy!

I’m going to do something similar on my own today.  Being careful.  It’s really hard knowing what I could do before, and seeing how much I lost in my arms in such a short time.  BUT it’s not forever.  I got there before, and I can do it again.  *deep breaths*

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This WIAW was fun for me because I was actually hungry from working out!  It’s a totally different feeling than regular hunger, one I didn’t fully appreciate before!

wiaw sensible snacking button

Read on for my eats, and then check out Jenn’s link up for everyone else’s delicious days.

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Breakfast:

My morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos) was of course the start to my day.

For my meal I wanted something sweet… but I also wanted a runny egg.  Remembering my favorite Waffle House meal, I decided to try something similar (but much healthier) at home – french toast topped with a runny egg!  I also added some warmed blueberries and toasted coconut.

Who needs syrup when you have #yolkporn?

French toast with runny egg syrup

 

Mid-Morning Snack:

No Salt deli turkey and an orange.  I ate these with my fingers while I bottled my latest batch of kombucha.  I was trying to get out the door for my first run post-surgery… ain’t nobody got time for silverware!

The curry leaves in the background went into a kombucha bottle with some of the orange.

 

I was running to get my race number for Thursday’s Peachtree Road Race.  It’s the world’s largest 10K and I was cleared by the doctor to run/walk it since it’s actually going to be cool outside thanks to the deluge of rain we’re getting.  The expo is only 2.5 miles from my place, so it was an easy jog, followed by a long break to browse the expo and buy new shoes before 2.5 miles back (shoes in hand).

Newton running shoes

New Newtons!

 

Lunch:

It was NOT cool yesterday.  Boob sweat is a whole new thing… whoa.

By the time I got back all I wanted for lunch was a smoothie bowl.  Big, green, and topped with muesli, this hit the spot while I sat on the couch icing the twins.  Almost remembered the pic too late!

Banana-Butterscotch Green Protein Smoothie Bowl

In my bowl:

  • Protein powder
  • Spinach
  • Zucchini
  • Butterscotch extract
  • Banana extract
  • Stevia
  • Ice + Water

 

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

Does anyone else have to think before they type kabocha vs. kombucha?  Kabocha is what I had for snack.  I have pre-roasted it in cubes, but I like to do a second roast to re-heat and crisp it up.  Before the 2nd roast I tossed it in cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne (my favorite flavor combo).

cocoa-cinnamon roasted kabocha with peanut sauce

 

The sauce is my go-to: peanut flour, unsweetened almond milk, cinnamon, a couple drops of vanilla liquid stevia, and a splash of almond extract.

Note: I order my peanut flour from iHerb – I like it better than PB2 because it is less processed and doesn’t have the added sugar and sodium.  Use my discount code – USO924 – for $5-10 off your order!

 

Dinner:

This is what happens when I get bored.  I made a dinner requiring more thought than usual.  People comment that sometimes my meals seem elaborate or strange… but they typically don’t take very long and I prepare certain foods similarly.  Last night I tried something new-ish and inspired by a treat in the mail from Skinny Noodles (soy-free shirataki):

Skinny Noodle

 

The item I couldn’t wait to try was the rice.  I dislike rice… but non-rice?  That I can get on board with!  I never said I was normal.  The “rice” is really more like Israeli couscous… but that’s a plus in my book.

Tip when using shirataki: make sure you rinse it really, really well and follow the instructions to heat it in the microwave to get rid of the funk (it smells fishy when you open the package).

What I came up with was a herbed rice with veggies, which I topped with salmon.  It was really, really good.  One of those meals you make for yourself and then get a little sad there’s no one else there to taste it!

Salmon and rosemary shirataki noodles

There’s not real recipe – I didn’t measure anything – but here are the ingredients:

Cardamom Salmon

  • Salmon
  • Cardamom (just a little)
  • Cayenne
  • Black pepper
  • Lemon
  • Rice Vinegar
  • Red onion
  • Garlic
  • 1 drop orange liquid stevia
  • Fresh rosemary
  • Baked at 450 for 12 mins
  • Fresh curry leaves

 

Shirataki Rice

  • Red onion
  • Garlic
  • Fresh rosemary
  • Lemon juice
  • Red pepper
  • Zucchini
  • Cayenne
  • Ground ginger
  • Black pepper
  • Ginger
  • 1 serving “rice” (added after veggies sautéed)
  • 2 tsp nutritional yeast (added at end to thicken)

 

Dessert:

This is one of my all-time favorites to end the day – Carrot Cake Protein Batter.  I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve had one of these.  After surgery I couldn’t use the grater for the carrots, so making my favorite batter wasn’t possible!

Carrot Cake Batter with muesli

I was starving so I loaded up on the toppings: muesli, walnuts, and cacao nibs.  There was also a unpictured scoop of PB. 😉

***

Thank you all so much for the supportive comments on my Instagram and Facebook posts about being able to get back in the gym.  The encouragement means a lot as I (patiently) work my way back.

Don’t forget – one more day to enter the Designer Whey Sustained Energy giveaway!

Have you ever made something so good you were sad not to share it?  What was it?

Are you a victim of the kabocha craze? I propose we rename it Crack Squash.

 

Summer Salads & Summer Mistakes

By

Winner, winner…

 

Chicken dinner!

I mean… FRS Healthy Energy!  A random winner has been selected from Tuesday’s giveaway…

frs winner

Congrats!!!  Send me an email with your address and we’ll get the trial pack out ASAP. 🙂

 

I’m going to keep it short and sweet because I cannot WAIT for you to read Kat’s post today… I hope you love it as much as I did.

BUT first I have to say I am so proud of the Supreme Court overturning DOMA.  This was the scene in ATL today:

Equality ATL

 

And here’s Kat!!!

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Summer Salads and Summer Mistakes

 

Sometimes we make mistakes.  You might not know about it right away, but then it bites you in the ass later.  Sometimes literally.

Find Yourself

 

Many of you who read my posts frequently know that I am an avid trail runner.  Many of the reasons for trail running involve self-exploration and challenging yourself.  Many times it’s to find answers and get some therapy.

Really, it’s the one of the only ways I really know how to “work out” all the emotional/psychological stuff that comes my way.

I really, honestly believe this.

I really, honestly believe this.

 

Other times you find yourself on a trail, learning things the hard way… like when you wipe with poison ivy.  Yes, that happened!  On the beautiful Pinhoti Trail, near Dalton, GA.

I have been suffering with poison ivy, and going to numerous doctors to embarrassingly reveal the damage.

Pinhoti

Pinhoti

Just a preview of these awesome trails!

Just a preview of these awesome trails!

 

While my itchy body heals, I’m learning to laugh through painful situations that resulted from a very very very silly/stupid mistake.

(I’m sparing you the pictures, but I really wanted to post some! haha!)  Editor’s note: I saw the pics… they were nasty and NSFW.  LOL!

Your Body

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In the meantime, as I plug along with bar review, I have been experimenting with some fun summer recipes, and I have two for you today!

 

The first is so easy I didn’t think to post about it at first, but it’s a fabulous easy, cheap recipe.

It’s extremely refreshing!  It only lasts about 3 days in the fridge, but is especially good the first two days!  It’s a great snack or accompaniment to any meal.  I think it even can serve as a healthy dessert!

Melon Salad

Summer Melon Cucumber Salad

  • 1 Organic Honeydew Melon
  • 1 Pint Organic Grape Tomatoes
  • 1.5 Organic Cucumber
  • 4 Sprigs of Mint
  • 1-2 Tbsp mild Olive Oil
  • 1 Lime
  • 1 Diced Jalapeño (optional)
  • Pinch of Salt

 

Cut the melon into cubes, cut the tomatoes in half, chop the mint, squeeze the lime, and toss it all together!

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The second recipe I want to share is the Hazelnut Curry Goat Cheese Balls that I made for Laura her first day home after surgery.  (Editor’s note – this was AMAZING and I have Kat to thank for new-found my raw corn love.)

Dinner For Laura

I tried it again a couple of days later, and it was just as good.

The whole meal only takes about 30 minutes to both prep, cook, and serve.

 

FinishedProd1

Hazelnut Curry Goat Cheese Balls

  • 6 oz goat cheese
  • 1/8 cup Hazelnut meal
  • 1/8 cup premade Thai Curry Almond Seasoning*
  • 1.5 Tbsp Coconut Oil
  • Salad Ingredients

 

*Admittedly I bought the curry seasonings at Whole Foods, but you could easily make this yourself.  I would actually recommend it, because the seasoning alone is a little salty.  The curry seasoning contains almond meal, Thai yellow curry spices, dehydrated garlic, and dehydrated onion.   

6_27-Prep1

 

Preheat the oven to about 425.

Mix equal parts the curry seasoning with hazelnut meal.

Scoop 1-1.5 inch balls of goat cheese and press it into the mixture, and form a ball with as much seasoning as possible.

Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Repeat until you have made as many balls as you want!

Lastly, drizzle melted coconut oil on the pan and rolled the balls in the coconut oil.

Bake 12-15 minutes until they are brown.  Don’t worry if they aren’t hard right away.

 Prep3-Avocados

When I was at Laura’s, she also thought the avocados would taste good in the mixture, so I coated a few avocados and tossed them on the pan with the goat cheese.


FinishedProd1

 

Serve on a summer salad.  I think they pair best with arugula, dried cherries, fresh corn, and tomatoes.  I also topped mine with some avocado, a little olive oil, and used the rest of the seasoning as a topping!

The combination of textures and flavors was fresh, fun, and something you can definitely rinse and repeat more than once in the same week!

***

I’m still stuck on Kat’s poison ivy mishap… I can’t even imagine!!!  I saw pics… please send her healing thoughts!

What mistakes have you laughed about lately?

What is your favorite go-to summer salad recipe?

 

Work It Out: Fueling with FRS

By

Mornings are not my thing.

This may be the understatement of the year.

I try my best not to work out first thing in the morning.  I need time to wake up!  When you have a full-time job and play on sports teams, compromise is sometimes necessary.  Today’s Work It Out is dedicated to one of my favorite ways to give my body a jump-start when I need to get moving early in the day.

And there’s a giveaway. 😉

sprint2table-workitout

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In addition to lifting, I also play softball.  It was my first athletic love, and I aim to play for the rest of my life.  The team I play on now, Laidback, plays on Sunday mornings.  Early.

Ninja socks are necessary at 8am.

We are an all women’s team, but play in a men’s league.  And we beat all the men.  The man-beating requires wakefulness.  We’ve discussed my lack of enthusiasm for coffee before; you know I was THRILLED to find an energy alternative in FRS.

I drug my tired self to the field, armed with my ninja socks, gloves, and my favorite FRS flavor.

FRS peach mango low cal

 I’ve actually be drinking the  Healthy ENERGY drink for awhile (proof), but as a Fitfluential Ambassador, I given the opportunity to try out the entire FRS Healthy Energy line.

My favorite flavor of the canned drinks remains the Peach Mango.  The low-cal drinks are my preference because they are low in sugar – just 2g!

frs

FRS is full of vitamins and green tea extracts, but FRS also contains something special: quercetin.  Quercetin is a powerful antioxidant which is found in the skins of blueberries, apples and grapes and has been shown in clinical trials to provide sustained energy, increased endurance and immune system support.

One of the coolest things about FRS is the reason it was developed.  It’s original intent was to provide energy to chemotherapy patients while supporting their immune systems.  Natural, healthy, sustained energy without the crash (sorry coffee lovers) is also important to athletes, so this line is great for the fit-minded crowd.

FRS chews

I love this quote.

The chews were a new product to me.  I loved them!  I ate mine before a run on a morning when I was particularly dragging and I ended up doing 6 solid miles with a smile on my face.  2 chews are around 40 calories and 6 grams of sugar, and PACKED with nutrients.

Last was the powdered drink mix.  I love the portable packs it comes it.  They were easy to grab when I was running out the door late for work.  It may not be the intended use, but I drank one to fuel my work day!  It gave me a kick and helped me stay awake and focused through an all day meeting.

FRS line

 FRS is available at GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Kroger, Walgreens, Harris Teeter.  You can also order at a free 10 day supply at FRS.com!  Make sure to download a coupon for $1 off 2 cans or bottles of FRS.

Or you can win it!

Giveaway

I’m giving away a FRS trial pack (retail value of $30)! Just visit FRS.com and leave a comment telling me in which product/flavor you want to try.  I’ll randomly select a winner on Thursday, June 27th.

***

Disclaimer: I was compensated for this review but I assure you my opinions and MINE.

How do you like to fuel workouts?  What about work days?

Which product and flavor do you want to try?

Georgia Running Trail Review + Pancake Fuel

By

Starting out on the right foot is important.

 

Yet so often I forget…

Kat’s post today is all about trail running, I thought I’d share a quick pancake recipe (sorry if you saw this on Instagram already).  She talks about hiking fuel at the end of this post, but my recipe would be good for pre-hike fuel!

These cakes have a great mix of carbs and protein to start you off feeling the right amount of full!  I really loved how moist they were (yes, I used the word moist) thanks to the cottage cheese.  Leaving some larger pieces of the oats gives it a fabulous chew, especially if you use a mix of grains (mine is oats and millet).

 

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Cottage Cheese Protein Pancakes

(Inspired by Morganne)

  • 1/4 c oats
  • 1/3 c egg whites
  • 1/4 c cottage cheese
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • Stevia or other sweetener, to taste

 

Place all ingredients in a lender (I used the small Magic Bullet container) and briefly mix, allowing some larger pieces of oats to remain.  Cooked in a pan over medium heat, flipping half way through.  

Top as desired.  I used raspberries, strawberries, and peanut butter syrup.  My syrup mix consisted of sugar-free syrup, peanut flour, caramel extract, and a little water.  I didn’t measure… but just guess and adjust as you go.

 

I’ve babbled enough!  Here’s Kat!!!

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Mega Trail Heaven – Trail Reviews!

Since I last wrote, yes, Law School Graduation happened!  It was a crazy day, and yes, it’s true, family drama cannot be kept at bay.  I did have friends and family visit from all over, and it ended up being completely AWESOME.  I am especially grateful to my friends who came from out-of-state, and even from locations 8 hours away.

Grad

Badass

 

And afterwards, we went out on the town.  Dancing with Mom and Grammy was awesome!

After the fancy cocktail party, we went to a local club to dance the night away.  Grammy I think won us all over, and my friends dancing with Grammy was also not too shabby… the pics below are not even the highlights but I don’t want to really embarrass anyone. 😉  (Editor’s note: Yes, let’s not ruin any political careers…)

Night Crazy

 

And, in honor of celebrating graduation and my little break before bar review, I am having a little fun!  (Editor’s note: WELL deserved!)

First, I got a new bike!  She is a Scott Plasma tri bike, and she rides like a Porsche!   I took her out on Friday for our first ride together!  (Editor’s note: What’s her name?!)

Bike

 

Second, I am trail running like crazy!  I have hit over 5 different trails in the last week for some long, much needed and deserved runs.  Here is an overview of some of the trails and my personal “Trail Review.”

 

1. Sope Creek trails

Sope Creek is located just outside the Atlanta perimeter (285).  A short drive for local Atlanta folk, and they are GORGEOUS.  These trails are easy to navigate with maps at every turn.  There are not many hills, and most of them are also suitable for mountain biking!  There are also some cool old paper mill ruins.

(Editor’s note: I grew up RIGHT there and went to Sope Creek Elementary!)

Sope Creek

 

2. Yeti Trails

Saturday, I went over to the Tributary and got a good run in on the Yeti Trails, which are located near Sweetwater State Park.  (Editor’s note: I love these trails!)

These trails are pretty mild with some incline and decline, but no mountains, that’s for sure.  They’re well-shaded and provide scenic views of water crossings and the river.  You can also throw in some steeper hills at the power lines and gas lines, if you desire!  (All before I went car shopping!  You will get to see my new car next time!)

Yeti Trails

Yeti Trails

 

3.  Hiker Hostel

Then I headed up to the mountains and stayed at Hiker Hostel, a cute little hostel that allows dogs!  So we could bring pups up to hike AND I could run some trails.

Hiker Hostel is great because it’s family owned by a husband and wife who are super friendly, and they have their own bees for honey, and their own chickens!  Such an adorable home.  If you are ever in North Georgia, it’s a great place to stay!  They also have a fully equipped kitchen downstairs so you can make your own dinner.

They have chickens to provide eggs for your breakfast!

They have chickens to provide eggs for your breakfast!

They also sell their coffee by the pound, and with a message!

They also sell their coffee by the pound, and with a message!

 

4. Vogel State Park

This cute get-away allowed us to first go up to Vogel State Park where we hiked the Bear Hair Trail with the dogs, and I got to go for a run on the Georgia Death Race course.

The hike on Bear Hair was awesome – lots of beautiful plants, including “flaming azaelias,” a local wild flower, and plenty of water crossings.  There were enough hills to make it a difficult hike, but a fun couple of hours with the pups.

Vogel State Park

Vogel State Park

 

Then, I hit the Appalachian Trail… a bit easier to run here than on Bear Hair, and not QUITE as much scenery.  The trails are pretty rocky, with some water crossings.  I had never seen these trails during the day!!!  I also had a cathartic moment where I revisited the location where I sprained my ankle.

 

5. Woody Gap

Monday morning I went for a run at Woody Gap, a section of the Appalachian Trail (AT) between Vogel and Amicalola Falls State Park.  These trails are comparable to the AT by Vogel but has better scenic overlooks and is a bit rockier.

They are a difficult run, but worth the beauty.  I also ran into a bunch of hikers, surprised to see a runner out there!  (Editor’s note: further proof you’re a bad ass.)

Woody Gap

Woody Gap

 

6. Amicalola Falls

Then we went to Amicalola Falls on Monday afternoon for some more hiking.  While you can also get on the Appalachian Trail for running from here, we stuck to the park area, which was over-crowded due to the holiday weekend.

The park definitely had a more peaceful feel to it with all of the water (Editor’s note: the falls are gorgeous!), and the hiking was actually pretty difficult.  I was pooped after just a few short miles.  The dogs were ready to go too!

Amicalola Falls

Amicalola Falls

 

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Overall, it was one of the best Memorial Day weekends I have ever had!!  5 sets of trails AND a bike ride in 5 days – BLISS!  This was all followed by an adjustment on Monday night with Nate, who also adjusted the dogs!  (Editor’s note: Whaaaat?!)

Choose Happy - Voltaire

 

With all of this activity all over the trails, it’s important to care for your body!  The trails do it for the mind and soul – they make me happy… but how about fueling this type of outdoor activity?

My favorite trail foods are usually foods that provide the right amount of sugars and carbs to keep me going, with just enough protein (Editor’s note: Yay, protein!) to fill me up!

 

Like Laura’s What I Ate Wednesday, I’m going to give you a “What I Ate on the Trails”:

 

  1. First, I always fuel on Lara Bars, especially the Cashew Cookie.  I also enjoy the Peanut Butter Cookie.  They have none of the crap that many other bars have.  They are simple ingredients of nuts and dates, unless you get fancier versions, but still few ingredients are added.
  2. Typical trail food also includes potato chips and gummy bears!  (Editor’s note: These hot summer months are the time when I’d be with you on the salt!!!)
  3. I also enjoy the following raw veggies as fuel on the trails – these items don’t squish in your pack, and they take a bit longer to digest, so you get a constant supply of the sugar and carbs you need to keep going:
  • Apples
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Sliced Beets
  • Packets of Honey (you can make these at home)
  • The puppies enjoyed some beets while hiking

 

However, even more than eating just right, it is very important to hydrate!  Sunday, I drank over a gallon of water between breakfast and dinner, and I was still thirsty!  It’s getting hotter, and this is my plug about being smart with hydration (and it doesn’t hurt to throw in some electrolytes like coconut water) so you can go all day and not feel bad!

I hope you all enjoyed your long weekend and are enjoying the warm summer weather!

***

Just when I think I’m active… I read Kat’s post. 😉

What are your favorite outdoor sports?  Any favorite trails?

Do you like to run or hike with your dogs?

 

Embrace Your Inner Child

By

Change is a good thing.

 

And it’s inevitable (except from vending machines), so you might as well embrace it.

I’ve been changing up my workouts post-competition, doing things like kickboxing, “real” boxing, and spinning.  Yesterday I got back in the weight room for a chest and bicep day.  I wrote my own workout, as I haven’t gotten my new plan from my trainer yet.  That felt surprisingly intimidating, but I kicked my own arse!

The best part?  Even after not lifting as often as I was, I hit 3 PRs!!!  Change can be a booster, friends.

chest and bis

 

After that routine, I was in serious need of recovery.  I (like the day before) weren’t for an old favorite: my (vegan) Carrot Cake Batter Shake.  I did change it up a bit – this time I used my Growing Naturals Vanilla Rice Protein.  I swear this stuff is amazing.  I actually forgot to add Stevia until the end, but when I tasted it I realized I didn’t need it.  The Growing Naturals has added just the right amount of sweetness – enough to be batter-ish, but not so much that it was nauseating after a hard (and HOT) workout.

Also, check out Laura’s smoothie round up for 34 other fun ideas!

 

This weekend I am SO excited to get to share Growing Naturals with some of my best blogger-friends at the Blend Retreat in Park City, Utah!  Growing Naturals is sponsoring my trip and has sent samples of both their rice and pea protein powders, and their new rice drink!

growing naturals

 

What I love about these is that they:

  • Taste good (most important, right?)
  • Blends well (none of the chalky ick-factor)
  • Are super-clean (vegan, soy-free, dairy-free, and sprouted, and enzymatically processed)
  • Have 24g of protein per serving
  • Have very little sodium and sugar
  • Offer a 96% correlation to whey protein’s amino acid profile… but without the dairy so there is NO bloat

 

I wish I could share them with everyone!!!  You should all come to Blend! 🙂  If you won’t be there, be sure to follow along on Twitter and Instagram for the live tequila shots with Lindsay weekend action.

 

Speaking of… I also with the fabulous Kat could come to Blend (I did ask), but she is GRADUATING FROM LAW SCHOOL this weekend!!!

Read on for her fabulously fearless post, and a great vegan recipe.  And be sure to tell her congrats in the comments!!  🙂

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Embrace Your Inner Child with TVP Sloppy Joes 

(By Kat)

 

2012, was a year of healing, mending, and replanting my seeds on so many levels.  I began trail running (and became addicted).  I was healing from injuries and a number of other personal obstacles.  I was healing from life.  I learned to accept things, I learned to become centered, and this whole year really has already followed the change.

I Dont Know Where Im Going

 

I started my year with a yoga class, and I am truly living my philosophy.

It’s easy to walk the walk, but to be authentic and fearless is often another story.

Fearless Tattoo

 

Do the rest of you have that same internal dialogue that I have?  I’m ready for change… no I’m not… yes I am… no I’m not.  Then you realize you just have to let yourself be fearless.  In an effort to really keep this in the forefront of my mind… and to really remember daily to embrace my commitment to living fearlessly, I got a new tattoo!  Like?!  (Editor’s note: I LOVE!!!)

 

In the spirit of embodying fearlessness (and letting my inner adult-child out a little more)… some trail runs have lately taken me on… well, adventures!  Saturday, I went on a run called “Janice’s Wheel of Misfortune,” where halfway through the 8.5-ish run, you meet Janice, spin her wheel and are dealt a “misfortune.”

These took place on some of my favorite trails. (Laura, you’ve totally been here, on a different route! – Editor’s note: YES!  That was a great run and I want to do it again!)

trailmaps

Some of my favorite trails – The Tributary

 

Such an awesome idea!  The two guys smiling in the picture below together… yeah, they had to run/walk/struggle to get through 4.5 miles with their ankles tied together. (No, they didn’t know each other before the run).

The girl I’m laughing at in the picture had to eat something.  While she started off with a 6-count of Chocolate-Covered Krispy Kremes, she ended up with anchovies wrapped around capers (her other options included an entire can of spam, an entire bag of powdered doughnuts, or two cans of Vienna sausage… yeah….).

Trail Pics

 

Others had to carry life-sized stuffed animals, drink warm beer, take a time out, do trivia, drink buttermilk, among other fun misfortunes.  I know it’s not fair that I spun and had to do trail math trivia.  (Editor’s note: Warm beer?!  Whattt?!)

I would do this trail running event again any day!  I embraced my inner fearlessness and my inner adult child.

What You Did As a Child

 

Embracing a fearless spirit also makes me feel way more comfortable in my own skin… it’s going pretty well! 🙂

 

Speaking of comfort… I’ve got a great comfort food recipe for the gluten-free vegan that will help you to embrace your inner child!  (Editor’s note: Seriously?  Where am I when you’re making all this deliciousness?!)

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

Sloppy

Vegan TVP Sloppy Joes

  • 1 C TVP
  • 1 C boiling water
  • 1 16 oz can tomato paste
  • 1 16 oz can garlic tomato sauce
  • ½ C honey
  • 2 T Tamari (or soy if you’re not GF)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1-2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 3-ish T seasoning/dried herbs (mine had some rosemary, basil, thyme, paprika, garlic, onion, and parsley)
  • Garlic powder, to taste (I don’t know… maybe about 1.5 tablespoons??)
  • ½ large white onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • MAYBE extra ½ cup of water at the end (depending upon the TVP)

 

First add the boiling water to the TVP and let it sit.  Then, sauté the onion & Garlic in some oil (and butter if you like), on medium/medium-low heat (~7-10 minutes, let them get pretty translucent). 

Then I like to add the TVP to the pan where you are doing the sautéing and add ALL the dry seasonings.  Sauté until the TVP looks like it’s drying out a bit, and is completely coated in all the beautiful seasonings (this is how you give the TVP a more “meaty” taste), which should take about 7-10 minutes.

Next, add your tomato paste, tomato sauce, honey and tamari (and I needed an extra ½ cup of water).  Simmer for ~15-20 minutes.  Then you can adjust the seasonings to taste as you like!

Sloppy Joe Pot

At the end, you know, serve the way you remember loving your Sloppy Joes!

I used Udi’s Gluten Free Buns, toasted, and served with Sea Salt Kettle Chips and roasted brussels sprouts.

Sloppy 1

I also topped them with the most delicious vegan, soy-free, gluten-free cheese I have ever had, Daiya .

If you haven’t tried their products yet, I highly recommend them, in fact, for these sloppy joes, I liked them better than regular cheese.

Sloppy Cheese

This cheese melted like regular cheddar, but seemed lighter and was a bit milder than regular cheddar cheese.  A must try!

(Editor’s note: I second this – this is amazing cheeze, especially their pepper jack!!)

You’re welcome – I omitted a photo with my face covered in Sloppy Joe.

You’re welcome – I omitted a photo with my face covered in Sloppy Joe.

 ***

Again, and HUGE congrats to Kat on completing your law education!!!  Kat  – I’m so sorry to miss your graduation celebration, but I’ll be thinking of you all weekend!  You are truly an inspiration.

What have you done to embrace your inner child?  To be fearless?

What was your childhood comfort food?

 

What’s Driving My Marvelous (Monday)

By

No one likes regrets.

Especially when it involves wearing a bikini on stage in front of a lot of people.

My favorite uncle likes to say:

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, oh what a merry Christmas we’d all have.

My goal is to go into Saturday’s figure competition without thinking “if only I had…” or “but I should have…”  No regrets.  That’s what’s driving me right now, even though I’m tired, busy, and really hate running sprints.

That’s not entirely true… I have a lot of fantastic friends whose encouragement also drives me.  After this post where I admitted to be being busy and more than a little overwhelmed, Jody reminded me that what I’m doing is not easy and I need to give my body time to recover.  So I took my first bath in years.

bath time

Then, after a particularly hard-to-motivate-for run (I’m doing sprints daily now), Heather took the time to encourage me.  She is the queen of training and balancing a busy life (and running), so I especially appreciate her props.

sprints

Note: I’m kidding about the fat and happy.  I chose this and I AM happy.  These last couple of weeks just get hard.

Something else that can drive a workout is new stuff.  So often we think of treating ourselves with food, but new clothing or “toys” can do it too!

This weekend I took myself shopping and got new eye cream, eyeshadow primer, 2 new tops, a bra (so badly needed), and my first EVER top from Lulumon.  I didn’t get a pic, but it’s this one.

lulumon top

I also brought my own marvelous lunch to the mall:  a crumbled Indian-spiced bison burger, sweet potato cubes, broccoli slaw, and red pepper.  I held it up proudly for a pic infront of Victoria’s Secret.  Bison and Boobs.

health snack

As much fun as spending money on yourself can be, free stuff is even more awesome.  Thanks to Fitfluential and Reebok, I had the opportunity to try out these Bose SIE2i headphones (as always – my opinions is my OWN).

Let me just say these ROCK.  I didn’t even know what I was missing out on until getting these high quality ear buds… it was like surround sound in my ears!

Bonus: They aren’t PINK

How do Reebok and Bose go together?  They partnered to release first ever Bose in-ear headphones specifically engineered for exercise.  Their features are designed with workouts in mind.  Click here for a video with more detail on the technology.

Here is what I liked:

  • They are sweat proof – there was NO sliding about in my ears even when I was sprinting
  • They didn’t give me a headache.  In the past I’ve had some ill-fitting buds that were so uncomfortable I had a headache by the end of my workout.  These still felt great 2 hours later!
  • The buds come with 3 sizes (small, medium, and large), and the small actually fit me
  • The shorter cable doesn’t get in the way of movement while lifting, but there is an extension cord for when you need length (I used it so I could place my iPhone on the treadmill while running sprints)
  • There is a remote in the cord that allows you to easily change songs and adjust volume (you can also take calls, but who doesn’t that during a workout?!)

It also came with a stretchy armband to holds your iPhone, but I didn’t use it.  I am looking forward to using it when I do some running this summer – it even has a separate pocket for keys!  For lifting, I can’t stand having something strapped to my arm.  My pythons need ROOM.  LOL!

The downside?  At $149.98, they are pricey. Here’s how I look at it: I spend 1-2 hours everyday working out.   It’s worth every cent if it makes that experience more enjoyable and comfortable.  That means a better workout for me, so I consider it another investment in my fitness.

Lastly, the ultimate driver: Progress.  It’s not big.  But I do believe that is a booty:

glutes

Do these Bose headphones make my butt look big? 😉

It may not look like much, but it’s a BIG improvement after a lot of work.  I dislike sprints, but I really hate having a pancake butt or a saggy ass.  So sprints it is!  I can do anything for 5 (more) days.

And all of this is what’s making my Monday Marvelous.  Thank you for another week starting out right, Katie!

Marvelous Monday

***

One more bit of awesome – 2 separate friends sent me their progress shots this weekend.  I was flattered that they trusted me enough to share those proud (scantily clad) moments!

Do you make a conscious effort to live life with no regrets?

Are good headphones important to you?  What is your fitness “splurge” item?  Lulumon? 😉

Eggplant Chips + WIAW

By

Life gets busy.

I know this isn’t news to any of you, but it’s hitting me hard this week.

I’m 10 days out from my next figure competition.  The asparagus (click here for the reason behind that) begins this weekend.  I’m thinking next Friday’s #strangebutgood link up will take a twist as my diet gets to the most strict point… not-so-strange but good, anyone?

Balancing work with the competition preparation is not easy.  In addition to my 7 meals and regular workouts, I’m running sprints every day.  It’s a lot of fit in, especially since I dislike working out at night.  I’m TIRED.  Cutting a good amount of carbs and basically all sodium and fat leaves my energy level a bit low.

But I’m focusing on May 4th (competition day) and staying motivated.  I don’t want to get on stage and have any regrets!

desire to succeed

I’ve been taking a couple of products I received from GNC through a FitFluentiual campaign that have helped me maintain my level of activity: Ultra 25 Probiotic Complex and TriFlex.

The probiotics (said to replenish good bacteria needed for digestion) made a BIG difference.  Those 25 billion active cultures kept my gut healthy (translation: I have no problem going #2).  This make me happy and had prevented bloating!  This particular pill also has “enzymes and ginger for additional digestion support.”

GNC supplements

The TriFlex I think I need to take longer to say 100% whether it’s made a difference.  It is supposed to “promote joint mobility & flexibility” and contains Glucosamine, Chondroitin, and MSM – all of which are great for joint health.  I have been taking it regularly.  That, in addition to seeing a new chiropractor, I *believe* have kept my joints are feeling good despite some crazy workouts!

 

My WIAW meals were still pretty good, despite and lack of yummy, yummy fat.  Mmmmm… peanut butter… I digress.

WIAWbutton

Check out my 7 low-fat, low-sodium, protein-laced meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how more normal people are eating!

Meal 1:

My day began with my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, and Aminos), as always.

I was going to go ahead and run sprints before breakfast, but my metabolism is out of control lately… I am STARVING all the time.  Breakfast had to happen before I entertained the idea of working out.  I wanted everything at once… so I had it!  It was PB&J-ish… with a coffee flair!  After adding baking powder to my Mango-Coconut TVP Oats, I’m hooked.  I used it again here for an especially voluminious bowl.

PB & Raspberry TVP Oatmeal

PB & Raspberry TVP Oatmeal

  • 1/3 C Textured Vegetable Protein
  • 1 T oatmeal
  • 1 tsp coffee
  • 3/4 C water
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 1 tsp ground flax
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract
  • 1/4 tsp maple extract
  • 5-6 drops liquid stevia
  • Raspberries

Bring TVP, oats, coffee, and water to a boil.  Cook until liquid is mostly absorbed.  Add in remaining ingredients, adding additional water if needed.  

Allow to simmer until water is absorbed and your TVP oats reach your desired level of thickness.

Note:  I add 1/2 the berries at the end of cooking and use the other half to top because I can never decide if I like them better cooked or as a topping.

Meal 2:

First, I ran my sprints like a good kid.  Then I put a Mexican Sweet Potato Pie in the oven to bake.  It only made me wish I made a second one for myself.  This was to take to a good friend who is a new mom!

Mexican Sweet Potato Pie

Finally, it was food time.  And my continued bison obsession.  As part of my Sunday food prep, I made up several burgers to be able to grab quickly.

I ate this one atop a spinach, heirloom tomato and cilantro salad.  With red pepper flakes, obv.

bison burger

Meal 3:

Lunch was my current favorite – sea bass.  This is even better than swordfish right now… and that’s a big thing for me to say since I consider swordfish the “steak of the sea.”

Eaten  post-workout with a giant mound of lightly sautéed kale and a super-fast sweet potato and shiitakes with rosemary and garlic.

Sea Bass

Meal 4:

Clean chicken salad made from the “naked” (nothing added) Whole Foods rotisserie chicken, a little Greek yogurt, vinegar, cumin, and diced cucumber.

healthy chicken salad

Meal 5:

I couldn’t totally cheat on my favorite fish.  Steak of the Sea for dinner (swordfish)!  Served with my BBQ Roasted Cauliflower and eggplant chips.

Evey time I post eggplant chips on Instagram, I always get a billion questions about how to make them.  It’s the easiest thing ever, so I felt silly blogging it… but even simple meals can count a recipes, right?  The “secret” is at the bottom of this post. 🙂

Swordfish, BBQ cauliflower, and eggplant chips

Meal 6:

This was a hodge-podge.  I had a little chicken left and a little Monchong (fish) from last night.  So I made a combo to get my protein in.  I had celery sticks and sugar peas on the side.  I adore sugar peas – the dessert of vegetables!

Meal 7:

My favorite meal of the day is desert.  I took some non-fat Greek yogurt and mixed it with cocoa powder, cinnamon, vanilla, and a little stevia.  Then I melted some frozen cherries in the microwave with some ginger so my “sauce.”  Then I topped all that with homemade popcorn and more cinnamon.  Paradise.

Cocoa-Cherry Greek Yogurt Bowl

eggplant chips

Eggplant Chips

  • 1 eggplant
  • Olive oil spray
  • Optional toppings: onion, garlic, nutritional yeast, herbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut eggplant into thin slices (~1/8 in thick).  Spray with olive oil and spread evenly across a foil-lined baking sheet.

Place in over and bake ~10 mins.  Remove from oven, flip slices, and top as desired.  Return to over for another 5 mins, or until crisp.

Note: These can be stored in the fridge – simply place them in the oven under broil for 2-3 mins to crisp back up.

I’m linking these up to Heather’s MMAZ – check out all the eggplant love!

MMAZ

***

Protein count for the day: 163g

What was the best thing you ate yesterday?

What keeps you motived when you’re tired/busy/etc?

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