Friday Favorites: Pizza + Cherries + Fashion Finds

Happy Friday! Yet another week that flew on by this summer, right? It feels like it was just Monday to me. Anyway, time for some favorites from the week!

Favorite Food:

The whole wheat vegetable pizza from Villa Monte was terrific yesterday and just what I needed. Totally hit the spot.

Favorite Fruit:

I made a stop at Trader Joe’s yesterday and decided to grab a package of cherries. While I do have allergies to raw cherries, they are so good and so high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties! Cherries are so great for muscle recovery! My son likes them too AND if I heat the cherries up a bit within a bowl of oatmeal, I won’t feel the effects of oral allergy syndrome.

I no longer suffer from seasonal allergies but the food allergy part from oral allergy syndrome is still slightly present, although you never really know when exactly you will feel it. I mostly avoid the foods that irritate me but sometimes I can’t resist.

Favorite Finds:

No Friday Favorites post is complete these days without a Stoney Clover mention. Say hello to the newly launched Summer at Sea Collection.

The beautiful terry cloth material comes in four new colors, many styles including small, mini, and large pouches, plus the clear travel, a new mini clear open-top, tote, and duffel, AND new patches.

I took the liberty of creating some designs for us but the possibilities are endless! Gosh, I want the slouchy tote in the sunset color.

 

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And just a few other fashion finds this week.

I love this new pair of Air Force 1 Shadow Sneakers. Also from Nike, this belt bag in fire pink.

I believe that I need this beach towel.

THIS tie-dye tote. Can you ever have too many totes?

You can still get the lululemon Swifty Tech long sleeve on sale- grab them while you can. Also, a lot of sizes left in the Power Y tank. Check out my post from last week with the rest of my picks from the lululemon sale in case you missed it.

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Oh! Before I forget, Stoney Clover is launching new masks today. They aren’t tie-dye but they are terry material as part of the new terry collection. You can still grab the pastel heart masks at the moment but watch for the new launch this morning too!

 

 

 

 

 

WIAW- Random Food Talk

 

I have random food related things to tell you about so today’s What I Ate Wednesday post may appear more like a ramble and less like it’s usual structured self.

Cherries were finally on sale this week so I made my way to the store as fast as I could to pick up a bunch.

I am allergic to cherries. Yeah. I know. It’s not fair.

My stubborn side tried for a few days to eat them in the hope that the itchy mouth and throat feeling wouldn’t keep happening.

But it did. Every time.

If you recall, I have food allergies in the form of Oral Allergy Syndrome. Sometimes I can consume the raw fruits and vegetables I am allergic to and sometimes I can’t.

Cherries so far this year are on the “can’t” list. And, the symptoms were annoying enough that I don’t think I will try again.

My son is happy though because now he doesn’t have to share them with me.

The fruit that I packed for the beach on Sunday contained the cherries but I didn’t eat them. I don’t get a reaction if they touch the other fruit in the container which I guess is the bright side I need to focus on as I sit here sad that a bowl of tasty cherries are in my refrigerator and not safe for me to consume.

On the topic of allergies, recently I also mentioned a weird oatmeal allergy which only affects my mouth when the oats are first cooking. Once they are cooled or even reheated the next day, I have no issue.

The other morning while I was cooking a few servings of oatmeal, I tasted a spoonful from the pot which I know I shouldn’t do but do anyway and immediately my mouth reacted with torn up gums and a swollen upper lip that looked like I went for botox injections.

This reaction was the most severe I have ever had and my giant lips didn’t return to normal for over four hours.

The only thing I used that was different this week was a newly purchased, fresh container of organic steel-cut oats which I filled myself at the bulk bins from Whole Foods.

I most certainly returned the container of oats to Whole Foods as quickly as possible where they informed me that the bulk bins are always filled with the same items but they can’t guarantee what the food may have come into contact with prior to being loaded into the bins.

After some research in the form of googling, it’s possible I am allergic to a protein found in oats or, more likely, that my oat allergy stems from oat dust.

You know, the powder that comes off of the raw oats which you also see cooking off as you prepare a pot of oatmeal?

I am still doing my reading on this subject but it seems that this odd reaction is related to my other OAS allergies.

If it’s the protein in the oat, the gluten-free version should do the trick so I bought Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Steel-Cut Oats just to be on the safe side.

Who knows.

Leave it to me to have random allergic reactions however I remain forever grateful to not have a peanut butter allergy.

I don’t care in the least that I am allergic to almonds. I couldn’t live without peanut butter.

I also can’t live without Red Mango.

If frozen yogurt is becoming taboo, including my beloved Red Mango, then consider me a rebel.

Frozen Yogurt Gone Bad

I love Food Babe and I value her opinion, research and information but please let me turn a blind eye to the frozen yogurt article. There are worse things in life to be eating and the only thing that will keep me from consuming Red Mango parfaits on a daily basis is the rising cost per ounce.

Which is just insane by the way, insane. I tell the Red Mango employees this every time I am there. They love me, really they do. 

And if you are wondering what you miss by not following me on instagram:

The usual chick pea/avocado mash on cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread on top of a salad for lunch yesterday.

My lunch makes faces at me. I think this was to mock my swollen oatmeal lips or something.

I must admit that looking at the above photo and realizing that I post such things on Instagram has me not only questioning my age but the whole purpose of social media.

Be sure to check out what everyone else is eating today!

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Do you have weird food allergies?

Which oatmeal do you buy most often?

Which brand of peanut butter is your current favorite? I am still loaded up on Peanut Butter & Co. Crunch Time and Mighty Maple.

 

 

 

 

Mighty Maple Is Back In My Pantry

 

Thank goodness Spring is really only a few weeks away (in my mind that is) because my 11 mile run outdoors Saturday morning was just down right horrendous due to the weather conditions. This was one of those runs where you mentally battle to keep yourself going.

For some reason, I had it in my mind that I was running outside, sort of assuming the temperature would be somewhere over 20 degrees. Every degree counts, trust me.

When I woke up Saturday morning and saw it was more like 14 degrees, I questioned my sanity as I layered up and headed out the door.

I have become so accustomed to running indoors this winter that besides the frigid air and the dodging of ice patches, the layers of clothing needed to run Saturday were so totally weighing on me that I felt as though I could barely move and couldn’t pick up speed for the life of me.

I would have pictures of my layers for you but my phone died towards the end of my run, most likely because I spent many miles on the phone with my friends who were kind enough to be up so early to keep me mentally distracted.

Why didn’t I just go home and call it a day? Ha, never.

Why didn’t I switch to the treadmill where it was warm? Hmm. Good question.

Anyway, I did a little food shopping Friday afternoon (Trader Joe’s and Target) to free up the weekend and avoid having to take my son with me since that always leads to extra money spent on items I would never buy.

Fruits and Vegetables:

• Butternut Squash
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Romaine Lettuce
• Kale
• Cucumber
• Avocado
• Frozen peppers and Brussels sprouts
• Apples – because I never have enough
• Fresh Berries – haven’t had fresh containers in the house for months!
• Pineapple- for a recipe coming this week!

Misc:

• Gardein Meatless Crumbles – Never bought this before
• Chia Seeds
• Tomato Paste
• Trader Joe’s brand Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
• Nature’s Path Organic Dark Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

What I forgot (because I always forget something):

• Trader Joe’s Sweet Chili Sauce
• Coconut Oil Cooking Spray – always need an extra in the pantry

If you have never tried Trader Joe’s Sweet Chili Sauce, you just must remember it next time you shop there.

Took this picture before I ran out of the chili sauce.

In cause you were curious, these are staples in our house:

• Island Soyaki
• Sweet Chili Sauce
• Carolina Gold Barbeque Sauce
• Coconut Oil Cooking Spray
• Balsamic Vinaigrette – my son loves this dressing

Now, even though I didn’t schlep my son along with me to Trader Joe’s and Target, I did feel the need to locate a few new snacks for him. It’s really hard to figure out what to send him each day in his backpack with the nut-free rules and all.

I love Nature’s Path Organic products and I knew I couldn’t go wrong with a Dark Chocolate Chip Granola Bar.

May I just throw in here my Red Mango yogurt from Saturday – Red Mango serves Nature’s Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Granola in the toppings bar, in case you were wondering.

I also picked up a container of prepackaged apple slices mixed with grapes.

Of course I could have made my son a fresh fruit mix each day but in case you didn’t know, or in case you forgot what it was like to be a kid, children really like “packaged” snacks.

I don’t know if it is the marketing blasted at them or the fact that most processed and dare I say, junk snacks, come in individual bags – whatever the reason, I know my son prefers me to hand him something wrapped or packaged, even if it is a bag of apples and grapes.

I don’t need a packaged snack – all I need is an apple with a dab of peanut butter and I am a happy girl.

All is right in the world when my pantry is restocked with Mighty Maple again.

The other day I finished the last jar of Mighty Maple so I went without it until  I was able to locate a few jars yesterday. Even though I still had a good 14 jars of Crunch Time in my pantry, it just wasn’t the same.

I would say it’s human nature to just want what you can’t have but when it comes to Mighty Maple, I am pretty sure it’s a case of true love – nothing compares.

The only packaged snack at the moment on my list is the new Quest Cookies & Cream bars that just hit store shelves. All weekend I meant to get to the store to pick them up but of course, I forgot.

You know, people debate the whole are-Quest-Bars-really-clean-eating and question the ingredients even though Quest claims to be the cleanest protein bar on the market.

If you want my opinion, and that’s all this is, my opinion, if the majority of your diet is “clean”, does it really matter? I don’t eat very many Quest bars or any other packaged bar or snack but I do feel that just about anything you enjoy has a place in the diet.

After reading the below article, I have decided my theory will have to apply to the cherry on top of my Red Mango creations.

Five Additives You May Want To Avoid

I like my one cherry on top. It makes me happy. Don’t take my happiness away.

The internet can really make you insane, yes?

Have a great Monday!

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Three things on your grocery list from the weekend?

Favorite peanut butter?

Have you tried the new Quest Cookies & Cream bar? I heard it’s terrific!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s The Thought That Counts

I hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend and a Happy Father’s Day.

I don’t know about you, but when it comes to gifts, I am all about the thought put into picking a present over the dollar amount spent.

I like to buy special gifts for the people in my life and for the most part, I never go into the present hunt searching for a specific dollar amount. It is all about the thought and what I know the person would truly appreciate.

I am not one for the “cookie cutter” gift. Father’s Day to me does not mean the routine shirt or a tie.

I am trying to raise my son to understand the thoughtful side to gifts rather to focusing on spending a certain amount to achieve gift success.

Which isn’t easy when gift cards are plastered everywhere for just about anything.

That being said, I suggested that he pick something from Williams Sonoma since his dad likes to cook. They have such a wide variety of sauces, marinades, spices etc. that we were bound to locate something.

He happily chose a Jalapeno Peach Barbeque Sauce.

Bonus: They wrap it up all nice and even include a card.

And as for my own father, I went the thoughtful route this year as well.

We all know I am on a major cherry kick right now for the powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Click here for another fabulous article regarding the health benefits of cherries.

My father has TERRIBLE knees and is the pickiest eater alive. He certainly won’t eat a cherry so the juice is the next best thing.

Now he can get his daily dose of  anthocyanocides and I am convinced it will help him to walk pain free.

Am I a thoughtful daughter or what?

Let’s see now. The rest of the weekend is a bit of a blur.

Oh yes – fabulous sushi experience Friday night at a local place, Kumo.

We ate at the sushi bar and of course I forgot to take the pictures of the out of this world rolls we ordered.

But hey, doesn’t that mean I was having such a good time that the last thing on my mind was my camera?

I did manage to get a photo of what the waitress brought us with the check:

She must have known that I adore watermelon as well as needed the extra hydration for my run the next morning.

Talk about thoughtful.

Speaking of my run, I have great news. Well, great news in my little world.

The Asics Gel Nimbus 15’s and I are becoming very good friends.

If you recall, last week I slowly started hanging out with them and since I was enjoying their company, I wore them Saturday for my 12 mile run.  (I think I ran over 12 miles since my stupid MapMyRun app  at some point started calculating wrong).

I didn’t notice my feet the entire time which in my book signifies foot happiness.

One of my closest friends asked me this weekend to recommend a good pair of sneakers for her.

My response: “Do you read my blog? Do I seem like someone who can figure out the right pair for myself let alone tell you which you should wear?”

Good thing she understands my personality.

Anyway, the truth is, no one can advise you of the perfect shoe for your foot. What works for my feet may or may not be right for yours.

The best thing you can do find a good sneaker store, have your foot measured and have the employee watch how you walk to determine which models you should try on in order to make your decision.

And even then, it may take time to determine which style works best for you.

So, being the thoughtful person that I am, I googled to find her the best sneaker store in her area and sent her there for assistance.

I was happy to locate a Runner’s Edge for her in Florida since that is my go-to store here in New York. I am not sure if they are affiliated but she called me after to inform me that helped her to find a good sneaker for her foot.

She chose the Asics Gel Cumulus 15. The Cumulus is similar to the Nimbus model with some slight differences in construction.

I can absolutely discuss the specs in another post but in my mind, no matter how the shoe is constructed or how good it sounds, the true test is slipping a shoe on and feeling foot happiness.

Have a great Monday!

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I need to know:

Do you buy gifts with a specific price in mind?

What did you do this weekend? Eat anything good?

Run any races?

Have you worn the new Asics models yet? They just updated to the 15’s from the 14’s.

Beautiful Saturday in June

Rise and shine friends! Happy Saturday!

When you wake up to a sky like this how could you not be happy?

I was up and out early for my run to avoid the heat. I had one glorious run today folks.

13 miles and I swear  I could have kept going.

I almost felt like Forrest Gump.

While one never knows how or why great runs occur, I have started something recently that I feel helps me achieve great run status.

I normally carry those cute little Trader Joe’s jelly beans with me on long runs but decided to switch to a beverage.

I have been reading a lot about proper hydration in the course I am currently taking and it is so important, especially in the summer, to make sure you are hydrated to ensure optimal sports performance.

I don’t believe in Gatorade or sports drinks in general because I don’t like the added ingredients and artificial colors.

It is very simple and much cheaper to make your own sports drink. While I do not have the exact recipe on hand at the moment, all you need to do is add orange juice and salt to water.

The recipe I had seen (which I intend to share with you when I find where I saw it) also recommended adding more sugar to the mix. I  didn’t add more sugar today and truly didn’t notice. I felt great. I felt hydrated and still had my legs at mile 12 when I would normally start to feel the fatigue.

Maybe this nice bowl of cherries helped me today too.

Food tip: Cherries are packed with antioxidants and are  thought to have the highest levels of anti-inflammatory properties of all foods. The bright red color of the cherry is courtesy of anthocyanins which are linked to reducing inflammation at levels comparable to actual medications.

Click here for a link to more information regarding the anti-inflammatory properties of cherries.

Whatever the reason, today was a fabulous run. The kind where you are singing along to your music and snapping photos as you go.

I am really not that tall but my shadow is kind to me at times.

Life tip: Learn to love your shadow. And yourself. You will be by your side for the rest of your life.

Now if you will excuse me, breakfast awaits.

In addition to my usual greek yogurt, steel-cut oats, blueberries, strawberries and peanut butter, today absolutely includes more cherries.

I am determined to fight off inflammation of the joints.

With my birthday coming up, I am clearly not getting any younger but the fruit may keep the old people ailments at bay.

One can hope, yes?

Have a fabulous weekend!