The Apple Battle is Won

We are back in business.

It is quite evident that Fairway noticed my complete boycott of their market and finally caved in.

I am sure that sales had dipped; especially in the area of Granny Smith apples.

And it appears that Fairway is so concerned that I won’t return that they have also placed Ezekiel bread on sale this week in order to sweeten the deal.

I may not win the battle this summer with the ice cream man and his song singing truck, but I won this battle. And this is a MUCH bigger market win.

Speaking of the ice cream man, the boy informed me that my container of Breyer’s Cookies and Cream ice cream is no match for the Mr. Softee Truck, no matter what topping I offer to include.

I am just realizing that we never discussed my return to Spin Tuesday. Please forgive me . I have been a little preoccupied with my chocolate dipped fruit consumption.

No, spin was not held outside. Would you believe that as I got in the line to wait to enter the class, the fire alarms started blaring?

Oh yes. Building evacuated.

I still don’t even know why it happened. All I know is that we were outside for over half an hour.

Eventually we were allowed back inside but it took another 20 something minutes for the music to work (along with the air conditioning).

Would you believe me if I said the alarms sounded again 10 minutes into the class? Oh yes.

At that point I gave up on spin. Even though they told us we didn’t need to evacuate, the music was off once again in the spin room so I just elected to finish my mish moshed of a workout on the elliptical machine.

There is always next Tuesday. There is a spin class I like this morning but I ran a crazy amount in the last several days (30 miles I believe in 5 days) therefore I am going to do an easy elliptical workout/strength train at Lifetime instead.

I am still loving this  eCard. It is so me. Of course I plan on getting up tomorrow for my long run. Another reason I intend to not overdo it today.

There is a crazy amount of rain expected today into tomorrow due to Tropical Storm Andrea. I sure hope it stops early enough tomorrow to not ruin the day (or my long run).

This week felt rather endless, didn’t it?

What are your plans for the weekend? In the summer months, I try not to over plan my weekends and base everything around the weather. I am hopeful for the sunshine and relaxing with my friends by the pool.

Have a great weekend!

Welcome Back Spin Tuesday!

It is Spin Tuesday once again! I am super excited to get myself back into the spin.

Remind me of my excitement around 10:00 am when I am 15 minutes into the grueling class.

Yes friends, this morning I revert back to my motto of, “Please do not call me, text me or expect me Tuesday mornings between 9:45 am-10:45 am, thanks.”

So exciting.

What is not so exciting is food shopping, meal thinking and cooking in the summer.

Even I am struggling these days to maintain kitchen order.

My coupons are suffering. My grocery list is at the bottom of my beach bag.

It doesn’t help that not only are there less coupons in the summer, a majority of the brands that offer coupons in the local newspaper circulars are not for items I normally purchase.

Lately I have been stopping into the stores every few days just grabbing the essentials and winging it from there.

Please note the container of ice cream. I am in a heated competition with the Ice Cream Man who makes himself known every afternoon. Without fail. Rain or Shine. 

One container of Breyer’s ice cream $1.97 (ON SALE!) which easily dishes out 6 or more sundaes vs. the blasted Ice Cream Man’s selections that cost at least $2.50 each.

The score so far: Ice Cream Man 2  – Mom – 0

I am convinced this container of Breyer’s will help me make my comeback.

Anyway, back to the point of this post:

I was never big on the Sunday food prep and the truth is, when the weekends are beautiful, who is home or feels like prepping and cooking after a day in the sun? No one.

I have decided it is going to take some planning, of another form, to get the healthy meals on the summer table.

We need to allow ourselves some slack during this time of year.

No, I do not mean you sit back and go to town with yourself and survive on fast food and chips.

The lettuce and tomato on your fast food burger will not count as your vegetables for this plan. I am sorry.

I simply mean it is A-OK to go semi-homemade and pull together meals that require less preparation and planning.

So how does this little summer plan of action work?

THREE TIPS FOR THROWING TOGETHER QUICK, NO BRAINER YET STILL HEALTHY MEALS:

1 – PRE-CUT VEGETABLES-

Trader Joe’s has a lovely selection of a variety of pre-cut vegetables ready to be eaten or quickly cooked a variety of ways.

• Quick salads
• Stir-Fry
• Roasted vegetables
• Quick Side Dish
• Veggies and hummus

Please bear with me on the quality of the photos – I took them quickly yesterday and the employees kept questioning what the heck I was doing.

Don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you? No problem. The photo above was taken in Target. Most Target stores have some form of a grocery section.

Which is totally perfect for multi-tasking the errands so you can get yourself to the pool faster.

I realize that buying pre-cut vegetables may cost a bit more than cutting up yourself.

However, it is still cheaper (AND HEALTHIER!) to buy the cut up veggies and prepare the meals at home versus eating out every day instead.

2- MAKE THE FROZEN AISLE YOUR FRIEND-

Afraid to buy fresh produce because it may spoil before you cook it? Don’t have time to cook the quinoa or brown rice? Need a little assistance from our friends Amy and Dr. Praeger?

No problem. Hit up the frozen aisle.

Your possibilities are endless people. Frozen vegetables are perfect to store in the freezer, they are always ready to be cooked and won’t spoil. Many stores sell a wide variety of vegetable blends including stir fry ready packages.

Trader Joe’s sells frozen quinoa mixes as well as individual bags of frozen, already cooked brown rice.

They also have a nice variety of pizzas and other frozen meal options.

Again, if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, just look in the freezer section of your local grocery store for products like this.

I post about these products often because they are staples in our freezer.

Dr. Praeger’s and Amy’s Organic sell a wide variety of healthy frozen foods that are perfect to come home to when you don’t know what to cook and can easily be paired with a quick salad or side dish.

**JUST WATCH THE SODIUM CONTENT WHEN BUYING PREPARED MEALS.

In my opinion, a little bit more sodium than normal during the summer is OK since you are sweating more and need to replace some of the salt. However, everyone is different and we all require different amounts of sodium in our diet so adjust this advice accordingly.

 #3 – TRY MEATLESS- This is the perfect time of year to incorporate plant-based protein into your diet.

Meat/poultry takes planning. Defrosting. Preparing.

Skip it and go for the beans.

Long shelf life, no need to plan and ready for you when you need them. Easily added to salads, stir fry dishes, simple rice and beans, loaded baked potatoes…your possibilities are endless.

Not to mention easy on the waistline and less taxing on the digestive system.

I would love to hear your ideas and planning strategies for the summer months. Do you find you cook less in the summer and eat out more? Does your grocery shopping change like mine does?

Three Tip Tuesday – Skincare

I debated writing my usual post for today after seeing in the news the Tornado tragedy in Oklahoma. If my major problem at the moment is which sunscreen to use, I consider myself very lucky.

This year has been a year like no other in recent memory; ever since Hurricane Sandy back in October, my friends and I have discussed how everything in the world just feels off kilter; as soon as things start to seem “normal”, something else happens.

My thoughts are with those affected by yesterday’s tragedy.

Time is flying, isn’t it? Remember back in March when I said I was freezing my membership to Lifetime Fitness for April and May? Well, it is almost time for that freeze to expire and I will be back at the gym in a matter of days.

The time really has flown by and I haven’t missed it all that much. Well, except on Tuesdays when I think about my favorite Spin Tuesday with Ernie. I can’t wait to get that class back into my routine.

Nor can I wait for pool season.

I received a giant bottle of sunscreen in my swag bag from the brand, Vichy.

I have used Vichy skin care products in the past and was always pleased with their results. However, this was all before I became aware of the various chemicals, toxins, additives and allergens lurking in our skin care and personal hygiene products.

At the Meet and Tweet last week, I was very happy to learn from speaking with the Vichy representative that their products are all paraben-free.

However, this sunblock contains Oxybenzone and comes in an aerosol can. If you recall my post last week regarding what to look out for when choosing your sunblock, these were two big absolute no-no’s.

I entered this Vichy sunblock into my go-to site for product reviews, EWG.org. You can read the full review by clicking here.

I highly recommend you utilize EWG.org to look up the products you use on a regular basis.

So what does one do now with this Vichy sunblock? On one hand, I want to use it because we go through several tubes of sunblock which we all know is quite pricey.

The boy alone goes through several tubes in one summer season – not just from using it but because he tends to lose a tube every other week in camp. 

On the other hand, I think about my phrase of “How much is your health worth?”

Is it really worth saving a few dollars to use a free sunscreen or buying a less expensive brand knowing very well that the ingredients are considered harmful?

While I sit and contemplate this sensitive topic, here are three random beauty tips for this Tuesday:

Beauty Tip #1- Match the weight of your makeup to the weight of your clothing – This fabulous tip is courtesy of celebrity makeup artist Sarah Lucero, executive director of Global Artistry at Stila Cosmetics. She offered us this tip during the seminar portion of the Meet and Tweet.  It simple means that during the winter, use heavier skin care products such as foundations, concealers, heavier moisturizers etc. In the summer, lighten it up. Choose lightweight products, and a more natural look.  She recommended tinted moisturizer (with an SPF) instead of foundation.

I recently switched to Clinique’s tinted moisturizer and I am very happy with it. Even though it is only a tinted moisturizer, it really offers great coverage and evens out the skin tone. Clinique is great for those of us with sensitive skin/allergies.

Even if you don’t think your skin is sensitive, I believe we should all treat our skin as if it is.  What you put on your face should never be harsh.

You only get one face, yes? Treat it well.

Beauty Tip #2- Store eye cream in the refrigerator– The colder the cream, the tighter the skin? I haven’t noticed a huge difference since switching my eye cream to the fridge but hey, it can’t hurt.

Beauty Tip #3 – Avocado– It is not only delicious and a nutritional powerhouse, avocado is an amazing (and cheap!) at home beauty product.

Click here for a link to Avocados From Mexico website that offers various Avocado beauty applications as well as several recipes and all-things avocado information.

Have a great Tuesday!

Have you ever tried an at-home avocado treatment before? If so, which one? Did you like it?

What are your go-to makeup products?

Do you use tinted moisturizer?

Pardon Me While I Rant

Fairway is still toying with me.

I am not at all amused and will simply be purchasing my granny smith apples somewhere else.

I shop at 5 different grocery stores Fairway, do you hear me? So don’t think I am any more loyal to you than the next store down the block. Especially if you are going to play this circular sale game with me.

Anyway, on to something more important. Well, maybe more important to you. My apple situation is actually pretty serious to me.

I hear Gwyneth Paltrow has been named People Magazine’s 2013 Most Beautiful Woman. I don’t normally have what to say on things like this; the only celebrity news I chat about is Kardashian related.

Confession: I love watching the Kardashians. Kourtney and Kim, Khloe and Kourtney, doesn’t matter who what which is in Miami or Calabasas, I am all about the new episodes, new series, reruns, specials and Kim’s legal battle with Kris Humphries while being pregnant with Kanye’s baby.

Ah the beauty of being divorced – I am in charge the remote.

Anyway, back to Gwyneth. I am extremely bothered by a comment she made that  I read about in the newspaper yesterday.

She was giving credit to her five-day-a week Tracy Anderson Method routine for her “hard-won youthful look” and said the following:

“I mean, we all have our self-esteem issues. I have to work out Monday through Friday for almost two hours every day, and it’s a nightmare. Sometimes I cry, like, ‘I can’t do this anymore! I am so sick of it!'”

Dear Gwyneth, I do not know who taught you that your exercise routine should be making you cry. Your workouts should challenge you but not to the point of tears. Not to the point where you feel you can’t keep it up and that you are sick of it.

Can we say, overtraining much?

Listen, I am no expert, nor am I a celebrity.

Wait, yes I am. I was on Dr. Oz. I had a dressing room.

While we are all different and all have different thresholds,  if your workout routine is leaving you in tears or making you feel like you are so sick of your regimen to the point where you don’t want to do it, then it is time for a change.

Time for a break. A breather. A day off. Or two.

Your trainer won’t get mad at you. Your trainer is not in charge of you. Speak up for yourself. And for your body.

You won’t gain weight or drop a level of fitness if you work out an hour less or skip a day.

I don’t often take rest days, and I know I should. However, I do not push myself to spend 120 minutes a day several days a week running or spinning or weight training.

Every day that you lace up the sneaks cannot be a hard workout. It isn’t fair to your body. Your muscles need to time to recover in order to repair and rebuild. And so does your mood.

In all of my years of exercising, I have never, not one time, been close to tears regarding my routine. The reason I ensure to get at least my “30 minutes a day” is because it makes me FEEL GOOD.

Exercise should make you feel better about yourself, increase those endorphins.

Heck, exercise is supposed to have the same effect as those “happy pills” people take so often.

I am sure that Gwyneth has pressures that I cannot relate to. I was not even nominated for People Magazine’s Most Beautiful Woman (maybe the voters don’t watch Dr. Oz?).

However, one has to wonder how worth it is to be voted so beautiful yet speak of being miserable when it comes to the routine that it takes to maintain the desired beauty.

I love my routine. I look forward to it.

Lucky? Maybe. But I wasn’t always this thin, trim, and lean. I work for it sure, but would never do anything that made me cry.

Would you?

Spell Check Needs to Wise Up

I can happily report that the re-lacing of my favorite rainbow sneakers seems to have done the trick. My navicular bone is doing well again.

Confession: I didn’t even know I had a bone named navicular.

But, since spell check doesn’t even recognize “navicular” as a word, I don’t feel all that bad.

So yesterday I decided to skip Spin Tuesday and run instead. Crazy, right?

 I just wasn’t in the mood.

Well, it wasn’t so much that I wasn’t in the mood for the actual spinning, it was more about the process that gets me to the spin point.

The whole waiting in line to get into the class and then the whole setting up the bike and waiting for the class to start. I swear it is like getting ready to travel by airplane.

You check in, check your bags, wait to board, wait in your seat, wait on the tarmac and then finally take off. Exhausting process.

Same goes for spin. By the time the class actually begins, I have already been warming up on the bike a good 20 minutes plus an additional 20 minutes prior to that waiting to get into the class.

 

And if you don’t get to the class early?

People get all nutty about “their spin bike”.

Just another reason why I run. Less drama.

I prefer simple routines like putting my sneaks on, stepping outside and running.

Speaking of preferring simple things, my life these days has become all about simple lists of ingredients.

Remember I have been playing Allergist in my spare time? Yeah well that has really opened up a can of worms here people.

I have done enough research to know I am better off not researching.

While my research process has helped me to alleviate most of my eye allergy issues, I have now read WAY too much about the ingredients in our skin care, hair care and makeup.

It wasn’t enough that I had to be conscious of making sure the food we eat is free of artificial colors, preservatives and ingredients we can’t pronounce.

Not to mention the focus on the GMO debate, buying organic and foods free of added hormones, antibiotics etc etc etc.

Now my mind has to deal with the problems with our personal hygiene products.

There are parabens everywhere people.

Don’t know what a paraben is? Don’t worry, neither does spell check.

Parabens are preservatives used in just about every possible cosmetic and personal care item. Go ahead, check your bottles. I dare you. Not only does research claim that these parabens (along with the rest of the toxins and preservatives I can’t pronounce)  cause allergies, they are also linked to cancer. And, some of the other questionable ingredients have been linked to hyperactivity in children.

Forget the allergies and cancer, all I needed to hear was hyperactivity.

Once again it isn’t enough to watch the food labels.

In addition to my own cabinets, I have now cleared out my son’s bathroom medicine cabinet.

Perhaps new toothpaste, shampoo and soap will make him stop bouncing the ball against the wall repeatedly as his form of entertainment?

Somehow I doubt this.

Anyway, the world may as well come to an end if we have reached the point where even Cetaphil is not considered “healthy”.

I am wondering if Orthorexia can include fear of personal hygiene items. If so, I may be well on my way to becoming the poster child for the disease after my googling.

Geez. Spell check doesn’t even know what Orthorexia is.

I have a strong feeling this spell check feature is run by either a conventional brand, the FDA or a government agency that is simply turning a blind eye to all of this health hoopla.

Since I don’t want to be alone in my new path to self-inflicted insanity, I am kind enough to share the some of the links I have been reading with you:

• Top tips for safer products | Skin Deep® Cosmetics Database | Environmental Working Group  – This site is great for checking the stats on just about any personal care item you have on hand.

• Campaign for Safe Cosmetics : Index

• Be a Drug Store Beauty Drop Out! | Food Babe – I happen to love Food Babe. If you aren’t familiar with her, definitely click this link and read up.

I even signed her big petition against Kraft that has been floating around lately.

 

My biggest problem right now with adding “healthier” personal care products to my list:

Seeking out the coupons.

 

I need to know:

Are you as conscious of the ingredients in your personal hygiene products as you are with the ingredients in your food?

Are there any products you use that you refuse to part with regardless of any questionable ingredients?

Did you sign the Kraft petition?

 

**I tend to make light of situations and poke fun at myself but Orthorexia is really not something to joke about. Orthorexia is considered a disordered eating behavior with an unhealthy fixation on only eating “pure” foods. It is classified as an eating disorder and is not to be taken lightly. To learn more about it, click here.

 

 

 

Three Tip Tuesday! – Trader Joe’s

Spin Tuesday how I will miss you….

No no don’t worry, my navicular bone is fine, I am not seriously injured but thanks for being momentarily concerned as to why I will miss Spin…

Today is the last Tuesday I will have the opportunity to spin for the next two months as I decided to put my Lifetime Fitness membership on hold for April and May.

Lifetime, or as I sometimes to refer to it, my fancy schmancy gym, is a hefty price to pay when I will be spending more time outdoors running and preparing for races.

I intend to pick back up in June when the pool will be open and it slowly gets hotter and I want to venture back indoors on occasion.

Anyway, I realized I promised you a fantastic recipe for pancakes today rather than offering up Passover recipes.

Oops. I did make  some lovely Passover side dishes yesterday including this stuffing.

And, I came across a terrific article from the New York Times regarding Vegan food choices during Passover with delicious sounding recipes.

While  I am vegetarian and not vegan, the recipes are still up my alley and I would make them any time of the  year, not just during Passover.

Click here for the article and recipes.

Back to pancakes.

I made the boy pancakes Sunday morning and as usual, I randomly threw together ingredients to create a delicious and healthy stack.

As you know, I don’t follow recipes well or strictly measure my ingredients but this time I paid close attention just so I could share the recipe with you.

All that was requested by the boy was that these pancakes involved chocolate chips and blueberries (don’t we just love the berry request?)…

From there I was on my own and here is what I came up with:

• 1/3 cup oat bran
• 1/3 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 skim milk (preferably organic…can certainly sub with almond milk)
• 1/2 banana (mashed)
• splash of vanilla extract
• one egg (or 2 whites)
• Pinch of baking powder
• blueberries
• sprinkle of chocolate chips

And the star ingredient:

*****Half container of Chobani bite Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Chips******

Perfection.

Amazing texture with the perfect touch of sweetness from the raspberry and dark chocolate yogurt.

He loved every last bite.

Nutrient dense, good source of protein, nice mix of complex carbohydrates and antioxidants from the berries and dark chocolate. Geez I sound all technical today huh.

Anyway, I am thrilled he is still requesting berries even if it means sharing my stash. I bought double the amount this week of both the blueberry and strawberry even though he is off from school and won’t be needing them for Snack Attack.

Speaking of Snack Attack, his class didn’t “win” for the month of March. It seems each class kept a running list of how many fruits and vegetables were brought in each day and then the results were announced by the principal at the end of the last week.

It is quite possible the class’ lack of trophy had something to do with cheeseballs.

We all know how I feel about those cheese balls. If you missed our “snack debate”, click here for the post. The boy told me that one child in his class gets to bring those balls in every day and continued to bring them each day of Snack Attack in place of fruit/vegetables…and of course the conversation turned into him wanting the cheese ball and why can’t he bring them for snack blah blah blah…

My reply? Well, the cheese ball certainly wouldn’t have helped you win now would it? He paused and agreed.

While on the topic of cheese balls, I received an email from a reader the other day regarding snack chips. She wanted to know my thoughts on Trader Joe’s White Cheddar Puffs as she felt maybe the ingredients were less than stellar.

As in my reply to her, in my opinion, if you are going to eat a chip and keep variety of chips and snacks in your house , you might as well pick the healthier version such as those sold at Trader Joe’s. At least they are made without artificial colors, preservatives and have a minimal ingredient list when compared to the processed chip choices like the Frito, Dipsy Doodle, Dorito and of course, the cheese ball.

One can’t go through life without snacking on some form of a chip.

I buy the white cheddar puffs as well as several other snack chips from Trader Joe’s. Most recently I have been buying the Crunchy Curls to mix up snack time.

Since it is Three Tip Tuesday, I decided to share my Three must-have products from Trader Joe’s (as if it is easy to narrow down to just three!).

This list is based upon what the boy and I insist on having in the house at all times.

1. Steamed Lentils

For $2.99, this is a no-brainer must-have staple in anyone’s kitchen. Especially for vegetarians. One package claims to contain 5 servings. I easily get more than 5 meals out of this baby. Eaten hot or cold (just like the package says!) these lentils are delicious and satisfying thrown into just about any meal. On top of salads, mixed into soups and sauces, used in place of meat in tacos, sloppy joes, meatloaf etc.

No need to even plan what to do with the them. Just have them in the fridge so that you can open the package and throw them into anything to complete a meal. Perfect for me since I am all about what I call “Freedom of Meal“.

Lentils added above to vegetable mix, avocado, sweet potatoes and some BBQ sauce. Delish.

2. Chickenless Crispy Tenders

The boy often makes fun of any product called “meatless” meatballs or “chickenless” chicken tenders. But these babies he loves so much that he often says he doesn’t care if they are chicken or chickenless, they are his favorite. They are so good and exactly the same as the Gardein version (just cheaper!)

3. Mini 100 calorie Dark Chocolate Bars

Chocolate doesn’t need an explanation of love, does it?

Didn’t think so.

Time to get ready to take the little boy to a sports program for a few hours.

He needs the activity and I need some sanity.

I need to know:

What are your favorite Trader Joe’s products?

Special Deliveries

Spin was intense yesterday. So intense that with about 5 minutes left I hopped off my bike and walked out.

I just couldn’t handle another song in the “squat” position.

I am never one to walk out but I have been fighting a cold and if you must know, I really needed to blow my nose. A stuffy nose while spinning at a high intensity for an hour is not easy.

I am feeling better today and figure I will venture over to Lifetime for a little bit more cross training action instead of running.

After a winter full of running on the treadmill due to poor weather conditions, I am finally understanding how much harder running outdoors can be. I never thought it was, until this winter when I got kinda used to flying fast on the treadmill without being sore the next day.

I have been feeling my runs much more these days so instead of pushing it, I think I will add in another cross training day this week.

On another note, I have a confession.

I don’t take my mail in every day. Or even every week.

Now hear me out on this…my mailbox is not at my front door. I have to walk about half a block.

Remember, I can run half marathons but ask me to leisurely walk? To get my mail? Too much effort.

To combat this problem, I have tried going green. I have alerted every company, friend and advertiser that I have gone paperless.

Yet there is still mail in that box whenever I actually open it and I sometimes don’t receive it until AFTER I should have.

Luckily the important deliveries find me.

My beloved peanut butter delivery. One can never have enough peanut butter.

Yes, that is a jar of Skippy Natural Peanut Butter in my pantry.

I have told you I have issues with sharing, yes? It is part of my only child syndrome, it isn’t my fault.

If you come over, I will certainly offer you a spoonful of my Peanut Butter & Co. but if you want a sandwich or a batch of cookies, I may use the Skippy. 

Since I still have a good supply of Crunch Time, I secured my new case safely on the top shelf of my pantry.

So, after an evening shuffling around at extra-curricular activities in the torrential rain, we can home last night to another very special package left at our front door (NOT THE MAILBOX!)

See, time sensitive – they knew better than to try leaving something like this by my mailbox.

Loving my friends at Chobani!

We have an interesting way of opening packages in my house. It usually involves the two of us fighting to be in charge which results in the package being opened improperly and as you can see, upside down.

No matter. The delicious yogurt made it out of the box war just fine.

I can’t say the same for the box.

Why is it that you can buy a kid just about anything and they still get excited for the box and wrapping materials? He played with this box longer than any toy or video game.

Hmm. Anything that takes him away from his iproducts is OK by me. Even if that box is now blocking my front door and causing a fire hazard.

Anyway, I was very excited to receive a case of Chobani bites!

It was dessert time when we arrived home. My favorite meal of the day. You know this.

I hate to deviate from my favorite apple with peanut butter. So, what does a girl do when she wants to try out the Coffee and Dark Chocolate Bite flavor?

She adds the yogurt to the mix of course.

Was rather delicious actually. I only noticed a hint of coffee flavor.

Which was just fine with me. I love my several cups of coffee in the morning but I am not usually a coffee flavored dessert person.

I loved the combination of the  yogurt mixed with the peanut butter. Shocking, I know.

The boy was too busy with the box to even have a yogurt last night.

He was also still full from the delicious dinner I made for him earlier.

It seems the apricot chicken will be making a regular appearance on our dinner menu. It may not look as appealing as it is to the taste buds, but trust us, the sauce is amazing.

Obviously I didn’t taste the chicken but I do use the sauce for my stir fry meals on the nights I prepare this chicken dish. It is so simple to make as I pointed out in last week’s post. Really no need to measure, just a spoonful of the Island Soyaki, a spoonful of the jelly and a drop of the soy sauce. As you are making it, taste it and adjust to your liking.

I think it is all about the Apricot Preserves. And a pinch of cinnamon. Don’t forget the cinnamon.

Anyone still using Pinterest for recipe ideas?

With so many delicious Chobani bites in my house, I think I will finally try out a simple, healthy and fun recipe idea I recently pinned on Pinterest.

The pin did not come with very detailed recipe instructions but it looks pretty simple – pour yogurt into cone, mix in toppings (including some peanut butter), stick in frozen until frozen.

I intend to make these tonight with the boy and will let you all know how they come out!

Are you on Pinterest? You can follow me by clicking  here.

Don’t forget to leave a comment on yesterday’s post to be entered in the Kidfresh Giveaway- click here for the post!

I need to know:

Do you take your mail in everyday?

Do you ever walk out of group fitness classes?

Do you make any of the recipes you find on Pinterest? How do they come out?

How Much Is Your Health Worth?

It was as if Ernie, the spin instructor at Lifetime, read my post yesterday.

It seemed as though he wanted to keep the 1980’s alive for me and played an amazing mix of music. As hard and intense as the class was, I couldn’t have been happier to increase the bike’s intensity along to the beat of Tiffany’s “I Think We’re Alone Now.” 

I used to think Tiffany was so cool. I bet she had a pair of velcro rainbow sneakers.

Anyway, I am a little annoyed at Mother Nature today. Clearly she didn’t get the memo that Spring has been revised (by me) to start March 1st. The last thing I am in the mood for is another snow storm.

The wind is already whipping outside. I have yet to decide if I will be braving the elements for a run before the snow starts falling or just visit my friend, treadmill.

Snow is so not part of my training plan.

Not to mention I don’t feel like dealing with the whole “stocking up for an impending storm.”

Yeah yeah yeah, I know it looks like I am always stocking up anyway.

My blueberry supply is dwindling. I guess I will have to hit the produce store to avoid the crazy “get ready for the blizzard with potato chips” type of lines once again.

Speaking of stocking up, it seems I have created a bit of a monster.

What’s wrong with a pile of lollipops? Well, my son pocketed these pops from the front desk at the barber shop. He said, “Mom, they are free. We like free.”

In addition to hoarding lollipops, the other night I caught him printing some interesting things off his computer:

Extreme couponing and lollipop hoarding at the age of 9. Perhaps we can have our own reality series.

If it is hard to see his choices, the highlights of his coupon selections are a full page of Glade products, blue box mac and cheese and Yoplait yogurts.

My thoughts:

The Glade concerns me. Does he feel our house smells? Is this a passive aggressive coupon choice? 

He was proud to show me the yogurt coupons. I didn’t tell him I no longer buy Yoplait.

Why don’t I buy them you ask? Well, you see, this is where I say food choices are not all about calories.

Just because it is “nonfat” yogurt and  “Only 90 calories!” doesn’t mean it is your best selection. One needs to look at ingredients. 

Where do I begin with this disaster of an ingredients list? Should I start with the aspartame, the preservatives or the Red #40 which has been banned in other countries?

No further questions your honor.

We all know my son is a huge fan of the Chobani bites but I don’t only buy greek yogurts. Stonyfield has a nice line of regular (organic) nonfat yogurts that my son enjoys as well. With no funky added ingredients.

I don’t always have a coupon though for these yogurts. Sure, I am able to seek out a deal every now and then but, even without a coupon or sale, I make the choice to buy them.

It is extremely hard for a deal-seeker like me to pass up the coupons for the Yoplait yogurts that are delivered to my doorstep just about every Sunday. 

But how much is your health worth to you? This is a question I think about often.

I would rather spend a little bit more on groceries that I know are made with a “cleaner ” list of ingredients than save a few dollars on less than stellar food choices.

I cannot buy all organic or shop at Whole Foods for all of my groceries. Nor can I control the milk used in Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts or the type of eggs and other ingredients restaurants cook with to make our meals.

But I can make choices and decisions regarding the food that comes into my house and I try my best to ensure a majority of it is of the highest and healthiest quality. Even if it means paying the price.

 I think these chips are the reason behind the boy’s couponing. He must assume he can butter me up with a coupon.

So far I have been lucky. He has not spotted a bag on any local store shelves.

I need to know:

How much is your health worth to you?

Do you buy what is on sale or are there certain products you buy regardless of the price?

Latest Trends…

Hi friends! It is already Wednesday, can you believe it? The week is moving along nicely.

The wind is a whipping here and blowing the rain all around so I gather I will not be running outside…which is just fine.

After an intense spin class yesterday with Ernie and the fabulous 6 mile run on Monday, I could use an easy day inside on the elliptical machine.

“YOU CAN DO ANYTHING FOR ONE MINUTE”

Have you all heard this quote before? I find a lot of the instructors use it as motivation to get you to work harder.

Sure, you can do anything for one minute but as those minutes add up to 60 minutes (the length of my spin class), I have come to realize that quote being thrown at me is rather misleading.

Speaking of classes, have you heard about the latest trend in group fitness?

 

Ahhhh the Hula Hoop. I always enjoyed a good hula with the hoop. Hula Hoop group fitness classes are being offered around Manhattan and now out here on the Island. I am reading all about it in today’s paper. Click here for the article.

How fun to take a class devoted to the hoop. If you recall from your hooping days, it isn’t all that easy to keep that hoop up and moving. A full 45-60 minute class trying to maintain the hoop in different ways can certainly provide a full body workout. I can see how it would certainly help to strengthen those core muscles. 

I think it is great that classes are getting more creative. I think the creativity helps to attract people that may not be interested or motivated to get off the couch and work out. Signing up and taking fun classes gets you moving and sweating without really realizing it is exercise!

Now how fun would a glow in the dark Hula Hoop class be? LIfetime Fitness has yet to add a Hoop class but when they do, I may need to suggest disco style.

I think I will buy one. Or two. My son would probably enjoy it and would give him a workout too (and perhaps tire him out? Boys have incredible everlasting energy).

In other news, have you heard about the latest trend in cereal?

It seems Kellogg’s and General Mills will be coming out with a new way to have your morning bowl of cereal. You can read the full article here.

In an effort to combat declining cereal sales. these brands will be producing cereal breakfast shakes. They feel a shake version of cereal is an easy, on the go meal that may attract people back to their brands, may interest those that normally skip breakfast or who don’t have time to sit down for the traditional cereal and milk meal.

My thoughts:

• I can’t remember the last time I ate a traditional bowl of cereal. As much as I loved my Cocoa Pebbles, Life or even bowl of vitamin and mineral fortified cereal back in the day, none of them were all that filling.

   

• If I buy cereals now, they are on hand in our pantry to be eaten as a snack, not a meal.

• I can only imagine the ingredient list for the breakfast shakes. Should be quite an interesting (and lengthy) read.

• I also think that the rise in popularity of protein shakes, smoothies and more filling breakfast options have taken sales away from traditional breakfast cereal.

I am not a big fan of shakes. I know so many people that love to make them, experiment with them and/or buy them, but I really prefer to chew my food. 

For a long time (ok, for several years, as in every single morning without fail) I ate a whole grain english muffin with peanut butter.

For the last few years though, like many other runners and habitual breakfast eaters, breakfast has become all about the oats for me. Steel cut oatmeal, old fashioned oatmeal, hot, cold, mixed with greek yogurt, a stir of peanut butter, fluffed with egg white, mixed with pumpkin, a handful of blueberries, strawberries, peaches, banana, apples,,,,I could go on and on regarding my variety.

Possibilities are endless people. And most importantly in my book – filling as well as perfect for me as a pre-run and/or post-run meal.

Oatmeal can be made in advance or chosen as a last minute decision. And if you are looking for portable capabilities, this meal has that too:

I need to know:

Are you a breakfast eater? What do you eat?

Have you heard of Hula Hoop fitness classes? Are there any offered in your area?

THREE TIP TUESDAY – A MATH LESSON

It’s Spinning Three Tip Tuesday once again! I swear the days sometimes seem to drag yet somehow fly right by me at the same time.

Before we get down to business, let’s recap, shall we?

Are you ready for how many kids brought in a red fruit or vegetable for Snack Attack yesterday?

3…. Including my son… A classroom of 27 children and only 3 kids had a fruit or vegetable in their snack bag.

I don’t know why I am shocked. I mean, I knew the day I prepared for the blizzard that hitting the produce store was the best option to avoid lines since most people don’t stock their homes with fruits and vegetables.

But doesn’t anyone buy some form of fruit or vegetable on a regular basis? Or, at the very least, buy produce for your children when a notice is sent home to prepare their snack bag for Snack Attack?

Perhaps all of the kids rip up the notices that are sent home from school? Here I thought my child was unique and wanted to create a puzzle for me or give me something else to clean up.

My son said someone brought in an apple and he spotted a vegetable across the room. One of his friends felt that his cheeseballs counted.

Maybe this child read the ingredients and saw “red #40” and felt he deserved partial credit.

In any event, I can’t control what other parents feed their children. I know I will pack a red fruit again today. Most likely it will be strawberries. But I have a Fuji apple waiting on deck just in case.

You should know I always have a minimum of 5 apples in my kitchen. Always Granny Smith and a few Fuji, Gala or Pink Lady thrown in for variety. Once my supply starts to dwindle below 5, I must restock.

No, I am not anal or obsessive compulsive. We know by now it is not good to be around me when I am hungry. It is even worse to be around me if I can’t have an apple and peanut butter every day.

In fact, I vote that the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”  be revised to say, “An apple with peanut butter a day keeps the doctor away”.

Ok, now where was I? Right, recapping:

Yesterday’s run was fabulous.

My favorite sneakers came out for the occasion. I am still breaking these in but it took them no time at all to become acquainted with the pavement.

I ended up running 6 awesome miles. I felt great. I could’ve kept going.

But I stopped myself at 6.

Why did I stop you ask? Great question. Leads us right into Three Tip Tuesday!

This week’s topic is a bit of a math lesson.

We will be working with percentages today class.  10%  to be exact.

Tip #1 – 10% Rule when applied to running:

Have you ever heard the expression, “It is better to be 10% undertrained than 10% overtrained.” If not, this expression (rule) means that even if you are feeling great, stop yourself while you still have a drop more to give.

It is better to end a workout feeling great, as though you could have run a little bit more rather than push yourself that extra mile or two and feel completely burnt out. Or worse, set yourself up for injury.

I was flying high yesterday. I easily could have completed another 3 or 4 miles. Easily. Or so I thought. I didn’t stay out there to find out. It wasn’t worth it to me to put in additional miles and risk being tired, sore or overtrained for today’s spin class.

There is always tomorrow. That is what I tell myself. Unless I am running in a race, I always finish a workout knowing I had a drop more to give.

Tip #2- 10% Rule when applied to eating:

I don’t know about you, but my eyes are bigger than my stomach. I feel hungry, I see food on my plate, I want to eat it all. And sometimes I do. And then I am overly full, uncomfortable and wishing I had stopped myself from finishing my meal or taking another snack.

Portion distortion, people. Supersized meal deals, vente coffee drinks, overflowing plates of pasta, giant slices of pizza…even the cups in the self-serve yogurt stores are gigantic, tricking you into filling it up well beyond the amount of a true serving size (total marketing ploy!).

Over the last 20 years, portion sizes served in restaurants have over doubled. We have all become accustomed to consuming more and expecting large portions rather than a true serving size plate of food.

My favorite salad from The Cheesecake Factory: BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad, hold the chicken (I am vegetarian, remember?), spicy skinnylicious dressing on the side please. Thanks.

We all know The Cheesecake Factory can pile that plate high. And I can eat it all. Sometimes, I even complain that it isn’t big enough. Yeah, I know, I am a runner, I have an appetite to feed and I can consume as much as I want. And yeah, I know, it is only a salad.

But, there is a fine line between satisfied and full. At least for me there is. Once I reach too full, I am uncomfortable and my stomach sticks out. No joke here. Last night my son asked me if I was pregnant since my stomach was sticking out after dinner.

I am certainly not pregnant. Unless I am giving birth to vegetables. 

Even though a majority of my diet is clean eating, nutrient dense foods, one can still overdo it. It is so much smarter to stop yourself from finishing your plate when you feel satisfied, rather than end up overly full, consuming more calories than your body really needs.

Just like with exercise, finish your meal knowing you could have eaten a drop more (10% more!). Just because there is more on your plate, doesn’t mean you need to eat it all.

And last but not least, Tip #3- 10% when applied to shopping:

We all know by now that I love a good coupon and bargain. Heck, one of the first words my mother taught me to read was sale.

Besides recommending coupon links and coupon websites, I have another great money-saving tip:

Contrary to popular belief, most stores that offer coupons DO NOT actually require you to have the store coupon on hand. I do not always have store coupons on me nor do I always know every store’s current promotion.

HOWEVER, I always say the following when I am at the register, “Oh, I am so sorry, I forgot my coupon…”

Most of the time, the cashier will gives me whatever promotion is currently being offered.

Maybe only 10% of the time this little coupon technique fails to work in my favor!

Try it, let me know if you score a deal.

Enjoy your day!