Lighten Up

It’s been another busy weekend.  We were out on Long Island helping my mom & Jen clean out the basement.  Dave fixed a hose, Jen and I fixed brunch.

All in all a lovely time was had by all.

It’s been a while so I thought a food oriented post was in order.  I really am trying to go on the light side these days.  Some days I’m successful – others not so much.

You will shortly see that I am a big fan of potatoes cooked with onion.   And wine made by penguins.

Mother’s Day. 

   I opted for a fried egg over easy. Dinner on Sunday – Dave and I used the new grill.  Shrimp marinated in olive oil, Old Bay, garlic and lemon.Orso with onion, garlic, tomato and goat cheese.  Last night Dave and I went to see Something Borrowed – which I very much enjoyed even though the book was much better.  Beforehand I made us some dinner. More potatoes. Pork chops – marinated in buttermilk, covered in panko, baked for 35 min at 375.  More potatoes! More penguins! Dave and I are working from home today.  I made us some lunch.  Grilled chicken – teriyaki for him over a salad.

Barbecue for me on a Goldfish thin.

The weather here is so beautiful.  I went for a 3 mile walk yesterday – I could have walked for days it was so nice to be outside.  Tonight dinner is Chicken with the Sauce and I’m heading to Zumba. 

I’m still craving chocolate but at least I’m getting some exercise.

Hope you all are enjoying the spring.  I’ve realized I’m so much happier when I can get out and walk.  Yesterday I kept thinking I should have started running at some point but I’m still not sure where I will end up once I get started.   I’d walk to Zumba if I could but I have to walk on the highway and that might not be a great idea.

Happy Tuesday everyone!  

Things, the Friday Edition

I don’t have a real post for you today.  I am conflicted in general as to what I want to do with this little space of mine.  There are so many places I can go.  Most of them, however, seem quite finite.

I could blog more about the wedding – but that’ll be done with in about 3.5 months.

Seriously.  I’m getting married in 3.5 months. (!!!!!!)

I like writing about food but cooking and taking pictures as you go is really difficult to do alone.  Plus I am almost always ravenous by the time I am done.

I could write about losing this weight but I just slid back a little so I have now lost 6.5 lbs instead of 8.  I think my biggest culprits for weight loss sabotage are the following:

Wine

Cheese

Chocolate

Not that I eat massive amounts of any of them.  Okay.  I might have had a lot of wine last Thursday at Diane’s house.  And then more wine on Saturday at Cortney’s party.  And then champagne w/my Mom at brunch on Sunday.

But still.

I’m in a celebratory mood.  And to me – good friends and good wine go together.  Like – peanut butter and jelly.

Except I don’t like jelly with my peanut butter.  I don’t like jelly at all.

Dave asked me today how I felt about the new trend in restaurants – where you order off a touch screen.  I told him I’m too picky to trust a computer to get my order right.  Will they have a million options like “I’d like the cheeseburger but with mozzarella cheese instead of American,  no bacon, no mushrooms but sautéed onions instead of raw.  I’d like the salad with no olives and the dressing on the side and I’d like balsamic not Caesar.”

Just call me Sally Albright.

Anyway – I’m vowing to eat more salad in the coming weeks.  My goal is 20 lbs before the wedding.  More than that would be lovely but 20 would be perfectly fine with me.

Here’s a lovely salad I made the other day for lunch.  Spinach with 2 chicken tenders (whole grain baked Perdue) with sautéed pepper and onion, goat cheese and Light Honey Dijon dressing.

 

 

The other night Dave and I ate outside.  I made turkey chili.  I ate the leftovers last night in honor of Cinco de Mayo.

What else???   Someone took my box of tissues off my desk at work but also left me $3 under a post-it.  That’s pretty nice.  At least they didn’t steal them outright. 

For Mother’s Day Dave and I are heading out to Long Island to help my mother clean the basement.  That’s what she wants to do so that’s what we’re doing.  We’re also going to Fork & Vine for dinner where I am not going to get the goat cheese mashed potatoes again.

Things I have noticed lately:

My TV viewing is rapidly declining.  Turns out when you are living in a house with 3 kids and 1 TV you don’t watch as much as you used to.  Also – when your fiancé tells you his children are not allowed to watch The Millionaire Matchmaker (he has a point) you sort of have to respect his wishes.

If you want ice cream just eat ice cream – don’t get these bars from Breyer’s that promise they are less fat and calories and look like someone took a Dove bar and put it in that shrinky TV thing from Willy Wonka and handed it back to you.  Just eat a scoop of good ice cream and be done with it.

People in NYC can’t take the change of seasons.  When the weather starts to get warm you either have people still wearing hats and winter coats and other people wearing shorts and tank tops.

Here’s something else.  Today on the PATH train (because I commute from NJ now.  I mean…what is going on???) a woman got on.  A man 2 seats away from me offered her his seat and she replied.

“No thanks.  I’m not pregnant – I’m just overweight.”

Now – I will admit – the day over the winter when I decided it was a fabulous idea to wear one of Dave’s flannel shirts and my Dad’s old jacket and the check out woman at Shop Rite asked me when I was due was not one of my finer moments but I gotta say – as much as I might be mortified at the thought I would have probably taken that seat.

Seats are a premium on the PATH train.

Really I just felt so bad for both of them – for the woman who clearly must be tired of people making that assumption and the guy – who was doing the chivalrous thing and got smacked back for it.

On that note I shall get going.  Have a lovely weekend one and all.  Be back with tales from the basement and other exciting stories.

Heat Wave

Let the record show it is super warm here in NYC today.  Also we won at trivia last night despite the fact that my team did not acknowledge that I knew coconuts have water, California has the most National Parks, that Backdraft came before A Bronx Tale and that Candice Bergen was the first female host of Saturday Night Live.

Still…despite that…my losing streak appears to be over.  :)

Dave and I have decided though we’re not eating there anymore.  There’s nothing good.  (Except the pretzels.  I stand firm that the pretzels are worth it.)   The burgers aren’t even all that spectacular.

It was very cute last night.  Dave started walking uptown from his office.  I started walking downtown from mine.  We met on W 4th Street and made our way to the PATH train.

My gaining streak might be over too.  Despite less than a stellar week I went to see M today (another thing I avoid when I don’t want to face the scale) and I maintained.  Given the butternut squash puree alone from Monday that’s a big deal.

I don’t have much else to report.  I’m headed to LI tomorrow to spend the day with 2 different sets of friends.   

I ate a Vitatop for beakfast and had a grown up version of chicken fingers and fries for lunch.

 

I was saying to M today that at least I’m THINKING about what I’m doing these days.  I’ve gotten used to simply not thinking for a lot of months and it’s obviously taken it’s toll.

So here’s to thinking more about what I eat for the next week – and to moving just a little bit more.  Downward movement on the scale the next time I weigh in would be a lovely lovely thing.

TGIF everyone!   Don’t forget to COMMENT HERE and win some Cheerios!

Mexican Rice (for lack of a better description) with Pace Picante Sauce. Also: sing it Gwyneth!

In an effort to make myself feel a bit better I ventured out to take in a movie last evening.  I was trying to decide what to see and settled on Country Strong.  It might not have been the best choice but I loved the music.

I have 2 songs by Gwyneth on my iTunes from the movie Duets.  A movie I never saw but I gotta admit – I really like the tone of her voice.  And I’m really digging this song.

I wasn’t cheered up by the movie but spending 2 hours with my new boyfriends Garrett and Tim wasn’t torture either.

I promised to show you my leftover creation the other day didn’t I?  Well – here it is.

I had leftover chicken and wanted something – well – just not Italian was my only thought.  I had planned on chili earlier in the week but changed my mind.

Mexican sounded good.

I put together a spice mix of cumin, chili powder, cayenne, garlic powder, a pinch of cinnamon and some fresh ground pepper.   I tossed some leftover chicken with the spice mix.

I grilled some orange bell pepper and onions and then added the chicken.

Plus 1 can of black beans and 1 bottle of Pace Picante Sauce that I remembered I had from the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program.  I had planned to use a can of TJ’s Fire Roasted Tomatoes w/Green Chiles but this sounded like a better idea.

I also added a bag of TJ’s frozen brown rice, tossed it together and topped it with cheddar and light sour cream.

   I had a mug full of leftovers for lunch yesterday.In other news - I’m loving eggs lately for some reason.  The other day I made myself a little breakfast sandwich and today made myself a little casserole with an EM on the side.   

Today I’m going to get some sort of workout in and enjoy the snowy scenery.   Hope you’re staying warm where you are!

This is what eating right looks like.

 

I’m really not sure why I ever stopped.

Two posts today!  What’s the world coming to?

Another good day.  I worked a full day – did 2 loads of laundry – took the stairs even though my thighs were screaming at me – ate a healthy lunch and dinner – popped a handful of vitamins to get rid of this stupid cold – and even though I feel icky went to the gym and inclined walked for 40 minutes.

I watched The Millionaire Matchmaker while I walked.  I have come to the conclusion that if you have that much money you should stay off reality TV.

I’m finding that motivation again I think.  Don’t quote me yet – it’s still early in the week but I feel different than I did a few weeks ago when I tried to get back on track.  I’m going to head to M’s soon.  I know how much I’ve gained – I don’t really want to have to pay to have someone confirm it.  I’d like to get a head start and then go back for the accountability factor.  It’s an important part of all of this I know but I sort of need to prove to myself I can do it on my own.

Tonight is a new season of The Biggest Loser but right now I’m busy watching Stacy and Clinton on What Not To Wear. 

Does anyone else remember that weird guy who was the co-host when it first came on the air?  He wore chambray shirts and had long stringy curly hair.  I think he was a stylist.

I don’t know about you but I’d like my stylist to look like (s)he actually had style.

Anyway I’m hopeful that this is a turning point for me and I can stop this train before it runs off the rails.  I’m being a tad melodramatic, I know what to do and how to do it.

And eating meals like the above is not actually a hardship.

Day One – Done.

I had a very good day yesterday.

Despite the fact that I’m sick…again.  I have a stuffy nose and a cough that I can’t even blame on my boyfriend or his kids.  :(

Yesterday I ate and behaved like I used to not so long ago and survived.  I not only survived – I wasn’t so hungry I wanted to gnaw my own arm off.

You laugh but this was a definite concern.

I broke a big rule and ate breakfast late.  I had an English Muffin with some Three Cheese Onion Blend from Hickory Farms.  Before the holiday I received a box of goodies from the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program.   I received the Deluxe Hickory Selection.  I took pictures but it’s been a while and the pictures are on my point and shoot and I seem to have misplaced the cord. :(   I just ordered a new one because I am not confident that I can find it through all my travels.

Here’s what it looked like.

I brought some of that box over to Dave’s.  I brought some with me when we tailgated at the Penn State Game.  I’m not a big sausage fan (That’s what she said) but I have more of the cheese in my fridge for future use.

For lunch I had a cup of Lipton Ring O Noodles Soup.  Did you know that you are supposed to get 4 servings out of that sucker?  I added some egg noodles too.

Sidenote:  That link brings you to Wegmans.  My idea of paradise is to live inside a Wegmans next to a Trader Joe’s and a Barnes & Noble while eating peanut butter for breakfast, salads with goat cheese for lunch and hot pretzels with mustard for a snack and burgers and fries for dinner.  I would also require Diet Coke and Pinot Grigio.

For exercise yesterday I didn’t want to go out again so I did the stairs.  There are 8 flights in my building and I did them 3 times up and down.  Probably took about 15 minutes.  My heart rate got up to 169 at one point (thank you Dave for my awesome new watch thingy) and my legs are KILLING ME today. 

I forgot how good that feels – to work out muscles that you normally don’t.  Today is a gym day.  I’m going to walk for 45 minutes after work.

Dave came over for dinner.   I made pasta primavera with chicken.   Dave’s mom was ridiculously generous to me this Christmas and gave me a Le Creuset Grill Pan.

If I wasn’t already in love with her son I would date this grill pan.  That’s how much I adore Le Creuset.  I marinated the chicken in Italian dressing and grilled it with a little onion.I sautéed some garlic, yellow bell pepper, roasted tomatoes and onion.

I added steamed broccoli, whole wheat pasta, spinach, basil and parmesan.  Spices were some black pepper, crushed red pepper and lemon pepper.  Sauce was some white wine and a cup of the pasta water with a drizzle of olive oil.Ta da!!!   

I measured 2 cups of dried pasta. There’s about a cup of leftovers in my fridge right now. I drank Diet Coke and had a TJ’s Mini Mint Mouthful and this guy for dessert.

I don’t feel overly full.  I feel accomplished and productive.  I still need to do some laundry and mop the floor but my place looks pretty presentable. 

It’s a good day.

Balance

I’m trying to find it but it has not been easy.  I am struggling to remember how I did this last time.   I feel like I’m close but there’s a piece missing.

I need to move more.

I’ve virtually stopped walking everywhere.  I used to build in an extra half hour/hour to where I had to be so I could walk it.  I saved a ton on subway fare and added 2-4 miles a day to my exercise.

MUST. GET. BACK.

I re-gained a pound.  This is a blessing as there was a time a week or so ago I was up around 5 pounds so I think that’s pretty good.  Plus it motivated me to get my ass in gear.

I am up to week 4 of C25K.  Week 4 is not my friend.   I have not run in 5 minute stretches for a very long time.  But I did it. Say what you want about The Biggest Loser but watching that last night is what got me through the second 5 minute interval this morning.

So there’s that.

Monday night Dave came over.  I made Peanut Noodles with Shrimp.

I halved the recipe but it was still really soupy. :(  Anyone have a good peanut sauce recipe?

  I splurged on fresh shrimp at the fish market down the block.I don’t know if I didn’t let the sauce reduce enough or what but I was kind of disappointed in the finished product. It looked pretty though!!

Yesterday I made eggs and potatoes for breakfast but didn’t take a picture.   For lunch I had a yummy sandwich on Nature’s Pride Oatmeal Bread which I got as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program.

  That’s Ovengold turkey, butter lettuce, cheddar cheese and caramelized onion jam.  This morning I had my old weigh in breakfast of Joe’s O’s and skim milk. Lunch was leftover pizza.  I had made this weeks ago and froze it.  It was just what I wanted.

So there you go.  I’m just plugging along.  Trying to eat less and move more and still be able to have French fries.  That is my ultimate goal. :)

Have a great Wednesday one and all.  Catch you later.

The last few days…

I’ve had work stuff to take care of…specifically reapplying for the job I basically already have.

Don’t ask.

I have dragged my feet but finally got myself to the gym.  I’m finding it really difficult to get back on track.

I ate the following things.

I mixed Mac & Cheese with chicken and spinach.  The leftovers are lunch tomorrow.

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program I received two loaves of Nature’s Pride bread.

Please don’t mind the peeling paint on my windowsill btw.

I made myself a sandwich for lunch yesterday.  Ovengold turkey, Laughing Cow Light Garlic and Herb, spinach, shredded carrots and hummus.

The Honey Wheat is not too sweet.   I really liked it.  I’m a big fan of doughier type breads – I’m not so much a seeds and nutty bread type of girl.  I’m looking forward to the other loaf waiting for me – Oatmeal.  Yum.

I made two boneless pork chops on Monday.  I ate one in a more traditional way.  Breaded with panko with roasted asparagus, creamed corn and a baked potato with light sour cream.

The other I dipped in teriyaki and baked.  I then chopped it up and tossed it with a bunch of veggies in some brown rice.   I sauteed onion, zucchini, yellow squash and yellow bell pepper with the pork and some teriyaki glaze.

In the end I added some steamed broccoli and black beans (yeah I know but it was good!) some sweet chili sauce and a dash of spicy chili sauce. 

It was pretty freaking good.

I’m fighting a cold as well as the clutter monster which is threatening to take over my apartment again.  I’m bound and determined to tame them both tomorrow.

Wish me luck.