Cupcakes & Combat Boots

Fried Green Tomatoes

2011-10-02T21:57:00.003-05:00

So we inherited a couple of little, shriveled up tomato plants from the previous owners of our home. I didn't think there was much hope for them, but we watered them and tended to them none the less.

Turns out, all they needed was a little love because they have since EXPLODED with tomatoes. Unfortunately we were going to get our first frost this past weekend so we needed to pick some of them before they were ripe.

What's a southern girl to do with a bunch of green tomatoes?

Duh...Fry them.

After I made these I went upstairs and turned on the television only to find the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes" playing. Not even kidding. It was meant to be!

Great movie!

I like to think these fried green tomatoes would live up to the ones served at Whistle Stop Cafe.

I really just winged it with the recipe so the measurements aren't precise. Just use whatever proportions and spices you like. It really doesn't matter!

Fried Green Tomatoes
Source: Me

4-6 green tomatoes (mine were small so I used 6), sliced
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 Tbsp flour (I used whole wheat)
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp celery salt
dash of cayenne pepper
1/2 cup Egg Beaters (or 2 beaten eggs)
canola oil (or oil of choice...but not olive oil because it will burn)

Place a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Pour enough oil in just to cover the bottom of the pan. Allow oil to heat for at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the cornmeal, flour and spices together in a shallow dish. Place the egg in another shallow dish. Dip each tomato slice in the egg to cover completely and then into the cornmeal mixture. Make sure to press each slice well into the cornmeal so it sticks.

Put the coated tomato slices into the hot oil and cook for about 3-5 minutes per side (depending on how hot your oil is) until golden brown on both sides. Don't crowd the tomatoes too much in the pan....you'll probably have to do at least two separate batches.

Place cooked tomatoes on a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with more salt if desired.

Serve tomatoes with ranch dressing, hot sauce, marinara or whatever you like! Or just eat them plain. They don't even need a dip!

Chomp.

Reese's Cheesecake Bars

2011-09-05T16:19:00.003-05:00

Oooooooh boy.

Do I have a recipe for you!

I've been absent a lot lately and the food-related posts have seriously been lacking, but now I'm back with a BANG!

Feast your eyes on these babies:

Hello, beautiful. Get in my mouth.

Reese's Cheesecake Bars.

Yes. You read that right. Reeses + cheesecake. Two of my favorite things, and hopefully two of your favorite things too.

If not, you're weird. (sorry)

My only complaint is WHY THE #$%^ DIDN'T I MAKE THESE SOONER?!?

In case you can't tell already, these are amazingly delicious. Probably going to make a batch of these as often as I possibly can (which if I want to still fit in my jeans is not that often).

I hope you enjoy these as much as we did!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars
source: The Sweets Life

Ingredients:
Crust-
-7 whole graham crackers, broken into small pieces
-6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted & cooled
-3 tbsp brown sugar
-2 tbsp all-purpose flour
-1/8 tsp salt

Filling-
-2 packages cream cheese, softened (I used reduced-fat cream cheese)
-2/3 cup granulated sugar
-2 eggs
-1/4 cup sour cream (I subbed 0% greek yogurt)
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 bag mini Reese's peanut butter cups, chopped

-1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line an 8-in pan with aluminum foil, leaving a 3-4 inch overhang on each side. Grease foil.
2. Make graham cracker crust by adding crackers to food processor and pulsing until fine. Add butter, brown sugar, flour, and salt. Pulse until mixture is combined. Press into the bottom of the baking dish.
3. Bake crust for 12-15 minutes until browning. Cool for at least 30 minutes.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add sugar, beating well. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in sour cream (or greek yogurt) and vanilla extract until fully combined.
5. After chopping Reese's peanut butter cups, set aside approximately 1/2 cup for later. Stir the remaining chopped candies into the cream cheese batter.
6. Pour batter into baking pan, spreading evenly over crust. Bake at 325F for 35-40 minutes (rotate halfway through), until the edges are set and middle still jiggles slightly.
7. Cool cheesecake for 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate 3-24 hours.
8. Remove from fridge and using the foil overhang, remove bars from pan. Melt chocolate in the microwave (stirring every 15 seconds). Drizzle chocolate over bars and top with remaining chopped Reese's cups. Cut into squares and enjoy!

**Ashley's Notes: I had to speed this process along because I made these just a few hours before I wanted to eat them, so there was no time for 24 hours of chilling. Instead, I pulled the cheesecake out of the oven and let it cool at room temp for about 1 hour. Then I put the cheesecake into the freezer for about 2 hours (just enough to thoroughly chill but not freeze them). They still turned out great so if you're in a pinch, you can do it the faster way!

Another note, don't freak out if your cheesecake cracks as it cools. This happens. And you're just going to cover it with chocolate and Reese's anyway so it doesn't matter!

Still Alive and Kickin'

2011-09-02T18:36:00.003-05:00

I'm still alive!!!!!

Apologies for the large gap in posting lately. We've been in our new home for almost a month now and our time has been taken up with LOTS of home improvement projects, unpacking, organizing, etc.

Cleaning carpets when we moved in. Fun! (not)

Hubs prepping for paint. We're becoming pros at painting!

Also, I spent about 2 weeks applying for a bajillion jobs here in the area and good news....I GOT A JOB!!!! Yahoooooo!

I started my new full-time job (I'm an office assistant for a property management company) this past Monday so I pretty much transitioned from house madness into new-job madness. Whew! I'm tired!

I promise I'll be back to posting regularly soon, when I've adjusted to being back in the working world. (So far, I've pretty much been EXHAUSTED at the end of every work day....like completely useless. So I hope I get my energy back soon!)

Thanks for sticking with me during this crazy time! :)

Mil Spouse Friday Fill-In #54

2011-08-19T07:56:00.000-05:00

Well, hello there!

You may or may not have wondered if my absence meant I'd fallen into a black hole on my way to Tennessee, but I did not! We made it to our new duty station, closed on our house (!!!), moved in, and have been furiously attempting to get settled ever since. I'll be sure to update you on the new house more when I really get the time, but for now I'll just leave you with this week's MilSpouse Fill-In.

1. My spouse and I rarely agree on what to watch on TV (I like trashy reality, he likes boring history and corny sitcoms), but always agree on how to spend our free time (we like to do the same things...watch movies, cook, eat, etc).

2. If I could use one word to sum up the way I feel right now, it would be overwhelmed. We still have so many things to do with this house to get settled, plus I need to find a job soonish so we can AFFORD all the home improvements! :)

3. One of the things my spouse does that grosses me out is he's not very good about brushing his teeth at night before bed. I think that's gross, but he thinks it's normal. I always tell him he's going to get cavities but he NEVER does so I guess that argument doesn't work...

4. My readers may think I’m crazy for doing this, but I really love to try new foods that some may consider weird or gross. I've eaten raw quail egg, raw beef (beef tartare), caviar, duck liver (foie gras), cow thymus gland (sweetbreads), pig intestine (chitlins), etc. I'm a strong believer in always at least trying something before you say you don't like it, and most of the time I'm surprised at how delicious it is!

5. Frankly, my dear, I don’t want to read about how much you love your spouse EVERY SINGLE DAY on Facebook. I've noticed a ton of people doing this lately and I don't get it! Just send them a private message! It's weird that you feel the need to profess your love in a public manner on a daily basis...and it makes me wonder if you are trying to prove something. End of rant....phew!

12 Things Learned During Our Cross-Country Move

2011-08-18T09:36:00.004-05:00

1. Check every cabinet, nook and cranny before letting the movers leave your house because there could very well be an entire kitchen cabinet that they missed FULL of bulky kitchen appliances. That was fun...but on the bright side we had tons of homemade waffles and burgers cooked on the George Foreman grill during our move! (Not really)

2. Hope and pray that your landlady has already made out your deposit refund check when she comes to do your final walk-through, because otherwise she will try to charge you for not mowing the "lawn" (a.k.a. weeds...this is Arizona, people!).

3. Audio books from The Cracker Barrel are life savers for getting through a cross country drive. (I listened to The Hunger Games and The Island and both were excellent!)

4. Driving across West Texas is really, really, REALLY boring, but you can drive really fast (80 mph). And it hurts me to say that since it's my home state (but we don't claim the Western half).

5. It is possible to sneak a 36 pound dog into an indoor-entry hotel (in middle of nowhere, Texas) that technically doesn't allow pets. Picture this: Dog wrapped in a blanket, tail sticking out conspicuously, me on the lookout. It was reminiscent of the scene in The Hangover where they sneak the tiger out of the hotel room....and it was hilarious.

6. Arkansas is really freaking hot in the summer. Like, 115 degrees, hot. It felt like an oven. Thank goodness we only spent one night there. (Sorry, Arkies)

7. Your husband's bladder is even smaller than you originally thought. Another bathroom stop?!?! No more liquids for you until we arrive!

8. Big rig trucks should not be allowed to pass each other on highways where there are only 2 lanes. I swear it's like a pissing contest for them to see who can get in front of each other and it SLOWS ME DOWN and ruins my cruise-controlled contentment! Just get the heck out of my way!

9. Having walkie talkies while you're driving cross country seems like a great idea at first, until your husband proceeds to interrupt your attempt to listen to an audio book no less than 357 times during the most intense part of the story to tell you about random things he sees on the road (such as roadkill) via his walkie talkie. Apparently he was bored (see #4). He should have rented an audio book!

10. Tennessee is a pretty state, but I hate the highways (see #8). Coming from Arizona, I was in green landscape OVERLOAD with all the trees, rivers and rolling hills.

11. Your household goods delivery men will have at least one lazy one amongst them who will refuse to actually read the label on the boxes and will just put them wherever he wants. Such as boxes clearly labeled "office" or "master bedroom" being lovingly placed in the garage. Thanks, dude.

12. Moving is fun. (not really...see #1-11)

Have you experienced any of these pleasures? Do tell!

This Week in Fitness

2011-08-01T20:07:00.000-05:00

Monday 7/25: 4-mile walk with the puppers (had to get her out of the house while the packers did their thang)

Tuesday 7/26: 4-mile walk with the puppers (see above) + POP Pilates: New Body Makeover (A YouTube 30-minute Pilates workout...It was awesome! I can't wait to try more of Cassey's videos.)

Wednesday 7/27: 4-mile walk

Thursday 7/28: 20 minutes on the stairclimber (at the gym) + 1.5 mile jog + some dumbbell arm exercises

Friday 7/29: None -- driving all day!

Saturday 7/30: None -- driving all day!

Sunday 7/31: None -- spending time with family all day! :)

We're staying in a hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas tonight so I'm just popping in to say hi! Tomorrow we make it to the location of our new HOME (!!) but we don't actually close on the house until August 4th (Thursday). I'm sooooo excited and anxious to get our new lives started! And so ready to be done with driving hours on end every day! Have a great week!

This Week in Fitness/Moving Time!

2011-07-25T11:44:00.000-05:00

Monday 7/18: None (traveling all day)

Tuesday 7/19: None (recovering all day...who knew a 3 hour time difference could cause jet lag?!)

Wednesday 7/20: Jillian's Best Moves from Exercise OnDemand...I didn't do all of it. It's a KILLER workout and would take about 2 hours. I did about 1 hour worth of it.

Thursday 7/21: 2-mile jog + 1-mile walk

Friday 7/22: 1-mile jog + 2-mile walk

Saturday 7/23: Xtreme Timesaver Training (Jackie Warner) DVD

Sunday 7/24: None (although I was organizing for packers/movers to come all day so I still got in some movement!)

The move has officially begun!! The packers arrived this morning to start putting our life into boxes. Today and tomorrow are packing days, then on Wednesday they pick everything up. Friday we leave Arizona for good and start making the long trek towards Tennessee!

Time for a new chapter in our Army life!!

This Week in Fitness/Boston Trip

2011-07-21T08:24:00.006-05:00

Sorry I'm late this week! I don't know if anyone actually cares about these fitness posts, but I feel accountable for sharing my workouts (or lack there of, as the case may be this week)! The reason for my late post this week is because I was traveling back from a fabulous trip to Boston on Monday!

And things are only going to get crazier from here....the big move officially starts next week! Ahhhh! Bear with me through my potential lack of posting over the next few weeks. I'll try to pop in from time to time!

Monday 7/11: 45 minutes walking on the treadmill at alternating inclines between 5.0-10.0

Tuesday 7/12: 30 Day Shred Level 3 + 15 minutes walking on the treadmill (10 min. @ 8.0, 5 min. @ 2.0)

Wednesday 7/13: 25 minutes of intervals (1 min. run & 1 min. walk) plus a 5 minute warm-up and a 10 minute cool-down (40 minutes total)

Thursday-Monday: Rest Days....On vacation in Boston with my friends! We walked (and danced) a TON though so I still got some good movement in. :)

Just for kicks, here are some of my favorite pics from Boston...

Me at the ocean!

The whole group at Cheers....where everybody knows your name!

Connie, Lori & Me dancing the night away!

We're Army wives....but we support all branches of the miltary!! :)

This random guy photo-bombed this picture of Lindsey and it makes me laugh.

Ice cream!! My vacations always revolve around food! (That's me, Lindsey & Lori)

More dancing/singing. (Lindsey, Kate & Emma)

Walking the streets of Beantown. (Me, Emma & Connie)

Summer Perfection

2011-07-12T14:47:00.003-05:00

Just popping in to share my idea of a perfect summer lunch.

A panini made with fresh mozzarella slices, tomato, baby spinach and a schmear of pesto. Plus a side of extra ripe, juicy peaches on the side.

(I use my George Foreman to make paninis and it works like a charm.)

Peaches are so good right now! Yum.

I love summer!

What's your favorite summer lunch?

This Week in Fitness

2011-07-11T08:25:00.000-05:00

Another week in fitness, another week of just-okay workouts. I have obviously been less than motivated lately and my workouts have suffered.

I think my lackluster workout regime is a result of:

A) The ridiculous heat. It's like pulling teeth to get me to go run outside these days. Most of my runs are done on the treadmill, or more appropriately the "dreadmill". I hate running on a treadmill BUT at least it can be done in an air conditioned room with a fan blasting. Ah well...I'll get back on my running routine when the Fall arrives. :)

B) The house purchase/the impending move. My mind has obviously been elsewhere lately and I'm okay with that! It's an exciting time for us and there is a lot to get done before and after the move. We're less than 3 weeks away from moving so there are a lot of appointments to set up, calls to make, moving prep to do, etc.

Anyway, after making excuses, now I'll let you look at my workouts for the week. I'm still proud of the fact that I fit in what I did!

Monday 7/4: 2-mile jog

Tuesday 7/5: Jackie Warner's X-treme Timesaver Training DVD

Wednesday 7/6: Rest

Thursday 7/7: Jogged 3 miles + some tricep dips & pushups

Friday 7/8: Sexy & Strong (from Exercise OnDemand) + Butt Bible Lower 1** (from Exercise OnDemand) + 10-minute jog

**Yes, I do realize that "Butt Bible" is quite possibly the most annoying name for a workout video ever. And the host is also extremely annoying. However, I felt the burn in my buns...so I guess there's that.

Saturday 7/9: 2-mile jog

Sunday 7/10: Jackie's Power Circuit Training DVD

How was your week in fitness? Do you notice your workout motivation slipping during certain times of the year or around big events?

We need to all keep this in mind sometimes:
So true!

I Scream, You Scream

2011-07-09T13:55:00.003-05:00

We all scream for ice cream!

I have a long and loving history with cheesecake ice cream. I first fell in love with the flavor combo at a Marble Slab Creamery. If you haven't been to a Marble Slab, go to the website, find the store closest to you, and go there now. Seriously, trust me on this....I think it's the best store-bought ice cream out there!

When I got my driver's license I would often go to Marble Slab at least 2 times a week and get a pint of the cheesecake ice cream to take home. Wow...gotta love young metabolisms!

Unfortunately, there is no Marble Slab within 3 hours of where I live now so I had to get creative to satisfy my beloved ice cream craving. (However, I definitely just checked and there are two Marble Slabs in Nashville, less than an hour from our next duty station! Woohoo!!)

I searched the web for cheesecake ice cream recipes and ultimately decided on the one that looked the easiest and didn't involve any stovetop cooking. I mixed up the ice cream base in the food processor and then popped it in the fridge for about 8 hours to chill.

Then I used my Kitchenaid Ice Cream Maker Attachment to freeze the mixture. And the result was.....
....amazing!!!!

Rich, creamy, tangy, perfectly cheesecakey (yes, it's a word).

My husband was mmm-ing the whole way through his bowl. It was almost obnoxious.

He's already requested that I make it again. Given that it's not exactly a health food, he might have to wait a little more than 2 days before I make it again.

Cheesecake Ice Cream
Source: adapted from David Lebovitz, The Perfect Scoop

8 ounces (1 box) cream cheese (I used reduced-fat)
1 cup sour cream (I used 0% greek yogurt)
1/2 cup light cream (I used half and half)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon (I omitted)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt

Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and process until smooth. Pour into container, seal tightly, and refrigerate until well chilled.

When ice cream base is chilled, process in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Place finished ice cream in a freezer-safe container with a tight-fitting lid and freeze immediately. Let ripen in freezer for at least 3 hours before serving, for best results.

Note: Next time I would probably double the recipe because it didn't make that much. Just enough for two me-size servings and two Husband-size servings.

Also, this ice cream is VERY rich so next time I might try using more half and half or milk to take down the richness a bit.

EDITED TO ADD: I made this a second time and I made some changes to make it a little less rich...
-Increased half and half to 3/4 cup
-Added 1/2 cup of skim milk (it was all I had...I would have preferred 1% or 2%)

These changes resulted in a not-so-rich but still totally delicious ice cream. It does freeze a little harder (because of the lower fat content) so just be sure to let it sit out of the freezer for 10 minutes or so before serving.

Mil Spouse Friday Fill-In #48

2011-07-08T10:41:00.004-05:00

Howdy friends! If you're looking for more information on the Fill-in go to Wife of a Sailor's blog.

1. Does you significant other read your blog? Is this a good or a bad thing? Yes!! He is probably my number one blog supporter. He scolds me if I haven't blogged in a while, gives me ideas, and tells me if I make a mistake. He has even considered writing a couple "guest posts" but never got around to it. I'm still working on it though. :)

2. What is one item in your house that holds the most sentimental value and why?
We have a large frame that holds a photo from our wedding, a copy of our wedding invitation, and a painted likeness of the church where we got married (painted by a friend who is an amazing artist). I would be devastated if I ever lost it because it is so special and personal to us. (I would put up a photo of it but it has our last names on it so for privacy reasons I'm not going to.) I feel the same way about a pearl necklace that I have because it was given to me by my mother but once belonged to my great grandmother....plus I also wore it on my wedding day. :)

3. When it comes to water fun in the summer do you prefer the beach, pool, lake or sprinkler? I tend to really like pools because there is no sand going up my crack (haha) and there are no creepy animals lurking in the water underneath me. Plus there tends to be more shade around a pool, and I need a lot of shade to avoid getting a horrible sunburn. However, I LOVE beach vacations so there is definitely a time and a place for that.

4. What is the one special thing that you do for yourself to get you through the first week of a deployment/separation? The night after Alex deployed I went to get drinks and dinner with some of my fellow Army wives. This was such a huge help because I went there straight from work and didn't get home until late so I hardly had time to think about things. Plus, my girl friends made me laugh and I had a great time. I also rented a bunch of girlie movies that Alex would never watch to help get me through the first weekend.

5. What is your biggest guilty pleasure website? PerezHilton.com. I know he's a loser but I just can't stop reading his celebrity updates!

Product Review: Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips

2011-07-07T10:29:00.000-05:00

Question: Zebra nails...fashion forward or fashion faux pas?

Hopefully not a faux pas, because I was rocking 'em for about a week.

I tried out Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips for the first time a couple weeks ago and thought I would write up my review of them.
If you haven't heard of them, they are pretty self-explanatory: stick-on nail polish. These are different from stick-on fake nails because they are super thin and don't add thickness or length to your nails.

What I Liked:

-The fun designs that they come in. You can't exactly paint zebra print on your nails (well, at least I can't) so it's a fun change to be able to have a print or design on the nails. I got a couple of compliments on the fun nails so that's always a good sign.

-The fact that they're supposed to last longer than regular polish (up to 10 days). However, mine only lasted about a week but I think that could be more my fault for not applying them correctly.

-No dry time. I hate hate hate waiting for nails to dry so that was a nice change.

What I Didn't Like:

-The price tag. At $8.50 per box, which is only enough for one application, they are definitely more pricey than buying nail polish for the same price and reusing it over and over. That being said, they still cost less than a manicure, so I guess it's worth it for a once in a blue moon treat.

-Application was trickier than I expected. I've never been good with tasks that require a steady hand and these definitely need that in order to make sure you're sticking it on in the correct place and/or lining it up with your cuticles. They looked far from perfect if you looked closely, but the zebra print kind of helped hide that fact. Also, it took me just about as long as it does to do my nails the old fashioned way (base coat, 2 coats polish, top coat) but that's probably just because I sucked at it.

So basically, I liked 'em but I didn't love 'em. I might buy them again but not anytime soon. It would be a good stocking stuffer for someone like me though (hint, hint!). :)

Have you tried the Salon Effects Nail Strips? What did you think?

This Week in Fitness

2011-07-04T17:52:00.000-05:00

Monday 6/27: Rest

Tuesday 6/28: Jackie's Power Circuit Training DVD

Wednesday 6/29: The 100 Workout (more details below)

Thursday 6/30: 45 minute power walk on the treamill with alternating incline (between 4.0-6.0)

Friday 7/1: Jillian Michaels' No More Trouble Zones DVD

Saturday 7/2: Rest

Sunday 7/3: Rest

On Wednesday I tried a new workout that I found...
I totally underestimated this workout! I wasn't all that intimidated by it, but it definitely had me sweating and burning like a beast!

My thoughts on it...

-I added a 1-minute warm-up by lightly jogging in place before I began.

-The jumping jacks were easy for me. I was breathing heavier by the end but nothing impossible.

- The crunches were HARD...especially the first set of 90. I had to take mini-breaks after every 20-25 or so because my abs suck. For the second set of crunches I changed it to Bicycle Crunches because I wanted to work a different part of my ab muscles.

-The squats were tough and my legs were feeling the burn. I took a couple min-breaks in this round too.

-I wasn't sure what it meant by "Leg Lifts" since there are many different variations, so I just took it to mean lying side leg lifts. (Where you lay on one side, resting on your elbow, and raise the top leg straight up and down) I did 35 on each side for the first round of leg lifts and then 15 on each side for the second round. They weren't too bad but I did feel the burn in my outer thighs for sure!

-The 10 minute run at the end might have been the hardest part because I was already sweaty and my legs were fatigued. I felt like I was having to drag my legs along just to get them to move! But by the end it wasn't so bad.

-I added a 5 minute cooldown walk at the end.

-I wish this workout incorporated some arm exercises. I think that's the one are it's lacking, but I could always add some in next time.

Overall though, a great workout that I would definitely do again! Let me know if you try it!

Meatless Meal: Spicy Bean Enchiladas

2011-07-02T08:55:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since there's been a food-related post on this blog, so I figured it was time to remedy that! Here's a great recipe that's healthy, cheap, and meatless!

With just under a month until we move out, Operation Pantry Clean Out is in full effect. Somehow, even in just 7 months of living here, we have accumulated a pretty full pantry and fridge/freezer. Typical! We have no desire to move a ton of food with us across the country, so we are seriously trying to use up what we have.

When I spotted this recipe for Spicy Black Bean Enchiladas, I immediately knew I wanted to make it. Not only did it look delicious, but it would also be a good use for a couple of the cans of beans and green chiles that were hanging out in our pantry. Perfect!

I made a few adjustments to the recipe, which I noted below, but mostly kept it the same. And oh man were these tasty!! They were super filling, even despite being meatless, and I loved the creaminess that the sour cream added to the filling.

They were super easy to make too, especially with a little help from the husband. We tag teamed the filling and rolling of the tortillas, which made it go a lot faster. I love working together in the kitchen! Great husband-wife bonding time. :)
Spicy Bean Enchiladas

Source: Adapted from Keep it Simple Foods

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 package small corn tortillas (with 10-12 in a package)

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed (I used 1 can of black beans and 1 can of red kidney beans since that's what I had on hand)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 handful cilantro, chopped (plus some for garnish if desired)

1/2 cup onion, chopped (divided)

1 small can green chilis or a spoonful of jarred/fresh sliced jalapenos

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (The Husband said he would omit the cinnamon next time, as he doesn't like cinnamon in savory foods. I couldn't even taste it though, so it didn't bother me!)

1/2 cup (light) sour cream (You could also sub plain greek yogurt for this but I didn't have any...gasp!)

1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese (or whatever kind you like) (divided)

1/2 lime (juice and zest)

1 can green enchilada sauce (I used a jar of tomatillo green salsa that I had on hand instead of enchilada sauce....but I also think these would be yummy with RED enchilada sauce. Just use whatever you have!)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine beans, garlic, about a third of the chopped onions, cilantro, green chiles, all the spices, sour cream, lime juice & zest and about 1/3 cup of cheese. Combine well.

Spoon about 1/4 cup of the filling into each of the corn tortillas and roll them by hand. Try to get them as tight as you can and then place them in a baking dish seam side down.

Pour the green sauce on top so that it coats each tortilla.

Top with the remaining cheese, onions, and chopped pickled jalapenos (if desired).

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until cheese is melted and tortilla edges look crispy and brown. Let sit for about 2 minutes before serving. Top with more sour cream, cilantro, jalepenos, or whatever you like!

NOTE: You could easily add some chopped, cooked chicken to the enchiladas if you need more substance. I'm sure it would be tasty, but they don't need it! They are very flavorful and yummy as written!

House Update: Inspection

2011-07-01T11:53:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was our inspection day!

I was so anxious all day waiting to hear how it went, since we are still in Arizona right now. I really wish we could have been there for it in person, but it just wasn't gonna happen.

After trying to wait patiently all day long, I finally broke down and called the inspector in the afternoon to see what he had to say. Apparently he had finished the inspection hours ago but didn't think to call me. Really?! I was waiting around all day and little did I know he had finished a long time ago!

His response was that the house was "in great shape" and that it's the kind of house he loves to inspect because it's so well-maintained. Sweet! He did mention a few minor items but said it wasn't anything major. I was really worried about the maintenance of the home since it was built in 1999 (which is older for the area), but it looks like all my worries were for naught.

Later that night he sent us the full inspection report, which was very thorough and complete. It included photos of any "problem areas" with arrows pointing to the objects in question. That was very helpful considering how we were on the other side of the country!

The only items of concern were:
1. Some fungi spores in the crawl space. He recommended having them checked out and treated.

2. Weather stripping was worn on two of the exterior doors. Super easy to fix!

3. Fireplace needed cleaning because it had a lot of "creosote" in it.

4. Some sort of missing clamp on the garbage disposal. We had no idea what this really meant, but it seems like an easy fix.

5. One of the kitchen windows had a broken sash so it wouldn't stay up.

We have asked the sellers to fix all of these items before closing, which hopefully won't be a huge deal since they're all easy fixes.

Yesterday we also found out that the sellers had their termite inspection, which they were required to do as part of our VA loan contract. Apparently the inspector found evidence of termites in the crawl space, but the sellers are going to treat the house before closing. I've heard that Tennessee is a thriving area for termites so I'm not too concerned since it seems pretty normal to have some evidence of them. We plan on treating for them every year so hopefully we can keep them at bay.

It was a huge relief to put all the inspection stuff behind us! It looks like this house is really as great as we thought it was and all signs are pointing to closing in about a month. Woohoo!

The only major step left before closing is the VA appraisal. If the house appraises for less than what we agreed to pay, the sellers will either have to lower the purchase price to that amount or we will have to walk away. This is a contingency of a VA loan, since they won't approve a loan for a house that appraises for less than the purchase price. In contrast, if the house appraises for more than what we agreed to pay, we still get it for the lower agreed upon purchase price. It's actually really nice for us (the buyers) because it puts my mind at ease about whether or not we overpaid for the house.

I still can't believe we're actually going to be homeowners! This is such an exciting time!

Have you ever dealt with a home inspection? How did it go? Please share your stories...I'm a total newb at all this so I love hearing other people's experiences!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #47

2011-07-01T07:37:00.000-05:00

Check out Wife of a Sailor's blog for more info on the fill-in.

1. Have you (spouse) ever considered joining the military and what do you think of dual military couples? No, I never considered joining the military. To be honest, I'm just not cut out for it and I'm perfectly okay with that! I totally respect dual military couples for making that double sacrifice, but it's not for us.

2. What is your idea of a perfect Sunday afternoon? It really depends on what kind of mood I'm in. Some days I would like to just be lazy and watch movies, some days I would like to bake all afternoon, and some days I would like going for a hike or doing something fun.

3. What do you usually do for the 4th of July holiday? Usually we travel to my family's ranch for the 4th. It usually involves lots of relaxation, swimming, eating good food, campfires and fireworks. This is the first year that we're living outside of Texas so it will be an adjustment to not be able to travel to the ranch this year. Luckily, we've made some great friends here in Arizona so we're having them over for a cookout on Sunday!

4. If they could make an Olympic event JUST for you that you know you’d medal in, what would it be? Oh gosh I have no idea! Maybe professional Facebook stalker? HAHA. That was my husband's suggestion....and I am pretty good at it.

5. What have you been doing to get yourself bathing suit ready for the summer? I've been on a mission to lose weight and tone up ever since January when we moved to Arizona. I figured since I didn't have a job anymore, I really didn't have any excuse not to work out. So far I've lost about 17 pounds and I feel GREAT! Check out any of my "This Week in Fitness" posts to see what I've been doing to work out. To sum things up though, I've been trying to workout 5-6 days a week and I also watch what I eat. I don't count calories or anything but I do pay attention to try not to overdo it. Eat whole grains, lots of fruit & veggies, etc.

Home Decor Blog Love

2011-06-28T08:55:00.001-05:00

Since deciding to purchase a home I have noticed a major shift in my blog attentions. I was going through a 5 month long health & fitness blog kick, and although I still love and read those, my love is waning in favor of another genre of blog.

Source: Thrifty Decor Chick

Home Decor Blogs.

Oh my goodness. There are SO many amazing home blogs out there, but the ones I love the most are just normal couples like you and me who are making over their own homes one room at a time. And many of them do it on crazy low budgets as well! Talk about inspiration.

Since I know we'll have a lot of home improvement projects on our hands when (if) we close on this house, I figured I should start getting inspiration and ideas. And boy have I ever!

Here are some of my favorite, recently discovered home decor blogs for your reading pleasure.

-Nesting Place: This one actually isn't recently discovered. I've been reading her blog for a while now because she is a RENTER who still manages to make her (rented) home look beautiful and custom. That's quite a feat!

-A Soft Place to Land: Beautiful room re-dos and lots of great small ideas too (like hanging a hydrangea basket on your front door!) that make you say "Why didn't I think of that?!"

-Young House Love: This one I seriously fell in love with at first sight. They're an adorable couple, both of whom contribute to the blog, who are renovating their home. They show great step-by-step tutorials and lots of photos. This post on painting kitchen cabinets has me thinking that maybe we should paint ours. They also just seem like the type of people we would be friends with.

-The Inspired Room: Melissa is a design consultant who truly does inspire with her room makeovers. I love her style and her "keepin' it real" attitude.

-Better After: I love a good before and after photo for inspiration, so this blog is right up my alley. It's dedicated solely to showing great before and after transformations. Sweeeet!

-Thrifty Decor Chick: This girl seriously knows how to spy a junky looking piece at a thrift store and see it for what it could be. She transforms them into beautiful, magazine-style pieces in little to no time. And can I tell you how much I loved this post on being a "piler"? Because that's totally me. Note to self: Must work on that nasty little habit!

Hopefully with inspiration from these ladies (and one guy) I'll be a home decor professional in no time and have our house looking immaculate! (Yeah right.)

Do you have any favorite home decor blogs? What are they? I am always looking to add to my Google Reader!

This Week in Fitness

2011-06-27T09:01:00.001-05:00

Hi Friends!

I didn't get around to posting last week's This Week in Fitness since I was in Tennessee house hunting and subsequently putting in an offer, so this week's post has two weeks worth of workouts. I wish I could say that means it's going to be twice as motivating and impressive for you, but I definitely slacked off a bit amidst all the travel/house hunting/etc.

You'll notice a surprising number of "rest days" but I should probably just call them "Didn't feel like working out days" or "Life got in the way days" or "I'm trying to find a house and put in an offer in a limited time span so do you really think I have time to workout?! days". :)

Monday 6/13: Jackie's Power Circuit Training DVD

Tuesday 6/14: Harley Pasternak's Time Saving Workout + 10 minute power walk at 7.0 incline on treadmill

Wednesday 6/15: 2 mile jog (19:10)

Thursday 6/16: 10 lb Slimdown Total Body + 10 lb Slimdown Yoga

Friday 6/17: Rest

Saturday 6/18: Rest

Sunday 6/19: Rest

Monday 6/20: 1 mile jog + 1 mile walk

Tuesday 6/21: Rest (house hunting and putting in an offer!)

Wednesday 6/22: Rest

Thursday 6/23: Rest

Friday 6/24: 3 mile jog

Saturday 6/25: Jackie Warner's Xtreme Timesaver Training

Sunday 6/26: Walked on the treadmill (Have you ever heard it called the "dreadmill"? Ha! I love that.) for 45 minutes alternating between a 4.0-6.0 incline.

Did you notice that little 1 mile jog and 1 mile walk on Monday 6/20? Yeah...that was the only exercise I did the whole time I was in Tennessee (Saturday thru Wednesday).

It sucked. I attempted to go out for a run in my soon-to-be new stomping grounds thinking "Oh, this will be CAKE! I'm used to running at a 4,500 foot altitude so this is easy gonna be easy peasy!" Right?

Wrong. It was awful. I forgot how THICK the air feels in a humid climate, not to mention I started sweating profusely about 3 seconds in. Sweat often evaporates so quickly in Arizona that you hardly feel like you're sweating at all (even though you are). Not the case in good 'ole Tennessee.

I forced myself to stick with it until I hit the 1 mile mark and then I threw in the towel and walked the rest. I guess I'll have some adjusting to the climate to do when we move! Yikes.

P.S. Did you notice my new "About Me" page yet?! I'm embarrassed to say that I've been a blogger for well over 4 years now and I always wondered how people got those cool little separate pages at the top of their blog. I randomly discovered the "Edit Pages" option as I was blogging yesterday and felt like an IDIOT for not figuring that out sooner. I plan on creating several pages but I just started with "About Me" since that's the easiest one. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Did We Just Buy a House?

2011-06-26T11:02:00.000-05:00

I know I've been kind of MIA lately, but I have a good reason....

We are in the process of buying a house!!

It's actually kind of a crazy story as to how it all came about so I figured I would share it here.

A few months ago, we found out we were being sent to Fort Campbell as our next duty station. We were thrilled with this because we've heard lots of great things about Fort Campbell and the surrounding area.

So as the move approached (we're moving at the end of July), we started discussing whether to rent or buy a home. In the past, we've always just rented because we really didn't even think of buying as an option for us. In my mind, buying a house was something we would do when we got out of the Army.

But as we started looking into options in the Clarksville area (the town outside of Fort Campbell), our views on buying started to change. The idea of purchasing a home still scared the bejeezus out of us, but there were too many advantages to it for us to not at least consider the idea.

I decided to book a trip to fly out to Tennessee with my mom and attempt to find a home (my husband couldn't get away from work). My mind was still pretty much set on finding a rental, but we went ahead and got pre-approved for a loan just in case we decided to buy.

The trip to Tennessee was this past Monday and Tuesday and we looked at a whole bunch of rental homes on the first day. About half of the rentals were immediately ruled out when we toured them because they were just disgusting/dirty/unlivable. We did find two rentals that would have worked for us, but one of them was already rented out (to someone else) by that evening and the other was located really, really far from Post.

At this point, I started to revisit the idea of buying. We were down to only one viable rental option and it was located super far away from where we wanted to be. It was also really expensive. Rental homes in Clarksville are in high demand so they charge a hefty premium for them. I just couldn't stomach the thought of how much money we'd be putting into a house that wasn't even ours.

On the second day, I asked our realtor to show us some houses in a price range that we were comfortable with just to see what we could get. That was the beginning of the end. :)

We looked at a couple of houses for sale on the second day, but still nothing was really jumping out at me. I was determined that if I was going to purchase a home it had to really WOW me. I wasn't going to settle just because I was desperate.

That is, until I found the house.

The moment I saw this house, even just from the outside, I felt like it was home.
It felt warm and comforting inside and it had a lot of the features that were important to us.

Possibly my favorite part of the house is the ginormous backyard with a lovely deck and tons of trees. I could see us throwing a party out here and having a blast with our friends.

The master bedroom could use a paint job and it's smaller than we're used to, but I know we'll make it work.

Now here's a shocker...the kitchen isn't perfect, but somehow I still love it.

The cabinets are a lighter stain than I like. It's not an open floor plan. There aren't a ton of cabinets or counterspace. The pantry is smaller than I'd prefer. The appliances are old and need to be replaced. The backsplash is boring white. Etc, etc, etc.
I thought the kitchen would be the thing I would be the most picky about, since I do spend so much time in it. But, surprisingly, those things didn't deter me. Instead of looking at those things as a negative, I saw them as potential. We can improve those things ourselves and potentially increase our resale value.

(Sidenote: I think my expectations for kitchens were also too high. I was sorely disappointed with almost every kitchen I saw, so this one seemed like a huge step up! I don't know why, but it seems like people don't put the same importance on kitchens in this area as they do in other parts of the country. Most of them were TINY and I simply can't work in a tiny kitchen. )

After we finished touring the house, I knew I wanted to put an offer in right away. Coming from the Queen of Indecisiveness, this was huge.

I still had to convince my husband, who was back in Arizona and still thinking that we were going to rent. Luckily, once I talked to him over the phone and told him to look at photos online, he (somewhat reluctantly) agreed that we should put in an offer. Poor guy was probably blindsided by the whole ordeal!

So we did. That same day we put in a offer. Talk about a whirlwind!!

We received a counteroffer by that same night from the seller, slept on it, put in our own final counteroffer, and then waited and prayed that things would work out.

As I was about to step on the plane to head home I got a call from our realtor letting me know that they accepted our counteroffer (!!!!).

So that's pretty much where things stand as of now. We're awaiting our inspection next week to see how that goes, but we're hopeful that it will come back without any major issues.

I have lots to say on the subject of buying a home, but this post is long enough already so I'll leave it like it is for now.

I never expected this to happen in such a whirlwind so it's been a bit of an emotional journey thus far, but I'm confident that things will work out the way they're supposed to.

If it's meant to be, it will be!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #46

2011-06-24T11:53:00.004-05:00

Check out Wife of a Sailor's blog for more information.

1. Are you a different person than you were five years ago? I don't think I'm a different person at the core (i.e. values, beliefs, personality), but I've definitely done a LOT of growing up in the past five years. Five years ago I was still in college, dating my (future) husband and my biggest concern was how I scored on my Finance test. In the time since then I graduated college, found my first post-college job, got married (almost four years ago...crazy!!), Alex commissioned into the Army, we moved FOUR times (into our first apartment in Houston, then to Fort Huachuca for a short stint, then to Fort Hood for 3 years, then to Fort Huachuca again for 8 months, and we're gearing up to move again next month!), Alex deployed for a year (probably the time that I grew up and changed the most), and my dad was diagnosed with cancer last September. That's A LOT of things that have happened in five years so how could you not change/develop when all that's going on in your life?

Spring Break '07 in Destin...definitely done some growing up since this trip!! :)

2. If you could go on "Amazing Race" who would you take with you and why? We were just discussing this last night because we were watching ABC's new knock-off version of the Amazing Race called Expedition Impossible. I told Alex that I think if we were to go on a show like that it would probably be the end of our marriage. I know that sounds bad but I just know how I work and I can be a VERY difficult person to live with when I'm under major stress/exhaustion/fear/etc. I am afraid I would reach my breaking point, quit the show, and possibly let Alex down. Alex's response was "Don't worry...I wouldn't pick you as my partner on a show like that anyway." LOL....at least we're on the same page!

3. Does Facebook or Twitter actually bring more stress or good into your life? I'm a big lover of Facebook and Twitter. I like being "in the know" and social networking allows you to do that. I'm also a TERRIBLE phone person...talking on the phone just never has been one of my favorite things and therefore social networking is a great alternative way to keep in touch with those you love. The only major downside for me is that Facebook/Twitter does sometimes bring on jealousy/envy for me personally. For example, when Alex was deployed many people on Facebook would post complaints about how their husband/significant other was leaving for a week long business trip or something of the sorts. Those kind of comments really stung and made me angry because I wanted to scream "DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW GOOD YOU HAVE IT?!?" Obviously I had to realize that they weren't writing those things to purposely make me jealous, but it was still pretty hard.

4. June is National Soul Food Month. What is your soul food? Hmm...I love food so I'd say ALL food is my soul food. I really love chicken fried steak with lots of gravy and mashed potatoes but I rarely order it (for obvious reasons) so maybe that would be my #1 soul food.

5. If you could live in any other era other than the current, which would it be and why? The 1940's and 50's!! I've always loved the fashion of that era. It was so glamorous!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in #45

2011-06-17T08:15:00.000-05:00

1. Underwear Parties: How old is too old? I didn't even know what an "underwear party" was but I just Googled it and it said it's "a party where everybody strips down to there underwear. the party goes on as a usual party ,but can turn into a sex party if the people are willing." Umm....I'm gonna say anyone with any self-respect is DEFINITELY too old for this type of party. I wouldn't have even been comfortable with this kind of party when I was in college, but maybe that makes me a prude....?

2. What was your favorite class in high school? Spanish! I LOVED Spanish class and I was actually good at it so that made me love it even more. :) (Plus, my mom is a high school Spanish teacher so maybe I had a leg up?)

3. Have you ever convinced packers/movers to pack something they aren't supposed to for a PCS? I've never "convinced" them persay, but we always try to kill our packers/movers with kindness in the hopes that they'll go easy on us. It worked the last time because they packed a few things they weren't technically supposed to (i.e. candles) AND nothing that they packed broke in transit! Woohoo!

4. Blogging plays a growing roll in the media. If you were asked to embed as a blogger with a deployed military unit, would you go? What do you think your blog would be like? No, I probably wouldn't go. I leave the dangerous work to my husband. :)

5. Do you think kids should attend year-round school? I've only ever been in schools with summer breaks, so I'm gonna go with no. I think kids (and teachers!) really look forward to their summers as a nice, long break so I would hate to see that go.

This Week in Fitness

2011-06-13T13:38:00.000-05:00

Monday 6/6: Rest Day

Tuesday 6/7: 3 hour hike in the Sedona Red Rocks (AMAZING!! See photos below)

Wednesday 6/8: Rest/Travel Day (end of vacation...sad face)

Thursday 6/9: Jackie's X-Treme Timesaver Training + 5-4-3-2-1 Treadmill Workout (5 minute warmup walk--5 min jog/run--2 min walk--4 min jog/run--2 min walk--3 min jog/run--2 min walk--2 min jog/run--2 min walk--1 min jog/run--3 min cooldown walk)

Friday 6/10: 1 mile jog + 4 mile walk

Saturday 6/11: 20 Minute Sweat + Jackie's 1-on-1 Core (both from Exercise OnDemand)

Sunday 6/12: Treadmill Workout that went like this: 5 minute warm-up walk, 8 minute jog, 4 minute walk, 6 minute jog, 3 minute walk, 4 minute jog, 2 minute walk, 2 minute jog, 5 minute cool-down walk

I'm feeling a bit down about my fitness this week because it appears as though my running endurance has suffered a LOT from my 2 week hiatus. Between the sickness and the vacation, I just kind of let things slide for a while and it is totally coming back to bite me.

On Friday, as you can see, I attempted a jog but was seriously suffering after 1 mile. ONE MILE! Are you kidding me?! So I stopped and walked it out the rest of the way, getting angrier with every step.

Needless to say, 10K training has been put on the back burner until I can get my endurance up to 5K standards again. I'm hoping it'll come back quickly, because I feel like I worked way too hard to get to this point for it to all disappear after only 2 weeks.

On a totally different note, my favorite part of this week was definitely the amazing hike we took in Sedona, AZ. Sedona is known for having beautiful red rock formations and mild weather. It is seriously God's Country and there are breathtaking views everywhere you look. We had the BEST time and would definitely recommend Sedona as a vacation spot to anyone. It will be well worth it!

Here are some photos of our hike for your viewing pleasure!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #44

2011-06-10T11:45:00.003-05:00

1. When you vacation, what type of vacation do you like to take (beach, historic, adventurous, food oriented, etc.)? I like to seriously relax when I'm on vacation, so for that reason I love beach vacations. I don't really enjoy sightseeing or museums all that much, unfortunately. The funny thing is that although I love beaches, I shy away from the sun a lot due to my extremely fair skin that burns easily. So usually you can find me under an umbrella, slathered up with SPF 85, and reading a book or napping. And ALL of our vacations revolve around food. I'm a total foodie (obviously you know that if you read this blog) so I live for eating and drinking on vacation.

2. What is your best memory associate with a song? I associate a lot of songs with a lot of great memories. Obviously the most prominent one is the song that Alex and I danced to at our wedding: "Feels Like Home" by Chantal Kreviazuk. I love the words in that song and I'm surprised more people don't know it. Beyonce's "Single Ladies" always will bring back memories of deployment since it came out around that time and my girlfriends and I would always dance and sing along to it (even though we were only geographically single at the time).

3. If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what would you do with your time? I would probably go live somewhere tropical where they also speak Spanish like Costa Rica or Dominican Republic. I would live in some amazing vacation rental for 6 months, explore, eat and most important of all, practice my Spanish.

4. What is one thing that people do NOT typically notice about you that you wish they would? Uhhh this is a weird question. I have no idea what people normally notice about me, aside from my staggering beauty of course. ;-)

5. It's a summer of sequels, and if you had to live in one of each of the following worlds (3 total) which would it be and why?
- X-Men: Be a mutant, what would your power be? Invisibility.
- Harry Potter: Be a witch or a muggle? Witch, I guess. I don't really get into HP so I don't even really know what a muggle is exactly.
- Twilight: Be a vampire or a werewolf? Werewolf, because they are still alive and warm instead of dead and cold. Also because they don't have to kill people to survive.

This Week in Fitness

2011-06-09T15:07:00.000-05:00

Sorry this is so late this week! We spent the past week in Tucson and Sedona vacationing with family and friends. It was so so so much fun, but I definitely didn't keep up with working out and eating right as much as I normally do. I was really ready to get back home so I could finally get back on my healthy eating and working out routine!

Monday 5/30: Personal Training with Jackie: Power Circuit Training

Tuesday 5/31: Walked 2.4 miles (attempted to run but was still too sick/congested, so I just walked)

Wednesday 6/1: Rest Day

Thursday 6/2: Rest Day (beginning of vacation)

Friday 6/3: Interval Treadmill Workout in the hotel gym that went like this: 5 minute warm-up walk--jog 10 minutes--walk 5 minutes--jog 8 minutes--walk 4 minutes--jog 6 minutes--walk 3 minutes--jog 4 minutes--walk 2 minutes--jog 2 minutes--walk 5 minutes (cool down)

Saturday 6/4: Bootcamp Class at the hotel -- I loved that our hotel offered this class! It was an outdoor class that involved lots of pushups, lunges, squats, and jogging from place to place. It was a great change of pace from my normal routine and the next day my arms were SO SORE.

Sunday 6/5: Rest Day (unless you consider laying by the pool to be a workout)

This Week in Fitness

2011-05-30T15:09:00.000-05:00

First, let me say that this week was a little weird because A) I am still recovering from my injury, B) I came down with a cold halfway through the week, and C) Alex's parents and sister came in town on Thursday to visit us for the long weekend. All things considered, I'm happy with my overall accomplishments this week though! It could have been a lot worse. :)

Monday 5/23: 4-Week Fat Blaster Workout (Weeks 1 & 2, Monday) including the cardio interval workout

Tuesday 5/24: Jackie Warner X-treme Timesaver Training (see review below)

Wednesday 5/25: 5.6 mile run/walk. (It went something like this: run 1.5 miles, walk .5 mile, run 1 mile, walk .5 mile, run 1 mile, walk the rest of the way home (about a mile). I really tried to take it easy and stop running as soon as I felt my ankle/foot start hurting. I was also dealing with feeling like I was coming down with a cold, so that was another reason not to push it too hard.)

Thursday 5/26: Sick/Rest Day

Friday 5/27: 4 mile run/walk with my sis-in-law (Hi, Andrea!!) who was visiting (I was sick with a cold and she was adjusting to the high altitude so we just took it easy. We ran the first mile, walked half a mile, ran half a mile, and then walked the rest.)

Saturday 5/28: Sick/Rest Day

Sunday 5/29: Sick/Rest Day

Fitness DVD Review of the Week: Personal Training with Jackie: X-treme Timesaver Training

So I ordered a couple of new workout DVD's from Amazon last week. One of them was the Jackie Warner Power Circuit Training DVD, which I had done via Exercise OnDemand a couple of times and LOVED. Unfortunately, it's no longer available on EOD so I broke down and ordered it because I like it so much. For only $7.99, I figured it was worth it!

I also ended up impulse purchasing another one of Jackie's DVDs, X-treme Timesaver Training. I had never tried this one before, but since I loved Jackie's other DVD so much I was hoping for the best.

X-treme Timesaver Training is only 30 minutes, as opposed to the almost hour-long Power Circuit Training. Jackie has you do compound movements that combine many different muscles for 1 minute each.

It. Was. Tough.

This DVD is definitely not for beginners! I was using 3-pound dumbbells the whole time (for reference, I usually use 5-8 lbs on most DVDs) and still dying. Plus, a lot of the moves are extra challenging since they combine several different things at once. It requires a lot of balance and concentration!

I liked that there were no repeat circuits of moves during this workout. A lot of times I get really discouraged when I'm doing a move that I hate and I know I'm going to have to do another round of it again before I'm done. This workout solves that problem by just having you push your hardest through one solid minute of each move, and then you move on!

That being said, some of the moves do incorporate the same things but in different ways. For example, this workout has a TON of lunges but she incorporates the lunges into different compound movements and combinations. It burrrrrrned! But if it gets me a killer butt, then it's worth it! :)

Overall, I really like this DVD and would recommend to anyone at around an intermediate to advanced fitness level as a great strength training workout!

This Week in Fitness

2011-05-23T18:57:00.000-05:00

Monday 5/16: Ran 5 miles

Tuesday 5/17: Walked 3.3 miles (took about an hour) + 21 Day Total Body Makeover Workout (I went through all the exercises only one time)

Wednesday 5/18: Ran 3 miles + Leg Slimmer and Toner (from Exercise OnDemand) + Total Body Pilates (from Exercise OnDemand)

Thursday 5/19: Less is More Cardio (from Exercise OnDemand) + Bikini Body Workout (from Exercise OnDemand)

Friday 5/20: Walked 3.5 miles (in 55 minutes) + 30 Day Shred Level 2

Saturday 5/21: Rest Day

Sunday 5/22: Ran 3 miles

I officially started training for a 10K last week, but forgot to mention it. I created a training plan through Smart Coach. It was super easy to do and very customizable based on your level/goals/etc. You input things like your current race time, goal race distance, race date, and so on and it automatically comes up with a plan for you.

I don't actually have a 10K planned, so I arbitrarily set my training end date for June 26th because I felt like that was enough time. I searched around for 10K's in my area and there are NONE in June/July so it seems I'm out of luck for now. But the self-satisfaction of being able to get out there and run a 10K should be enough for now. :)

Here's a look at my training schedule (sorry it's small print):

Unfortunately, my training plan has already had a bit of a setback due to an injury that flared up this week. After seeing a doctor and doing some research on my own, it appears I'm dealing with Posterior Tibial Tendonitis in my right foot/ankle. It's a tendonitis that flares up whenever I go for runs now and the cause is usually some sort of overpronation (or running on the insides of your feet instead of the middle).

I obviously don't want to stop running completely right now, so I'm trying to treat it as best I can while still staying as close as possible to my training plan. A couple things I'm doing to help treat it are:

-Icing the area a few times a day

-Not pushing myself too hard if it starts to hurt. On the day I ran 5 miles, I actually had to stop and walk for about 3 minutes in the middle because my ankle was flaring up pretty badly.

-Getting professionally fitted for running shoes. I was wearing a minimalist style shoe (Nike Free Runs) and I had a feeling that lack of support could be contributing to my pain. So this weekend I went to Tucson and got fitted for running shoes. The employee suspects I am dealing with several issues that are causing the pain (overpronation, flat feet/fallen arches, one foot a size larger than the other, one leg longer than the other, inverted knees, etc.). It was a little discouraging to to hear all those factors that are working against me, but I'm hoping that by taking the appropriate measures I can still keep up with running. Anyway, I ended up purchasing a pair of Brooks Ravenna 2's and the employee also suggested using orthotic inserts for extra support. I was a little shell-shocked at the price of the shoes + inserts, so I just went with the shoes for now. I may go back and purchase the inserts later if I feel like I need them. I went for my first 3 mile run yesterday with the new shoes, and they felt good BUT the tendonitis still flared up. :(

So that's what I'm up against right now. It's a big bummer for me because I felt like I was finally hitting my running stride, so to speak. We'll see how things unfold over the next couple of weeks.

Have you ever dealt with a fitness-related injury before? I'd love to hear any tips for how you recovered!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #41

2011-05-20T08:13:00.001-05:00

For more info on the MilSpouse Fill-In check out Wife of a Sailor's blog.

1. What is one of the things you always do special when your husband returns from a deployment?

You mean besides in the bedroom? Bow chicka wow wow! ;-) (sorry, Mom) No but really, I don't do anything all that special. Just the normal stuff like "welcome home" signs, stocking the fridge/pantry with his favorite things, etc.

My "We Survived Deployment" sign.

2. What do you do to help your spouse and/or yourself re-adjust after a deployment or long separation?

I try to give up my typical control-freak ways (yes, I can admit it) a little and let him decide how he wants to spend his first few days at home. I try not to make him do anything (like go to a party or whatever) he doesn't want to do, since he did just spend a year at war and all. Other than that we just try to go back to life as normal as quickly as possible.

3. Are you a crazy coupon clipper (I’m becoming one, so share your secrets with me)?

No. I suck at couponing! I always have the best intentions but then I forget the coupons at home, don't take the time to clip them, or buy things I don't need because of the coupons. It's just not my thing, unfortunately.

4. What’s your most treasured memory of you and your spouse (not counting your wedding – that’s a given)?

Hmmm....this is hard because there are so many. I guess one of my most treasured memories is our first date. We were both brand-new freshmen in college and he asked me to be his date to the very first football game of the year. I remember being so excited when he called to ask me out because I just felt differently about him than I ever had about anyone else before. And on the date, he kissed me at the end as part of a Texas A&M tradition. I vividly remember the feelings of awkwardness/butterflies/elation. Good memories! :)

This got me reminiscing so I just dug up some old photos...

This is I'm pretty sure our first photo ever taken together. It was 80's night at Fish Camp. I'm on the far left in pink and he's in the back with the bandana (obvsies, since he's the only dude). He asked me out on our first date a few weeks after this photo was taken.

First Date. Man we were young!!

Thanksgiving 2003. This is the weekend that we first said "I love you." to each other. :)

I think this was Junior Year Formal.

We look like we know what we're doing on those horses.

I forgot about this photo until just now but I love it. This was taken at a football game our Senior year. We were newly engaged at this point.

Okay enough with the flashback photos. Sorry I got carried away! :)

5. If you could live anywhere overseas, what would you pick and why?

Greece. Hands down! It's probably #1 on my list of dream places I'd like to visit, and I think living there would be so fun (but bad for my waistline).

Chicken Taquitos

2011-05-18T13:43:00.005-05:00

We're Mexican food fanatics in this house.

I happen to consider myself a bit of a Mexican food connoisseur, since I grew up in a place known for Tex-Mex and spent many of my summers in Mexico. Oh how I miss good Tex-Mex and Mexican food!

You'd think living in Arizona, only a short drive away from the Mexican border, that we'd be able to find good Mexican food here. But that is not really the case. Most of the Mexican food we have tried in our town did not meet my high standards.

Solution? Make my own (healthier) Mexican food!

These taquitos are far from authentic, but they certainly helped satisfy a craving. They were easy to make at home and also provided a much healthier version of something that's usually deep fried and greasy.

For the filling I used some leftover chicken from a whole roasted chicken that I made earlier in the week. The best part about these taquitos is that you could really adapt this method to include any leftovers or ingredients you have on hand. Leftover steak? Make steak taquitos! Lots of veggies on their last leg? Make veggie & bean taquitos! The opportunities are endless!
Served with a side of black beans and brown rice, these made a great, healthy meal!

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Source: Annie's Eats

Yield: about 12 taquitos

Ingredients:

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

¼ cup salsa

1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. onion powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. chopped cilantro

1-2 green onions, chopped

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, etc. would also be good)

10-12 6-inch flour tortillas (I think these would be great with corn tortillas too! I plan on trying that next time.)

Cooking spray

Kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, spices, cilantro, green onions, chicken and shredded cheese (I actually used a food processor to mix the ingredients and chop things up a little more. Just pulse a few times until well mixed.). Mix thoroughly until well combined.

Briefly heat the tortillas in the microwave to make them soft enough to roll easily, about 20-3o seconds. Place a tortilla on a work surface. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the filling mixture down the middle of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla up tightly around the filling. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, spacing the assembled taquitos evenly on the baking sheet. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. (You may be tempted to skip the sprinkle of salt, but it really adds a nice touch.)

(To freeze before baking, transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and chill the assembled taquitos 30-60 minutes. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. To bake from the freezer, simply add a few additional minutes to the original baking time, until the filling is warmed through.)

Bake 15-20 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Serve with sour cream and salsa, if desired.

This Week in Fitness

2011-05-16T17:00:00.000-05:00

Monday 5/9: Ran 4.25 miles

Tuesday 5/10: 45 minutes on elliptical + 10 minute jog + a few weight moves

Wednesday 5/11: Bikini Ready + 20 Minute Sweat (both from Exercise OnDemand) + 20 minute incline walk on treadmill (alternating inclines)

Thursday 5/12: Ran 3 miles

Friday 5/13: Rest Day

Saturday 5/14: Ran in a 5K (!!! - finished in 28:57, so slightly better than my first 5K) + 15 minutes on Stairclimber + 20 minutes on elliptical + a few weight moves (I don't know what got into me this day....I guess I was super motivated!)

Sunday 5/15: Drop 10 Tabbatta Interval Workout + about 3 minutes each of jump rope and jumping jacks at the end

Tune of the Week:
On the Floor by Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull

Lemon Curd Cupcakes

2011-05-13T12:59:00.003-05:00

I'm way behind on posting about these, since I made them way back for an Easter celebration. Oopsie!

These cupcakes were the perfect, lemony spring treat! The cake was light and fluffy and the frosting was cool and creamy. They were a HUGE hit a the Easter party I went to. One guest even commented that these were the best cupcakes she had EVER eaten!!

I made both regular size cupcakes AND mini cupcakes, because this recipe made a TON of cupcakes! I was not prepared for that. I had cupcakes coming out of my ears!

I topped some of them with bunny Peeps and the rest I just garnished with extra lemon curd.

By the way, this was my first time ever making lemon curd and it was SUPER easy and delicious! The lemon curd alone would be worth making, if the cupcakes aren't really your thing or you don't have time to make the whole thing.

One complaint I have with these cupcakes was that this recipe was very labor intensive. I know I say that a lot (I guess I'm just lazy), but I really mean it this time. Making these created about a bajillion dirty dishes and took me a good 3 hours from start to finish.

That being said, I would still say these were worth it for a special occasion since they were such a big hit!

Lemon Curd Cupcakes

Source: yourhomebasedmom.com

Lemon Cake:

3 C flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 C unsalted butter (room temperature)

2 C sugar

4 eggs (separated)

1 C milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon extract

zest of two lemons

Mix together flour, baking powder and salt.

Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time. Mix well. Alternately add in flour mixture and milk. Beginning and ending with flour. Add in vanilla and lemon and lemon zest.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Add egg whites into batter, folding gently.

Place into cupcake liners. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool. Use half of lemon curd recipe to fill the cupcakes either with a squeeze bottle or by cutting a small hole in the middle of the cupcake and filling with lemon curd.

Lemon Curd:

2 lemons

4 egg yolks

3/4 C sugar

4 Tbsp butter, cold

Zest the lemons. Juice the lemons. In a bowl mix together the egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and zest.

In a saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a simmer. Continue cooking, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the butter 1 Tbsp at a time. Cover lemon curd with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and thickened.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened

1 C sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 C whipping cream

Half of the above lemon curd recipe above.

In a small bowl beat whipping cream until stiff. In another bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Add in lemon curd. Beat until smooth. Fold in whipped cream.

**Note: Be sure you refrigerate these cupcakes if you're going to store them for any amount of time, since there is cream cheese in the frosting.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #40

2011-05-13T12:00:00.007-05:00

Check out Wife of a Sailor's blog for more info on the Fill-In!

1. Which was the best day of your life- Wedding day or Homecoming day?

Definitely wedding day!! There's just nothing else like your own wedding. It was such a special day and I cherish every moment.

2. Were you a part of the joining the military question or did you sign up for the relationship when your man was already in the military?

When I met my husband we were freshman in college, and he had already accepted a full scholarship from the Army in return for joining after graduation. So I knew going in that if I ended up with him I would be an Army wife someday, but we were so young and it didn't seem real at the time.

3. What is your favorite Disney movie and why?

The Little Mermaid!! I love all Disney movies though.

4. What is your favorite family activity to do on the weekends?

Hiking, playing tennis, going to the gym, trying new restaurants and watching movies are some of our favorites.

5. Where do you secretly wish you could be stationed with you/your SO’s line of work (realistically speaking, not everyone can be stationed on NAS Fiji)?

Monterrey, California would be my #1 dream place to be stationed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finally, it's muh 26th BIRTHDAY today!! Yeehaw!

We're going to see the movie Bridesmaids tonight and I CAN'T WAIT! It's the little things that make me happy. It's already been a great day, though! I opened my presents at 5 am this morning because I was so excited. I feel very blessed and loved today!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

This Week in Fitness

2011-05-06T17:00:00.001-05:00

I accidentally posted this on Friday so if you've already seen part of this, I apologize for repeating. I quickly deleted the post after I realized what I did, but I think it may still have shown up on Google Reader.

Monday 5/2: Jogged 4 miles + 60 minute Yoga to the People Podcast

Tuesday 5/3: Banish Fat Boost Metabolism (from Exercise OnDemand -- it's a killer high intensity cardio workout!) + Tone It Up's Lean Arms Pyramid

Wednesday 5/4: 2 hour hike with some friends

Thursday 5/5: Jogged 3 miles

Friday 5/6: 10 lb Slimdown Lower + 20 Min. Fat Burn (both are from Exercise OnDemand) + 40 minute walk with the pup

Saturday 5/7: Jogged 3 miles

Sunday 5/8: I went to the gym with my husband, but I wasn't feeling motivated so I really just messed around while he worked out. I shot some hoops, did some box jumps, a couple of weight moves and that's about it.

I don't have time for a favorite fitness tune or tip of the week, because I've got to get ready to head to Tucson today! We're going out for my early birthday dinner at The Melting Pot! I've never been to a Melting Pot before so I'm SUPER excited!!

How was your week of fitness? Did you try anything new?

Eggplant Parmesan

2011-05-04T11:09:00.002-05:00

If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you probably already know that my husband is a "man's man" who dislikes meat-free main dishes. In his mind, No meat = Not a meal.

There are two notable exceptions to his No Meat rule though.

(Source)

Pizza (specifically Margarita style) and...

Eggplant Parmesan.

Why are these exceptions? Well I honestly don't know, but I have a feeling it has to do with the copious amounts of cheese.

Eggplant Parmesan has always been one of Hubs' favorite things to order at an Italian restaurant, but surprisingly enough I had never made it at home for him.

Until now.

And now, I think I've created a monster.

Because he could. not. stop. talking about how good this was and how it was "the best eggplant parmesan he has ever had".

I have to agree. It IS really, really, really good. But what I like even better is that this "healthified" version is just as good, if not better, than the "real" thing.

Usually Eggplant Parmesan involves deep frying slices of eggplant and then covering them in tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. This version lightens things up a bit by oven-baking the eggplant and then still topping with tomato sauce & cheese.
So. Stinkin'. Good. You must make this!

FYI it's a bit more labor intensive of a dinner than I typically go for, but it is SO worth every extra minute of effort!

Eggplant Parmesan
Source: adapted from Cooking Light

YIELD: 8 servings

Ingredients

2 (1-pound) eggplants, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup water
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs (or use plain and add Italian seasoning)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Vegetable cooking spray
1 jar spaghetti sauce* (I used Emeril's Eggplant & Gaaahlic)
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese OR sliced fresh mozzarella (which is what I used)
Fresh basil, chopped (optional)

Preparation

Place eggplant in a large bowl; add water to cover, and let stand 30 minutes. Drain well; blot dry with paper towels. Combine 1/4 cup water and egg whites in a shallow bowl. Combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese; stir well. Dip eggplant in egg white mixture, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture.

Place half of eggplant on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, and broil 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Repeat procedure with remaining eggplant. Set eggplant aside.

Spread half of tomato sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange half of eggplant over sauce; top with half of mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers with remaining sauce, eggplant, and cheese.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.

*NOTES: The original recipe called for you to make your own tomato sauce, but I went the easy way out and used store-bought sauce. I used Emeril's Eggplant & Gaaahlic sauce and it was DELICIOUS! Highly recommend.

Roast Chicken, Take 2

2011-05-03T17:14:00.004-05:00

Apparently I am doomed to never actually take good photos of roast chicken, as evidenced by my last post on roast chicken and as evidenced by this post that you're about to see. It's a tragedy really, because roast chicken DESERVES great photos to do it justice. But alas, the curse continues.

You may be wondering why I decided to try a new recipe for roast chicken, when I had a perfectly good one already. I'm bored easily. That's really the only explanation I have. That and I like to try new takes on the same thing. So sue me!

Hence, a new roast chicken recipe was found on Cooking Light that involved dried sage and LOTS of garlic, and I was sold! So I roasted my little heart out and ended up with this:
It may not look good, but it sure does taste good! I think this recipe was even easier than the other one I made, and easier is always a bonus for me.

I also tried something new and used my broiler pan instead of my roasting pan. I did this because I wanted to roast the potatoes alongside the chicken but I didn't want them to end up covered in all the chicken fat drippings (to save a few calories). I actually really loved doing it this way!! All the chicken fat dripped down into the bottom part of the pan and not onto my veggies.

I served my chicken & potatoes on top of a bed of spring mix lettuce to get some extra greens.

And I most definitely did NOT "discard the skin" as the recipe suggests to cut calories. Some calories are just worth it, and crispy chicken skin happens to be one of those things.

Roast Chicken with Potatoes & Butternut Squash

Source: Cooking Light

Ingredients

2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1 (3 1/2-pound) roasting chicken
Cooking spray
12 ounces red potatoes, cut into wedges
1 1/2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 8 ounces)
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and sage in a small bowl. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Rub garlic mixture under loosened skin. Place chicken, breast side up, on rack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Place rack in broiler pan.

3. Combine potatoes, squash, butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Arrange vegetable mixture around chicken. Bake at 400° for 1 hour or until a thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 165° (my chicken was at least 4.5 pounds so it took about an hour and a half to cook). Let stand 10 minutes. Discard skin.

This Week in Fitness

2011-05-02T12:17:00.000-05:00

Monday 4/25: Self Drop 10 Tabatta Interval Workout (Loved this workout!!) + 20 minute walk

Tuesday 4/26: 45-minute walk -- I was supposed to run today, but I hurt/bruised my knee pretty badly on Monday night by falling out of bed (I know, I know) so I didn't want to push it too hard.

Wednesday 4/27: Self Drop 10 Tabatta Interval Workout

Thursday 4/28: 28-minute jog (about 2.8 miles) -- I'm happy to report that my knee didn't hurt during the run! I just felt some tugging but nothing I can't live with.

Friday 4/29: Rest Day -- I stayed up all night watching the Royal Wedding so I was in no condition to work out!

Saturday 4/30: 5K!!!! + 30 minute walk -- Recap below.

Sunday 5/1: Cleaned the house -- You better believe I'm counting this as exercise! I was breaking a serious sweat by scrubbing toilets, bathtubs, sinks, etc.

FIRST 5K RECAP:

As I mentioned above, I ran in my first 5K race ever on Saturday. I can't even really put into words what this means to me. Just 3 short months ago, I was struggling to run for 5 minutes at a time; now I can run up to 4 miles at a time without much trouble.

I've always hated running and felt an extreme amount of jealousy for the people I knew who could go pound out mile after mile and actually enjoy it. I always wanted to be one of those people, but I don't think I actually ever believed it would happen.

But back in February, after moving to Arizona and adjusting to a stay-at-home wife lifestyle, I started the Couch to 5K program (mostly out of boredom). It was tough, but I stuck to it and completed it.

My friend Kelli and I (both new runners) signed up for our first 5K on April 30th. The morning of the 30th arrived and I actually somehow didn't set my alarm correctly so I awoke in a panic with only 15 minutes to get ready and get out the door. That wasn't exactly the calm pre-race morning I had planned.

I barely made it in time to pick up my race number, get stretched out and take a picture with Kelli before we had to head to the start line.

Pre-Race Photo (me on the left, Kelli on the right)

Kelli and I were both feeling extremely jittery and nervous at this point, as you can clearly tell by the following photo.

Pre-Race Jitters

The start gun went off and we were on our way!

Here we go!

Basically the whole first 2 miles of the race were steadily uphill. That was an unexpected challenge and at one point when I saw a giant hill ahead of me I thought I might die. But I didn't die and I kept on pushing!

At the 2 mile mark there was a water station and my mouth was EXTREMELY dry (darn you, Arizona dry weather!) so I grabbed a cup of water as I passed. Unfortunately, I guess I haven't mastered the art of drinking water while running because most of it ended up running down my face and shirt instead of going in my mouth.

Luckily, the last mile was flat or slightly downhill so that was a nice change from the first 2 miles. The next thing I know, I came around a bend and I saw the finish line! I had grand plans of sprinting through the finish but I think I was kind of out of it because I didn't end up doing that.

Approaching the finish looking haggard!

Crossing the finish line.

I'm actually not completely sure what my finish time was because there was also a 10K going on at the same time and the finish line clock was displaying the 10K time, not the 5K. I was disappointed with this and really kicking myself for not setting the stopwatch on my iPod so I could have seen my time. However, after doing the math and trying to figure out my rough time we figured out that I probably came in at about the 29 minute mark. I couldn't believe it because that was my fastest pace by far to date! Usually I run my miles at around the 10 minute mark, so this was a big improvement for me.

Apparently they are going to be posting the official results in the next couple of days so I'm anxious to see what that says, but until then I'm going with my estimated finish time!

After we both finished, Kelli and I were definitely feeling a bit of a post-race high. We both felt pretty good (except for some tightness in our chests) and we were thrilled that we accomplished such a great goal!

Post-Race. We did it!!

It was so great having a fellow novice runner and friend to achieve this goal by my side. I feel so lucky to have met Kelli since moving here because we really have so much in common! We both commented that our next goal is to complete a 10K and I think we're well on our way to achieving that goal as well. (And special thanks to her husband, Ian, as well for taking all the photos you see!)

Fitness Tip of the Week: Have faith in yourself and your abilities! It may seem impossible to run a 5K now, but you CAN do it! If I can do it, I promise you that YOU can do it! All it takes is proper training and dedication to accomplish your fitness goals. Look for beginner programs that keep you on a structured, steady increase plan to help you reach your goals (like the Couch to 5K program).

Fitness Tune of the Week: Single Ladies by Beyonce

My husband may have put a ring on it, but I still love this song. The beat is perfect for working out (or shaking your ass...what? who said that?). Oh and let's not forget, the video is one of the best music videos ever made (right, Kanye?). :)

Question of the Week: What's your biggest fitness accomplishment to date? It doesn't matter if it's big or small, own it!

Images of a Husband-less Weekend

2011-04-30T18:29:00.004-05:00

Hubs is a groomsman in a wedding in Texas this weekend so I'm home alone (because it was too expensive for both of us to buy plane tickets).

I decided to make the most of it.

My latest drink obsession.

Nail polish. Duh.

(And yes, I know it's shocking that it's not an Opi brand!)

Girlie movies galore.

Yesterday I rented Love and Other Drugs and Sex and the City 2 and when I went to return them today I couldn't resist renting two more: Tangled and Going the Distance.

Mini Blizzard. YUM.

(It had been over 6 months since my last Blizzard so I decided it was high time to change that!)

There was also an unpictured dinner of an egg sandwich last night. Eggs are the perfect single girl's food!

Sometimes being alone has its perks.

(But I still miss my husband a LOT.)

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #39

2011-04-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here we go, time for another Milspouse Fill-In! For more info on the fill-in visit Wife of a Sailor's blog.

1. Have you and your spouse agreed to live in separate locations (a geographical bachelor tour) knowing that the short-term inconvenience would have long-term benefits for your family? How did it work for you?

We have never lived apart since joining the Army unless it was required (i.e. deployment). For us, not having children means that we can pretty much pick up and move without too many consequences, other than me having to leave my job. Although the decisions may have been more difficult if we had kids in school, we still firmly believe in keeping our family together as much as possible. What that means for our future, I don't know. It would be a tough decision!

2. What is your favorite thing about being a MilSpouse?

I love the relationships that I have formed through being an Army wife, because they are unique and different than all my other friendships made in normal circumstances. The high-stress environment meant that we all grew closer a lot quicker than we would have in the civilian world.

I also love all of the lessons that I have learned along the way. This lifestyle has challenged me in more ways than I ever imagined, but I have been able to overcome every obstacle.

3. If you could still have your spouse/significant other and your family, but take the military life out of it…would you?

This is a tough one to answer for me. I certainly wouldn't change the past because, as I mentioned above, I'm thankful for those experiences! However, for the future, we aren't sure whether we will make a career out of this Army thing or not. The main factor for this decision is our desire to start our family, and the thought of adding children to the mix worries us. We just want what's best for our family and if the deployment schedule continues to stay as frequent as it is now, we're not sure the Army is the best thing for our future family. We still have 3+ years left before we face the decision of whether to stay in or get out, so we're not coming to any conclusions right now. We'll just evaluate things when the time comes.

4. What have your homecoming experiences been like after a year long tour of separation?

Our longest separation was for my husband's only deployment thus far: just shy of 12 months. The homecoming experiences was, in one word, AMAZING. I know a lot of people talk about how there is an adjustment period and things start out rocky, but for us things just got right back to the way they were, if not better! We appreciated each other more than ever, we cherished every moment spent together, and every night was like a date night even though we were just hanging out at home. It was so nice to have him home and I honestly think the months following his redeployment were one of the best times in our marriage!

5. If you have a child(ren) why you did you choose their name(s)? If not, why would you name your child something?

We obviously don't have children yet, but baby names are something we have talked about. We both love the idea of family names, but then you run into the issue of jealousy from other family members, so we're not sure that's the route we'll take. In general, we like classic and somewhat old fashioned names that aren't too crazy popular. I grew up as an Ashley when the name Ashley was at it's peak of popularity in the 80's, so I have a strong desire to not name my child something trendy!

Pretzel Rolls

2011-04-28T15:02:00.005-05:00

When I was in a sorority in college, the most popular night to eat dinner at the Theta house was on Pretzel Sandwiches night. Basically, it was just ham & cheese sandwiches served on homemade pretzel rolls and they were TO DIE FOR!

I have always had a fond memory of those sandwiches and really wanted to try to recreate them sometime. So when I saw this how-to for Pretzel Rolls on Tasty Kitchen, I knew I was destined to make them.
I'm not going to lie, these were a bit of a pain to make. Lots of steps were involved, but they did turn out pretty good. They weren't perfect, but they were good! I was imagining a more light and fluffy roll like the pretzel rolls from my college days, but these turned out dense and chewy (I guess more like a real soft pretzel?). I'm not sure if that was a result of me doing something wrong, or if that was the way they were meant to be.

Here are some pictures of the various steps.

Letting the dough rise.

I put the dough in our sunroom for a nice, warm place to rise.

Cutting the dough into small pieces for the dough balls. I made both a larger size and a smaller size.

After the dough was rolled into balls, you let it rise again.

Then you drop the balls into a boiling pot of water for 30 seconds on each side.

After baking the dough balls, they come out golden brown.

And of course I had to immediately taste one with mustard (my favorite pretzel topping)!

Dense and chewy.

Like I said, I'm not 100% satisfied with the way these turned out, but that probably has more to do with the fact that I had such high expectations and preset ideas of what they should be like.

My husband, who has no fond memories of pretzel rolls at the Theta house, thought they were AWESOME and requested that I make them often. I took that as a good sign.

I made these pretty much exactly as the recipe described (other than using kosher salt instead of pretzel salt), so rather than posting it here I'll just link to it since I made no major changes.

The Recipe: Pretzel Rolls

Let me know if you make these how they turn out! And if you have a recipe for Pretzel Rolls that results in light & fluffy rolls, please share!

This Week in Fitness

2011-04-25T13:17:00.000-05:00

Monday 4/18: Bridal Body Burn + Piloxing (both from Exercise OnDemand)

Tuesday 4/19: Best Body Ever Cardio Countdown on the treadmill + Bootcamp Body Makeover Beginner (Exercise OnDemand)

Wednesday 4/20: Bootcamp Body Makeover Advanced (Exercise OnDemand)

Thursday 4/21: 33 minute jog (~3.3 miles) + 10 Minute Total Body + Abs & Back Workout (both from Exercise OnDemand)

Friday 4/22: The Firm Get Chisel'd DVD

Saturday 4/23: 34 minute jog (~3.4 miles)

Sunday 4/24: Rest Day

Fitness Tip of the Week: Keep it exciting and try new things! I obviously practice what I preach when it comes to this because I am so easily bored. I constantly try new workouts that I find online or on Exercise OnDemand. Besides just battling boredom or fitness burnout, this also keeps you from hitting a fitness plateau because you're always challenging your body in new and different ways.

Fitness Tune of the Week: Ain't Goin Down by Garth Brooks

I don't usually put many country songs on my workout playlist, but this song came on during my last run right when I was starting to feel major fatigue and it totally rejuvenated me! It has a quick beat that really got me pumpin' my legs a little faster.

How were your workouts this week? Did you try anything new?

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #38

2011-04-22T08:09:00.000-05:00

For more information on the fill-in, please visit Wife of a Sailor's blog.

1. How many pets do you have? And what type?
We have one dog...
Her name is Libby and she's a terrier mix of some sort.

And she's spoiled rotten!

We adopted her from the SPCA when she was 3 years old, and now she's about 6 years old. We love her very much, even despite her quirky little habits that we can't seem to break (jumping up on visitors, "talking" to you (aka barking), licking non-stop, etc.)

2. What are your favorite projects to do while hubby is away?
I became a little crafty while Hubs was away and made some holiday decor, home decor, and tried my hand at sewing (didn't go so well).

3. What are the must-haves in your deployment care packages?
Baby wipes, handwritten notes, powdered drink packets, shelf-stable snack food (granola bars, nuts, trail mix), DVDs, magazines & books.

4. If you could star in any TV show, what would it be?
I would like to be on The Bachelor, minus the competing for a random man's affection. So basically I just want to go on a vacation where I just get to lay around in mansions and go on fantasy dates (with Hubs) to exotic places for 6 weeks straight.

5. What was the biggest hurdle that you faced during your significant other's first deployment?
Keeping our connection strong. We were actually able to talk to each other a lot (almost every day) but sometimes it felt like we had nothing to talk about, despite the fact that we were separated. Also, as I've mentioned before, I tend to shut down as my personal way of dealing with pain, so I could be pretty cold towards him sometimes. It was tough but I was able to overcome it!

Chopped - The Whole Story

2011-04-20T13:02:00.004-05:00

I realized I never really explained my inspiration for the drastic haircut that I got recently.

First off, here's a pic of me taken moments before I got 8 inches chopped off.

Before: Long and shapeless.

I've never really been one to have issues with split ends or dry and damaged hair, but moving to Arizona apparently changed that. I used to go 6+ months between haircuts and have no issues. Here I went about 3 months between hair trims and my hair was in AWFUL shape!

Plus, I was just tired of having long hair and being too lazy to ever actually blow dry it. It was pretty much always in a ponytail.

I asked my husband if he thought I should chop it all off and, surprisingly, he said yes. Turns out, I guess he kind of likes me with short hair. Who knew?!

I've never been one to shy away from a drastic change of hairstyle. I just get bored easily with my hairstyles so I have always been one of those people who lets my hair grow out long, and then chops it all off the minute it gets to my desired length. And the cycle repeats.

So anyway, once I decided to go short I started searching online for images of short hairstyles that I liked as inspiration. I quickly found this one of Nicole Richie and decided that this was the look I wanted:

Nicole Richie's Short Bob (though some people may call this medium-length)

I printed out my inspiration photo and took it into my hairstylist in Tucson. I had never been to this stylist before so I was really hoping I wasn't making a huge mistake! (FYI I went to Panache in Tucson and my hairstylist was Emma)

About an hour later I came out looking like this:
And I was thrilled with the results!

Yes, it's slightly different than the inspiration but those were all adjustments that Emma discussed with me to make the look better fit my needs.

Here's another look of the haircut from the day it was done:

The real test though was whether I would be able to easily style it myself. I'm a low-maintenance kind of hair girl...I actually hate doing my hair so it has to be somewhat easy to do or else I'm doomed.

Here is a pic taken a few days later when I styled it myself:

Please ignore the Hubs' goofy face!

I think it looks pretty good, all things considered!

To style it this way I applied a light styling mousse and then blow dried it with a medium-size round brush. After blow drying I used my Chi straightener to just quickly smooth out the hair, not taking too much time on this step. Finally, I finished off with a light coat of flexible-hold hairspray.

I've also since figured out that it doesn't look terrible if I just wash it, scrunch it with some mousse or gel and let it air dry. It doesn't look as good as when I blow dry it, but it works in a pinch!

(FYI - I have very straight, fine and somewhat limp hair, but I have a lot of it.)

My only complaint with this hairstyle is that my hair tends to do it's own thing on the ends no matter how much styling I do. No matter how hard I try to get it to curl under, it's a futile effort on one side and in the back. I think it does this because the hair length skims my shoulders and therefore gets naturally flipped out instead of in. Oh well! I'm embracing it!

Phew...I never thought this would end up being such a wordy post! I guess I have a lot to say about my hair. :)

Question: Do you take in inspiration photos when you get your hair cut? I ALWAYS do because I find I usually have a hard time verbalizing what I want.

A Dinner Worth Sharing

2011-04-19T23:09:00.004-05:00

This will be a short and sweet post, but I just have to share tonight's dinner:

Grilled salmon* for me (steak for Hubs), steamed broccoli and twice baked potatoes.

*I know I said last week that we're not fans of salmon, but I actually do like it okay if I'm in the right mood for it. Also, we had a bag of it in the freezer that needed to be eaten.

I seriously loved this meal. It was pretty darn simple to make and totally satisfying. The twice baked potatoes were definitely the star of the show!

I've made twice baked potatoes before, but I was reminded of them recently when reading Yes I Want Cake's post on them.
I made them the same way as she did so check out her blog for the deets. Definitely adding twice baked potatoes back into the regular rotation!

And if you're wondering about the salmon, it was simply seasoned with jerk seasoning and then grilled on a piece of foil (so it doesn't fall through the grate) for about 10 minutes.

Now I'm off to hang out with these two:

Have a great night!

Pasta Carbonara Florentine

2011-04-18T22:19:00.003-05:00

My husband said it best: "How can you go wrong when you combine pasta, eggs and bacon in one dish?"

Truer* words have never been spoken.

*Is "truer" a word?! I thought it was but it doesn't look right!

This recipe hails from one of my fave recipe sources, Cooking Light. I love the fact that it's a lightened-up version of what could be a very decadent dish AND it adds in some healthy greens with the spinach.

But don't let the "light" part fool you, it still tastes perfectly decadent with the salty bacon and parmesan and the creamy sauce. Let's just say I had to physically restrain myself from going and getting seconds so that I could still have enough leftover* for lunch tomorrow.

*You better believe I called dibs on these leftovers! My husband is a leftovers hog but he will NOT be feasting on carbonara tomorrow.**

**Can you tell yet that I'm loving this asterisk footnote thing tonight?? I know, I'm weird.

Pasta Carbonara Florentine
Source: Cooking Light

Yield: 4 servings; Serving size: 1 cup

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 (6-ounce) package bagged prewashed baby spinach
• 6 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (omitted)

Preparation

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts, stirring constantly. Remove spinach from pan; place in a bowl.

Add bacon to pan; cook 3 minutes or until crisp, stirring frequently. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add onion to drippings in pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat; keep warm.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well, reserving 1 tablespoon cooking liquid. Immediately add pasta and the reserved cooking liquid to onion mixture in skillet. Add spinach and bacon; stir well to combine. Place skillet over low heat.

Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, cheese, pepper, egg, and egg white, stirring with a whisk. Add to pasta mixture, tossing well to coat. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

YBBC - Day 6

2011-04-17T22:35:00.004-05:00

Let's get straight to biz. Here's what the plan called for:

And here's what went down:

BREAKFAST
A loaded veggie scramble of sorts with a piece of whole wheat toast.

Made with 1 egg, 2 egg whites, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, bell pepper and a sprinkle of goat cheese.

MORNING SNACK

None.

LUNCH
A wrap made with leftover falafel burger, schmear of hummus, baby spinach, sliced tomato & a drizzle of leftover tzatziki sauce. All wrapped up in a La Tortilla Factory tortilla.

Plus I split this apple with Hubs.

AFTERNOON SNACK

None because we were having an early dinner.

DINNER

For dinner we went to nearby town Bisbee for dinner and a ghost tour with our friends. We ate dinner at Santiago's Mexican Restaurant.
I ordered a combo platter that had two fish tacos, one pork carnitas taco, black beans and roasted corn. I ate all the tacos and left the majority of the corn & black beans.

Plus I should mention that I ate a good amount of chips & salsa and drank two glasses of (really yummy) sangria!

DESSERT

For dessert I ate one chocolate truffle from a chocolate shop that we visited earlier in the day, plus half a gingersnap cookie that I split with Hubs.

FITNESS

Jogged roughly 3.3 miles and then did Jillian Michaels' Yoga Meltdown DVD.

YBBC - Day 5

2011-04-17T22:10:00.003-05:00

Friday was partially spent out of town too so I definitely deviated from the plan a lot. I tried to still make smart decisions though!

Here's what the plan called for (I don't know why I'm even posting this since I basically didn't follow it at all):
And here's how things went down...

BREAKFAST
I ate breakfast at the free continental breakfast at the hotel. I toasted a piece of multigrain bread and topped it with 1 Tbsp peanut butter, sliced banana and a drizzle of honey.

MORNING SNACK:

None.

LUNCH
I stopped at a place called Pita Jungle in Tucson and got the Veggie Garden Wrap.
It was delicious, packed full of veggies and the size of my arm! I ate half of it for lunch and the other half later for a snack.

AFTERNOON SNACK

Like I said above, I ate the rest of my pita lunch for a snack.

DINNER
Steamed Fish with Pesto & Veggies and brown rice on the side.
I pretty much followed the recipe linked above exactly, except that I used mahi-mahi instead of snapper and I added cherry tomatoes to the foil packets.

Unfortunately I just wasn't feeling fish that night (Alex liked it though!), so I actually only took a few bites of this dinner and then abandoned it in favor of this:

Special K cereal with sliced banana and almond milk....yum! Totally hit the spot. Sometimes you just gotta go with what sounds good!

FITNESS

Rest day....again. Ooops!

YBBC - Day 4

2011-04-17T21:13:00.005-05:00

Well I think it's safe to say I've been slacking on my YBBC recap posts! Oopsie! Time to start catching up with a Day 4 recap.

Like I mentioned in my last post, Thursday we spent the night out of town in Tucson so I got a little thrown off of my normal schedule. Here is what the plan called for:

But here's what actually happened:

BREAKFAST
Frozen waffle topped with vanilla greek yogurt, berry "syrup", and coconut flakes. Plus I ate the remainder of the container of greek yogurt with the remainder of the berry "syrup" on top. This breakfast was SO YUMMY!! Best one of the week fo 'sho!
I made the berry "syrup" by tossing about 1/2 cup of frozen mixed berries in a small saucepan and turning the heat on medium. Then I added a splash of orange juice and a drizzle of maple syrup. I let that mixture cook down a little until the berries released their juices. Then I stirred in a tablespoon or two of flour to the mix to thicken the sauce. That's it! It was so easy and SO GOOD. It would be great on pancakes, waffles, ice cream, and much more.

MORNING SNACK

Wasn't needed.

LUNCH
A turkey, avocado, spinach & dijon sandwich on whole wheat....eaten on the road (don't worry - I was safe)!

AFTERNOON SNACK
I had a little time to kill before I could check into our hotel so I went to a nearby Starbucks and drank an iced coffee. I always order my iced coffee with a pump of some sort of flavored syrup (this time I went with cinnamon) and then I add my own half and half to my liking.

After we checked in we realized that part of being a Hilton Rewards member meant that we got free access to a happy hour at the hotel. I'm never one to pass up free food or drinks, so of course we had to check it out.

I had two glasses of white wine plus a small plate of chips & salsa, raw carrots, some sort of ham & cheese thing served on a slice of baguette (it was good!) and a potato skin. I went back for seconds and got another potato skin and a little more chips & salsa. It was a yummy snack!

DINNER

For dinner we headed to one of our favorite chain restaurants, BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse.
I ordered the Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps, which were good, but I was pretty full from the happy hour food so I only ate half. (Though I did also eat quite a few of Hubs' potato wedges....he didn't want them and I couldn't let them go to waste!!)

FITNESS

Didn't manage to fit in a workout today. Oh well!

Chopped

2011-04-14T23:14:00.003-05:00

We're spending the night at a hotel in Tucson for the night because of some doctor's appointments so I'll be back tomorrow with my YBBC Day 4 recap post.

In the meantime, here's a pic of my new haircut that I got today.

I chopped off 8 inches!!! It was skurry but in the end I'm really glad I got rid of the length. It was looking so scraggly these days so I needed a change.

See ya tomorrow!

YBBC - Day 3

2011-04-13T22:04:00.004-05:00

Ahlo govnahs! (I'm a nerd) Time for another Your Best Body Challenge (YBBC) recap post!

Catching up? Check these out: Intro Post - Day 1 Post - Day 2

Per the usual, here's what was on le schedule:

But here's what actually went down my gullet! :)

BREAKFAST

I wasn't in the mood for a savory eggs & ham breakfast so I subbed in:
Whipped banana oatmeal made with 1/2 banana, 1/3 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup water, 1 tsp chia seeds and 1/3 cup rolled oats (though I wished I had used my fave oat bran instead). Topped with a tablespoon of peanut butter and a sprinkle of coconut (can you tell I'm obsessed with sprinkling coconut on top of things?!?)

I didn't end up finishing this (probably ate about 2/3rds) because my tummy was full.

MORNING SNACK

Skipped because I wasn't hungry (I am basically never hungry between breakfast and lunch....later in the day is a different story)!

LUNCH
Stuck with the plan on this one. Bean & cheese burrito made with 1/2 cup semi-mashed black beans, sprinkle of shredded cheese, salsa, cilantro, & baby spinach all wrapped up in a La Tortilla Factory tortilla.

Plus half a grapefruit that I was supposed to eat with breakfast.

AFTERNOON SNACK
Una manzana (a.k.a. an apple)

y queso! a.k.a. that disgusting-looking blob which is microwaved string cheese. (I've come to the conclusion that string cheese is 5 bajillion times better when it's melted.)

Annnnnd...
...a Nature Valley Granola Thin. Apparently I was in a very snacky mood this afternoon!

DINNER
We had the veggie burgers last night so I made Sunday's dinner instead: Penne (in our case Rigatoni) with Chicken Marengo

Served alongside some roasted brocc (our fave veggie side dish of all time).
The dish was just okay. It was a little weird because it was sweet and very orangey from the orange juice and zest. If we made it again, we both agreed that we could do without the orange elements. At the last minute I added some baby spinach to the dish as a way to add some more greens to the meal, and we really liked that addition!

Penne with Chicken Marengo
Source: adapted from Women's Health Magazine
Serves: 4 Prep: 10min |Cook: 20min |Total: 30min

8 ounces penne
1/2 cup dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree (we used diced tomatoes instead)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 big handfuls of baby spinach

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and transfer to a warmed serving bowl.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, cover the sun-dried tomatoes with boiling water and soak for 5 minutes. When softened, drain and chop coarsely. Set aside.

3. Toss the chicken with the flour, thyme, and pepper. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of the broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mushrooms are barely softened and have begun to release their juices.

4. Add the crushed tomatoes (with puree), orange juice, orange zest, sugar, salt, the sun-dried tomatoes, and the remaining broth. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release the browned bits. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and the flavors are blended. In the last 2 minutes of cooking toss in the baby spinach and cook until wilted slightly.

5. Pour the mixture over the pasta and toss to coat well.

Nutritional Facts per serving
CALORIES 389.9 CAL
FAT 5.8 G
SATURATED FAT 1 G
CHOLESTEROL 32.9 MG
SODIUM 513.8 MG
CARBOHYDRATES 61.6 G
TOTAL SUGARS 9.5 G
DIETARY FIBER 5.4 G
PROTEIN 25.7 G

DESSERT

I ate a small handful of Junior Mints (the last of the box...sad face).

FITNESS

I did the Best Workout for a Pear-Shaped Body again, only this time I did it "circuit style" by completing all the exercises back to back with no rest between. I did the circuit 3 times.

I finished up my workout with a quick and easy 10 minutes jogging on the treadmill.

That's all she wrote for today, folks! Have a lovely night!

Your Best Body Challenge - Day 2

2011-04-12T21:48:00.005-05:00

On to Day 2 of the challenge! If you're catching up, here are the links to the previous posts: Intro Post, Day 1 Post

Here is what was on the plan for today:

And here's how things actually went down!

BREAKFAST
2 slices of whole wheat toast (50 calories each) topped with 2 Tbsp peanut butter, 1 banana (sliced), 1 tsp chia seeds & a sprinkle of coconut. Plus coffee!

I deviated from the plan by having two pieces of toast and adding the chia seeds/coconut but I'm okay with it.

MORNING SNACK

Skipped because I wasn't hungry (and I don't like raisins anyway).

LUNCH
Turkey Taco Salad

The plan called for leftover spicy chicken pasta from last night, but my husband took the leftovers for his lunch, so I was left to improvise. I made the turkey taco salad with (leftover from Sunday's dinner) turkey taco meat & black beans, salsa, a dollop of greek yogurt and about 4 tortilla chips crumbled.

AFTERNOON SNACK
Strawberry greek yogurt

DINNER
Homemade falafel burger on a whole wheat bun with sweet potato fries.

The plan called for us to have Miso Salmon for dinner tonight but we're not big salmon fans in this family so I subbed tomorrow night's dinner instead. The dinner said a "veggie burger" which I assume meant a frozen pre-made veggie burger, but I decided to take it a step further and make my own homemade meatless burger.

I used a falafel burger recipe from one of my favorite blogs, Can You Stay For Dinner?. She has one of the best food blogs EVER, an amazing weight loss story and a killer personality...check her out if you haven't already!

Anyway, these falafel burgers didn't disappoint! They were delish...even my meat-loving husband agreed.
Falafel Burgers
Source: Can You Stay For Dinner?
Yield: 4 Burgers

Ingredients

For the burgers:
2 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1 small red onion, chopped
2 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 large handful parsley, chopped (I used cilantro instead)
4 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon coriander
1 tablespoon chili powder (we were out so I used smoked paprika)
1 ½ teaspoons turmeric
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup vegetable oil

For the Tahini Sauce:
½ cup tahini paste
3 tablespoons water
Zest and juice of 2 lemons

Preparation
Step 1
Combine the chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, flour, spices, and salt in a food processor, and pulse until the mixture is well combined. Form the mixture into 4 large patties.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook burgers for about 3 minutes per side.
Step 3
Make the tahini sauce: Whisk the tahini paste with the water, lemon juice and zest, salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a mixing bowl.
Step 4
Serve the burgers in pita pockets or on a bun. Top them with tahini sauce, lettuce, and tomato.

DESSERT

I haven't gotten the urge for a sweet yet, but if I do I'm planning on grabbing a small handful of Junior Mints for dessert (my favorite candy ever)!

FITNESS

The plan didn't call for any exercise today but I did a 3.35 mile jog/walk. It was supposed to be strictly a jog but I had to stop about 2.25 miles in because my legs are so sore from yesterday's workout and they just weren't wanting to keep going. So I walked the rest and called it a day.

CONCLUSION

I feel a little guilty that I strayed from the plan so much today, but I think I still managed to make good swaps and healthy decisions. You gotta do what you gotta do!

P.S. This whole blogging everything you eat throughout the day thing is EXHAUSTING and takes me forever! I'm so glad I'm only doing this for one week! I have no idea how the healthy living bloggers do it with 3 posts a day, everyday.

Your Best Body Challenge - Day 1

2011-04-11T21:31:00.004-05:00

So today was day numero uno of the Best Body Challenge Week! I'd say it was a good first day, although I did find myself with a few obstacles and making a few minor tweaks to the plan to keep me happy. :)

Here is what the plan called for:

And here is how things actually went down:

BREAKFAST

2 scrambled eggs + 1 egg white + whole wheat toast (I can't eat eggs without toast) + coffee

plus half a grapefruit

MORNING SNACK

I skipped snack #1 because I wasn't hungry between breakfast and lunch.

LUNCH
Turkey wrap made with 4 slices of deli-style turkey, a sprinkle of shredded mozarella cheese, dijon mustard & some spring greens all rolled up in a whole wheat tortilla.

On the side I had a sliced apple and a tablespoon of peanut butter (which I justified was okay since I skipped the morning snack).

AFTERNOON SNACK

Sargento Light String Cheese. After I finished the snack I was still hungry and knew I wouldn't make it til dinner without a little more, so I actually ate a 2nd string cheese. This particular brand is only 50 calories per piece so my snack was still only 100 calories.

DINNER

Spicy Chicken Pasta + a side salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette

I adapted the recipe a bit to increase a lot of the amounts so we would have enough to satisfy my husband's hungry tummy. I also added a few things that I thought would make the flavor better (chili powder in marinara sauce just didn't appeal to me).

Spicy Chicken Pasta
adapted from Women's Health Magazine

serves 3-4

6.5 oz thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta (about half a box)
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks (about 2 breasts)
1 tsp flour
2 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1.5 cups spaghetti sauce
salt & pepper to taste
1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain.

As pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion and garlic until the onion starts to get tender.

Add the chicken, red pepper flakes, cayenne, paprika & Italian seasoning to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is almost completely cooked through.

Mix the flour and the water in a small bowl. Pour the spaghetti sauce and flour mixture into the skillet. Add a little water to the pan if you need to thin out the sauce. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Pour the cooked pasta into the pan with the sauce and mix well. Add salt & pepper to taste and sprinkle fresh basil on top.

DESSERT

Okay so according to the plan there is no dessert option for tonight, but I have to at least have something sweet at night so I am planning on eating one small square of Lindt Dark Chocolate (unpictured because I haven't eaten it yet).

FITNESS

I did two back-to-back sets of all the strength training exercises in the "best workout for a pear-shaped body".

Then I followed it up with the "Smart Cardio Intervals":
I did my "maximum effort" intervals at 7.0mph on the treadmill and my "recover" intervals walking at 3.6mph. The whole thing took about 30 minutes and I think I burned around 300 calories. I was a schweaty mess when it was all over!

CONCLUSION

I think I did pretty darn good today! Other than the time in the afternoon when I was hungry, I felt satiated most of the day.

I'm already thinking though that this won't last more than a week because I didn't really like being confined to a set plan. I tend to just go with my cravings, so it's hard when I want something but "can't" have it. For example, for breakfast I really wanted my usual peanut butter & banana oatmeal, but the plan called for eggs. I decided to stick to the plan as closely as possible for just a week as an experiment of sorts, but I don't see myself continuing with it after the week is up.

We shall see!

This Week in Fitness

2011-04-11T13:22:00.000-05:00

(Source)

Monday 4/4: 10 lb Slimdown Lower + 10 lb Slimdown Upper + 20-min Treadmill Hill Workout

Tuesday 4/5: 31 minute jog (~3.07 miles)

Wednesday 4/6: 30 Day Shred Level 3 + Quick & Dirty 20-minute HIIT Workout (scroll down for the workout)

Thursday 4/7: 50-min walk with Husband and Dog + Yoga to the People 60-min podcast (they're FREE on iTunes!)

Friday 4/8: 34 minute jog (~3.25 miles) + Tone it Up's Lean Abs Pyramid (Only took about 10 minutes and was an ab burner!)

Saturday 4/9: Rest day

Sunday 4/10: 39 minute jog (~3.85 miles) (I wasn't expecting to go for more than 3.25 miles, but I felt great so I just kept going!)

Quick & Dirty 20-minute HIIT Workout
0-4 min = warm up walk
4-5 = sprint
5-6 = power walk
6-17 = repeat 1 min sprint/1 min walk
17-21 = cool down walk

Favorite Fitness Moment of the Week: Discovering the free yoga podcasts on iTunes! It was challenging to only have the voice telling you what to do and not being able to see it in action, but I really enjoyed it. I am constantly amazed at how many great FREE fitness opportunities there are out there! You don't have to spend a lot of money on a gym membership to get a great workout.

Favorite Fitness Tune of the Week: This week my "tune" is a little different...I actually started listening to an audio book during my runs! I bought the book Cutting for Stone via iTunes and the time seems to fly by! One of my biggest problems during runs is that I can't get out of my own head ("when is this going to be over?" or "I'm going so slow"), so having the distraction of a book is really helpful.

Have you ever tried listening to an audio book while you workout? What did you think?

Your Best Body Challenge

2011-04-09T14:29:00.003-05:00

Today on Twitter I saw a link to the Women's Health magazine "Your Best Body" workout and diet plan. I clicked on it and immediately thought, "I should do this! This looks totally doable!" I've been lacking in my ability to plan our meals in advance lately, so I thought this would be a great way to get myself back into a routine.

Also, I am looking at this as kind of an experiment of sorts. I generally eat very healthy throughout the week; lots of fruit & veggies, whole grains only, lean meats, etc. but I am curious to see if following a set plan will jump start weight loss. (My weight has been kind of stagnant lately, despite my healthy eating & fitness habits. I'm not looking to lose a lot more weight (I've already lost about 12 pounds), but I wouldn't mind another 5 or so pounds coming off!)

The "Your Best Body" plan seems very easy to follow and self-explanatory. They have recipes, eating out tips, shopping lists, and more all for FREE on the website! The recipes are simple and not too complicated if you're new to cooking.

Anyway, the reason I'm going on and on about this is because I am going to do the "Your Best Body" plan for one week and I'm going to try to post daily about how it's going for the next week. I know only a week may seem kind of silly, but I am hesitant to commit to longer than that for now. Maybe I will continue after a week, maybe I won't. We shall see.

Today I downloaded the Week 1 shopping list, went to the grocery store and stocked up on all the items I didn't have in my pantry or fridge already. I was expecting it to be a super-expensive grocery bill, but it was actually LESS than I normal spend at the grocery store for a week! Bonus!

I'm also planning on loosely following the "Your Best Body" workout plan for a pear-shaped body type. They have workout plans designed specifically for all the different body types! Cool, right? (I'm not going to follow the fitness plan exactly though because I do still want to keep up with my running 3x per week and yoga 1x per week.)

So that's it! I'm starting officially on Monday, but I wanted to post about it today just in case any of you guys want to follow along and participate with me! You should still have plenty of time to run to the grocery store and stock up on supplies.

So, any takers? :)

March Favorites

2011-04-06T12:25:00.000-05:00

First, let me preface this post by saying that I PROMISE there are some great food-related posts coming soon to Cupcakes and Combat Boots! I've been cooking as normal, but for some reason I've been procrastinating doing the posts. I've made it my goal to get three or four recipe posts done in the next few days so stay tuned!

Now, moving on, I thought I'd share some of the new things I've been loving lately. These posts always give me great ideas when other people do them, so hopefully they'll do the same for you!

1. Chia Seeds

(Source)

Chia Seeds are a great source of Omega-3's (even better than flax seeds), high in fiber, and have many other health benefits which you can read about here. I'd been wanting to try chia seeds for a while now but could never find them in stores (though I believe they do carry them in Whole Foods), so I bit the bullet and just ordered a package of them through Amazon. Since receiving them in the mail, I've been loving adding them to smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, pancakes, etc.

2. Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover

(Source)

In this post back in January I wrote about loving Garnier Moisture Rescue face wash, but I started to change my mind about it after using it for a while. Yes, it did keep my face moisturized, but I couldn't stand the residue that it left behind on my face and the fact that it didn't do a very good job of getting my eye makeup off. I like cleaning my face and having it LOOK AND FEEL CLEAN, not have a layer of gunk leftover. I was on the lookout for a face wash that didn't leave a residue, but also didn't strip my natural oils too much. So I stumbled upon this new Neutrogena Naturals line of products and immediately plunked down the $6.99 to try the "Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover" face wash. And I LOVE IT!!! It's exactly what I was looking for (removes makeup, leaves me feeling fresh and clean but not dry), AND it smells fantastic!

3. Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo

(Source)

I love the idea of dry shampoo, but I hadn't been really impressed with the products I'd tried in the past. They left a gummy texture and usually a white residue in my hair that really didn't make my hair look or feel clean. Then I spotted this Suave Professionals version of dry shampoo and decided it was worth the $2.99 price tag to give it a shot. My verdict is: TWO THUMBS UP! I couldn't believe how good it smells (it reminds me of candy) and it doesn't leave any weird texture or white residue in my hair. Seriously, buy this stuff!

4. Intak by Thermos water bottle

(Source)

I've always been bad about drinking enough water, but as part of my new healthy living routine I decided to make drinking water a priority. In order to kick start my new priority, I bought an intak by Thermos water bottle (found it at Target). Turns out having a new water bottle DOES help me drink more water! I love this thing! It has a lid that snaps securely shut and locks so I can toss it in a bag and not worry about it leaking. It also has a "water intake gauge" on it where you can turn the dial each time you fill up the bottle so you can keep track of how much you're drinking throughout the day. Oh and the all-time best thing about it? It's dishwasher safe! :)

5. Tabbed Socks

(Source)

This is kind of a random one, but I swear by athletic socks with the little extra tabs on the back! Why? Because I've always had issues with my ankle socks falling down as I run or workout and then I end up with major blisters on the backs of my heels. Not fun! But these socks solve that problem because the tab causes the sock to stay put above your shoe and not work its way down your heel. I buy my tabbed socks from Target (the ones pictured above aren't the exact ones I wear, just the closest picture I could find) and they're pretty cheap!

There you have it! What are your March favorites??

Oh, and one thing I'm NOT loving lately? This potential "government shut down" that would mean our troops won't get paid for who knows how long (but still expected to report to work as usual). This is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE to me. Our troops are putting their lives on the line everyday and they should be the LAST people to have their pay cut off. President Obama needs to get his act together and PREVENT this from happening, instead of continuing to reject solutions.

End of vent.

This Week in Fitness

2011-04-04T09:50:00.001-05:00

(Source)

Monday 3/28: Fitness 360 Cardio + Fitness 360 Total Tone (each about 20 min. long and each from Exercise OnDemand) + this 20 Minute Treadmill Hill Workout

Tuesday 3/29: Couch to 5K Week 9, Day 3 ~30 minute jog (LAST day of the program!!)

Wednesday 3/30: 45 minute Spin Class + 10 minutes of ab work

Thursday 3/31: 31 minute jog (~3.06 miles) + Bethenny Frankel Yoga (Exercise OnDemand)

Friday 4/1: None

Saturday 4/2: 31 minute jog (~3 miles)

Sunday 4/3: 40 minute walking incline intervals on treadmill (didn't follow a specific routine...just kept changing my incline so that I was working up a sweat)

Favorite Fitness Moment of the Week: Definitely completing the Couch to 5K program! I am SO NOT A RUNNER and I've always hated running, so this is huge for me. I even tried doing Couch to 5K twice before but ended up quitting before I completed it, so I'm so proud of myself for sticking with it this time. I'm now able to run for at least 30 minutes (about 3 miles) and I'm working on gradually increasing my pace and my distance. I'm also looking into signing up for my first EVER 5K race! I've always wanted to run in a 5K but never wanted to embarrass myself....now I can run confidently! If you're interested in the Couch to 5K program, I highly recommend the iPhone or iPod app...it makes your life so much easier because it tells you when to run/walk. But even if you don't have the app, you can follow this written plan.

Favorite Fitness Tune of the Week: "Fighter" by Christina Aguilera - Whenever this song comes on during my jogs it always pumps me up and makes me want to push harder. Love it!

Another great week in fitness, if you ask me!

How did you do this week?

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #36

2011-04-01T18:22:00.003-05:00

It's that time again! For more info on the Fill-In and to check out other spouses' answers to the questions, visit Wife of a Sailor's blog.

1. What romance movie scene reminds you of your s/o or spouse and the LOVE you share?

This was a tough one! But after careful thought and discussion with my husband, we have decided that we are most like the couple from The Proposal (played by Sandra Bullock & Ryan Reynolds). She is neurotic, independent, assertive and a little demanding; he is sweet-natured, funny and easy-going. Despite their differences, somehow they just work together! (FYI I fully realize that this description of me makes me seem like the Wicked Witch of the West but oh well! I am who I am!)

2. If you were allowed to deploy with your husband to a war zone would you and why?
My husband says he wouldn't let me even if I wanted to (b/c of the danger), so I guess the answer is no. :) But if it was a deployment to a non-combat zone then I would definitely consider it!

3. Have you ever done anything (intentionally, or unintentionally) to embarrass your spouse/significant other in front of his military cohorts?
Besides just my general lack of knowledge about military terms and things, I don't think I've done anything to terrible to embarrass him in front of his military peeps. I'm usually on my best behavior when we're around his coworkers, but I'm SURE I've embarrassed him many times in other circumstances!

4. What is your most irrational fear?
I have a strange (but serious) phobia of lizards, especially geckos. ::::shudder:::: I don't even know where it came from but they make me have mini-panic attacks. It is SO IRRATIONAL and it makes me mad that I am so not in control of myself, so I've decided that this year is the year I'm going to get over this stupid fear. I'm not sure how I'm going to do it but I will do my best to overcome it!

5. If you could only live in one kind of climate for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Somewhere mild. Ideally I would live somewhere with 4 distinct seasons, but where the winters aren't too brutal (though I still want it to snow a couple times a year!). I'm okay with heat, but I'm a wimp in the cold.

This Week in Fitness

2011-03-28T09:55:00.003-05:00

Monday 3/21: 10 lb Slimdown Blast + 10 lb Slimdown Core (Exercise OnDemand)

Tuesday 3/22: Couch to 5K Week 8, Day 3 (28 min. jog) + 10 lb Slimdown Yoga (Exercise OnDemand)

Wednesday 3/23: 45 minute Spin Class + some ab work afterwards

Thursday 3/24: Couch to 5K Week 9, Day 1 (30 min. jog) + Yoga Fitness Plus (Exercise OnDemand) (though I only did about half b/c it was too hard for my (beginner) level of yoga!)

Friday 3/25: Bodyrock.tv "Hot Mess" workout, using dumbbells instead of a "sandbag" (I was DEFINITELY a hot mess afterwards...it was killer!)

Saturday 3/26: Couch to 5K Week 9, Day 2 (30 min. jog)

Sunday 3/27: Planned on a Rest Day but ended up doing a 30 minute jog just because I felt like it.

Favorite Fitness Moment of the Week: I'd say my favorite moment was probably on Sunday when I had an urge to go running just because! This is huge for me, as I've always been a non-runner, so I was amazed that I was actually wanting to run and I really enjoyed it!

Favorite Workout Tune of the Week: (in honor of my "Hot Mess" Bodyrock workout)

I'm very happy with this week of workouts. I kicked my own butt! I must say, I am totally understanding the whole "the more you workout, the more addicted you get" thing now. I crave the sweat and the feeling of accomplishment that I get! Plus, it's fun to challenge myself and see if I can achieve things I never thought possible.

I guess you could say I'm on a fitness-high this week! :)

Hope you all had a wonderful week of fitness too!

2011 Book List

2011-03-27T18:29:00.004-05:00

Here are the latest books that I've read since my last post about books I've read in 2011. Feel free to click on the links to take you to my full Goodreads.com bookshelves to browse around.

(P.S. It's amazing how much more reading I can get done when I don't have a job! I've already read almost as many books as I read in all of 2010!)

Breaking the Silence by Diane Chamberlain

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a great read and a definite page-turner! It left me wanting to read more of Diane Chamberlain's books.

View all my reviews

The Bright Forever by Lee Martin

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

While I do believe this is a well-written book, I found it a little too disturbing and depressing to go around recommending it to all my friends. I tend to like when reading a book is an enjoyable experience so I have a hard time falling in love with books based around a plot (in this case, the disappearance of a young girl). It wasn't for me, but I can see how others would like it!

View all my reviews

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The author of this book is actually a close friend of my in-laws so I may be biased, but I enjoyed reading this book much more than I anticipated. When I first heard it was a "children's book" I was more than a little skeptical. My mother-in-law assured me that it was a great story for all ages, and she was right!

View all my reviews

Room by Emma Donoghue

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Interesting book. Took me quite a while to get used to reading it through a 5 year old child's perspective, but once I did it was very enthralling!

View all my reviews

My Name Is Memory by Ann Brashares

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Loved this book! I actually listened to it on audio book but I found myself wanting to get in my car and drive around just so I could listen to it! It was an enthralling story with love, adventure, mystery and fantasy. My only disappointment in this book was I thought the ending left a lot to be desired.

View all my reviews

Chicken Pot Pie

2011-03-26T12:00:00.000-05:00

Chicken Pot Pie is and always will be one of my ultimate comfort foods. I just love it.

Something about the creamy sauce, tender veggies & chicken and the flaky pastry crust just makes me swoon.

I hadn't made a good homemade chicken pot pie in far too long, so I decided that now was the time to do it (before it gets to be hot as hades and comfort food doesn't sound as appealing)!

I loosely based my recipe off of Alton's Curry Chicken Pot Pie. I really wanted to try the curry pot pie version but that was unfortunately nixed by the husband, who happens to be a curry-hater. :::sad face:::

So instead I just winged it and vaguely followed Alton's method. I tried to make my version very veggie-heavy to increase the nutrition a bit. I think even a veggie-hater would love this dish since the veggies are smothered in a creamy sauce!

It turned out really well so I think I'll file this one away for future reference when a pot pie craving hits. :)

Chicken Pot Pie
source: loosely based on this recipe

Serves 4-6 people, depending on portion sizes

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrot, chopped
1 baking potato, peeled and chopped
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, corn)
1/2 packet of Ranch dressing mix
3 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (*see notes below)
1 sheet packaged puff pastry, thawed

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.

Add onion, celery, carrot and potato and cook for about 10 minutes, until the veggies soften. Add in the frozen veggies and continue to cook until they are thawed and heated through.

Stir in the Ranch dressing and the flour and continue to stir while it cooks, about 1-2 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and the milk and stir frequently until the mixture thickens a bit (about 3-5 minutes).

Stir in the rest of the ingredients, except for the puff pastry, and cook until everything is heated through (about 2 minutes).

Pour the mixture into a square baking pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Place the sheet of puff pastry on top of the mixture.

Cook at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the puff pastry has browned and the mixture looks bubbly.

*Notes: I didn't have any leftover cooked chicken to use for this recipe so I just cooked 3 chicken breasts with about 1/2 cup of chicken broth in a slow cooker on low for 7 hours. Works every time for perfect, tender chicken!

Feel free to increase, decrease or substitute the veggies to your liking!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #35

2011-03-25T10:33:00.003-05:00

It's that time again! For more info on the Fill-In and to check out other spouses' answers to the questions, visit Wife of a Sailor's blog.

1. What is your must-have gadget?

I don't think I can decide on just one! It depends on the category we're talking about.
Beauty = Hot Tools curling iron
Fitness = my iPod
Kitchen = Cuisinart Food Processor
Blogging = DSLR camera (Canon Rebel)

2. How does your adulthood compare to what you imagined it would be like as a little kid?

As a kid I thought I would be a veterinarian, married to a Texas cowboy, and have 2 kids by now! I definitely never thought I would end up married to a Kansas-born soldier and be living as an Army wife with no kids at the age of (almost) 26....but I wouldn't change anything! I love my life and I'm so happy I married my non-Texan guy. ;-)

3. What is your favorite chocolate recipe?

Double Chocolate Caramel Cookies were the bomb! As a quick and easy option, I'm also loving Single Serving Healthier Brownies these days.

4. How do you deal with military life when it gets to be too much or too hard?

I vent about it and get it out, either to my friends & family or on my blog. Here's a link to some of my venting-about-Army-life posts. Also I do something to get my mind off of it, such as working out, reading a book, hanging out with friends, etc. And finally, I try to remind myself of all the blessings in my life (easier said than done) and that "this too shall pass".

5. What piece of advice would you give a new military spouse facing their first deployment?

Oh gosh, there's so much I would say (and do say, when given the chance)!
~I know it's scary, but you WILL GET THROUGH IT. Have faith in yourself that you are a strong, independent woman and you will be fine. I doubted my ability to cope with a deployment wayyyy too much before our first one and it just made me (and him) miserable in the weeks leading up to his deployment.
~Stay busy and make sure you plan things to look forward to. A fun trip, a party, a night out, a spa day, etc. You still need to get out and have FUN while he's gone...don't feel like you have to stay in and be miserable!!
~Communicate and stay connected! If his phone access is limited, try sending him a daily email or send him weekly care packages with a hand-written love letter. Just try to stay connected in each others lives as much as possible. At first my way of coping with deployment was sometimes to try and shut him out of my life so I didn't have to feel the pain of him being gone. That is NOT GOOD! Learn from my mistakes! :)

Okay I'll stop there...it's a topic I'm passionate about obviously! :) Great questions this week!

This Week in Fitness

2011-03-22T12:23:00.005-05:00

I thought I'd start a new "segment" on the blog where I post what I did in the past week with regards to fitness.

There are two reasons for me doing this:

1. It will keep me accountable because I won't want to post "uh....I lifted the remote and food to my mouth" as my only workout for the week.

2. I enjoy reading what other people do for fitness as inspiration, so maybe you all will enjoy it as well.

I'm not quite sure what day of the week I will normally post the weekly fitness recap, but today it's going up on Tuesday. I'm thinking Monday or Friday would make the most sense, but I have a terrible memory so more than likely I will post it whenever the heck I remember.

So without further adieu, here is my first "This Week in Fitness" post!

Monday 3/14: Couch to 5K Week 8, Day 1 (jog for 28 minutes). Have I mentioned that I'm doing the Couch to 5k program? + 10 lb Slimdown Yoga (Exercise OnDemand)

Tuesday 3/15: The Firm Get Chisel'd DVD

Wednesday 3/16: 1.5 hour hike with my parents (They came to visit!)

Thursday 3/17: Couch to 5K Week 8, Day 2 (jog for 28 minutes).

Friday 3/18: Nothin'! Unless you consider laying by the pool at a resort in Tucson to be "exercise". No? Ok.

Saturday 3/19: Nada! Took my parents to the airport and then took a 3 hour nap. :)

Sunday 3/20: Nada. Zip. Zilch. It wasn't a good weekend for fitness but it was a great weekend for napping...I took another 3 hour nap! I don't know what was wrong with me but I was soooo tired!

Monday 3/21: 10 lb Slimdown Blast + 10 lb Slimdown Core (Exercise OnDemand)

Favorite Fitness Moment of the Week: Hiking with my parents. I loved every moment!

Favorite Workout Tune of the Week: "Do You Wanna Touch Me" Glee Cast feat. Gwyneth Paltrow

So that's it! It wasn't the best fitness week ever, but I'm okay with it since I spent time relaxing and enjoying my parents being in town.

What was your favorite fitness moment of the week??

Single Serving Healthier Brownie

2011-03-21T22:20:00.006-05:00

Sometimes a craving hits me and I don't even really know where it came from.

For example, tonight I had a serious craving for brownies.

FYI I don't even like brownies (normally). They don't even tempt me (normally). I'd much rather have a cookie or a piece of pie or even a blondie (normally).

But tonight, I wanted brownies and I wanted them NOW.

The only teensy problem was that I had no eggs in the house and I was too lazy to make a whole batch of them. Plus, I didn't want a whole bunch of extra brownies sitting around the house for the next few days.

So I typed "single serving brownies" into good 'ole Google and found a recipe on Sparkpeople that looked perfect. Plus, it's healthy(ish), since it doesn't call for any butter or eggs! Bonus!

These turned out pretty darn good for a healthy and simple recipe! I was pleasantly surprised, as was the Hubs.

They totally fulfilled my need-a-brownie-now craving. I hope it does the same for you, if a Brownie Emergency arises in the future.

Single Serving Healthier Brownie
adapted from Sparkpeople

Serves one.

1 Tbsp whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
a pinch of baking soda
a pinch of salt
1 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce or non-fat vanilla yogurt (I used applesauce)
splash of milk to thin it out as needed (I used almond milk)

Topping of choice (whipped cream, mini-chocolate chips, etc.)

Combine dry ingredients and mix well. Add wet ingredients and stir until combined. The batter should be about like the consistency of pancake batter so add more milk if needed to thin it out.

Spray a microwave-safe dish (such as a ramekin or a coffee mug) with cooking spray and then pour in the batter. Microwave for about 60 seconds.

Top with mini chocolate chips, whipped cream, or other toppings of choice.

P.S. I realized as I was making the brownie that this would be the perfect dessert recipe for a military wife with a deployed spouse! When Hubs was deployed, I always craved sweets but never felt inspired to bake when it was just me around the house. Definitely tucking this recipe away for the next deployment!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

2011-03-14T11:31:00.004-05:00

Sooo ummm...Don't hate me when I share this recipe with you.

Because this recipe is FAR from healthy.

In fact, it's sinful.

But if you don't make these cupcakes at some point, you won't know what you're missing out on....foodgasmic is one word that comes to mind.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes.

(Wipe the drool off your keyboard now.)

And, for the record, these are Worth. Every. Calorie. Trust me.

Just add in an extra 30 minutes of cardio and enjoy every last morsel of these scrumdiddlyumptious (LOL) cupcakes.

I came across these while searching for a good cupcake recipe to take to a party. I knew Annie of Annie's Eats is the queen of all things cupcake so I stopped by her blog for a looksie. I was not disappointed when I saw this gem of a recipe calling my name.

Chocolate chip cookie + Cupcake = BRILLIANT!! Two of my favorite desserts packed into ONE dessert.

I did take some liberties and simplified the recipe a bit. The original recipe called for stuffing the inside of the cupcakes with actual cookie dough AND topping the cupcakes with mini-chocolate chip cookies. I figured my brain (and waistline) would probably explode if I went that far, so I kept it to just chocolate chip cookie cupcakes with chocolate chip cookie icing.

They were so delicious as-is that I can only imagine the foodgasms that would result from trying the original recipe as-written.

The recipe below is how I made them (I also halved the original recipe), but please go check out Annie's blog for the original version as well (but be prepared for your pants to fit tighter just by looking at it).

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

Source: Annie's Eats (adapted slightly)

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:
1.5 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:
1.5 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tbsp. milk
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

For decoration:
Mini chocolate chips

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners (12 total). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners, filling the cups about 3/4 of the way with batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy. Mix in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

When cupcakes are completely cooled, frost them as desired (I used a star tip and a piping bag) and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips for decoration.

Ashley's Notes: Don't be scared of the flour called for in the icing. I was at first but you really can't taste it at all. It just helps to give the icing a more cookie dough-like flavor. Also, if you don't have a piping bag a zip-top bag works just as well for piping icing.

Oh and, in case you were wondering, these were a big hit at the party I went to.

Duh.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #33

2011-03-11T08:00:00.001-06:00

It's that time again! For more info on the Fill-In, visit Wife of a Sailor's blog.

1. During military separations (whether short or long) how do you keep yourself positive and motivated?
I can't say enough about FRIENDS when it comes to getting through a deployment. Friends, especially fellow Army-wives who know exactly what you're going through, are crucial. When one of you is down, the others can lift you back up. Friends also keep you occupied, distracted and laughing.

Also, I try not to focus on how much time is LEFT in the deployment, but rather how much time we've already accomplished. It may seem silly, but for some reason that really helped me.

2. What is your favorite concert you have ever been to?
Michael Buble. Hands down! That man knows how to entertain (and he's dreamy)!

3. What do you miss most about your “hometown”?
I think I really just miss my family the most. I can find positive things in any new place of living, but I can't replace the void created by my family being hundreds (or thousands) of miles away.

But if I'm forced to come up with a less-mushy response I would say I miss the MEXICAN FOOD the most! It just isn't the same anywhere else. Tex-Mex RULES! :)

4. If you could run in any race, which charity would you choose to support?
I wish I could support all cancer-related charities but I have a soft spot in my heart for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society because my cousin, Thomas, was diagnosed with Leukemia a couple years ago. It's such a scary disease and no child (or anyone really) should ever have to deal with it. (Luckily, Thomas is doing GREAT after a successful bone marrow transplant, which you can read more about in this post.)

5. You find out Willy Wonka is your father, what 3 course meal do you INSIST he create in that stick of gum?
Fried Pickles, Cheese Burger w/ fries, and a Banana Split. Why? Because that's a suuuuper fattening meal that I love and it would be great if I could get it in one piece of calorie-free gum. :)

What was YOUR favorite concert ever?

Nutella Macaroons a.k.a. Coconut Heaven

2011-03-10T15:45:00.001-06:00

Lately I've been loving on coconut. Coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut butter, and (most of all) coconut DESSERTS!

I think its partially because it's a delicious way to add some richness and creaminess to foods, but mostly because my husband is a Coconut Hater. You know what that means? That means anything I make with coconut in it is ALL MINE!! Muahahaha!

And boy oh boy, do I ever have a doozie of a coconut recipe for you! I spotted the recipe for these macaroons on Oh She Glows and was shocked at how it didn't call for any flour or butter.

The "butter" is actually made from grinding up coconut flakes until they release their oils and becomes coconut butter! How cool is that?!

Note: This is not how the coconut butter should look....you have to keep processing it until it turns into a smooth oil-like consistency. I just forgot to take a pic of the finished coconut butter. Oopsie!

And, although the original recipe is brilliant on it's own, I just couldn't leave well-enough alone.

So I added Nutella. Because EVERYTHING is better with Nutella.

So if you're a coconut lover, MAKE THESE! Immediately. Because they are really amazing.

Nutella Macaroons

Adapted slightly from Oh She Glows
Yield: ~22 macaroons.

Ingredients:
• 2 2/3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut (to make coconut butter)
• 2 (additional) cups shredded unsweetened coconut
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 vanilla bean (just omit this if you don't have it - no biggie!)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 heaping Tbsp Nutella
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300F and line a baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment. In a food processor, process 2 and 2/3 cups of shredded coconut for about 5-8 minutes until coconut butter forms. You will have to keep scraping down the sides of the bowl. For a coconut butter how-to, see this post. Alternatively, you can use 1 cup of store bought coconut butter.

2. Once you have made the coconut butter, add the other ingredients to the food processor and pulse a few times until it's incorporated. (If you don't have a large enough food processor, just mix all the ingredients in a bowl...that's perfectly fine too, I just didn't want to dirty another bowl!)

3. Scoop about 1-2 tbsp of dough onto a baking sheet (with a cookie scoop, if you have it). You don’t have to leave much room in between as they do not spread out. Bake for 25-28 minutes at 300F. Watch them closely after 22-23 minutes.

4. Allow the macaroons to sit for 25 minutes so they can firm up. If you do not do this, the macaroons will crumble, so this step is crucial! Store in a sealed container at room temp (or in the fridge if you prefer).
I may or may not have gone out and bought an "economy size" bag of coconut after making this recipe so I can ALWAYS have enough coconut on hand for these macaroons! Mmmmm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Did you notice the fancy new Foodbuzz advertisements on the blog?!? Well, I'm officially a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher now! Woohoo! Basically all that means is that I get to connect with other food bloggers and maybe even earn a small (teeny tiny) amount of money off of the blog now. :)

I am submitting this post as part of the Top 9 Takeover on Foodbuzz. In a Top 9 Takeover, Foodbuzz asks all Featured Publishers to construct a post around a theme and then, for one day only, all Top 9 posts reflect that theme. Foodbuzz will donate $50 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund for this post and every other post submitted by Featured Publishers. Pretty cool, right?!

The theme for this takeover is "The Perfect Tea Party Recipe" and I happen to think that these semi-healthy, buttery and delicious macaroons would make a GREAT tea party dish!

But guess what?! YOU can participate too and help raise money for a great cause! Go to the Kelly Confidential website and pick out a perfect tea party outfit and Electrolux will donate $1 to the fund!

Cancer is something that affects EVERYONE in one way or another so whenever I can find an opportunity to help find a cure for ANY kind of cancer, you better believe I'm going to take it! I hope you feel the same way too and we can all pitch in to raise lots of money for this worthy cause! (Plus, you get to pick out a cute virtual outfit while you're at it!) :)

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-03-04T08:00:00.001-06:00

Here are my MilSpouse Friday Fill-In answers! (For more info on the Fill-In visit Wife of a Sailor's blog.)

1. Do you or your {spouse} ever wish your {spouse} was in a different branch of the military?
Sometimes I wish he was in the Air Force because of the shorter deployments and because I think Air Force has some of the best base locations. But Hubs would probably not be happy in the Air Force...he's an Army guy all the way! Hooah!

2. What duty station(s) are on your “No Way, Hell No, Not Going, Have Fun Unaccompanied” list and why?
The only one location that I would probably not accompany him to is Korea, but those are usually unaccompanied tours anyway (from what I've heard). If we're talking about duty stations that I reeeeeeally don't want to ever go to that would be Fort Drum, NY & anything in Alaska....I don't do cold weather very well. :)

3. If you could be one age forever, what age would you choose and why?
Ohhh this is a good one! I guess I would be 29 (I'm almost 26 now) because I'd still be in my twenties, but old enough to have lived a little.

4. If you were a breakfast cereal, which one would you be?
I would be Special K Vanilla Almond because it's slightly healthy, but has a sweet side and it has a little something special in it (almonds).

(source)

5. What is your morning beverage of choice and why?
Definitely coffee with flavored creamer (a lot). I don't feel complete until I've had my coffee in the morning.

(source)

A Meal Made for a 9 Year Old

2011-03-03T20:47:00.006-06:00

I made my husband a very happy man last night.

Those of you having dirty thoughts right now, get your minds out of the gutter! :)

It wasn't because of that, it was because I made a meal that would make 9 year olds the world over jump up and down with excitement.

Buffalo Chicken Fingers and....

Mac 'n Cheese

In our house we pretty much swoon over anything buffalo-flavored and anything draped in cheese, so these foods are an obvious hit for us. But I've tried making healthier recipes for both of these items in the past and was totally unimpressed. I either ended up with soggy chicken fingers or not-so-cheesey mac. Not cool.

These recipes, however, totally accomplished the healthy-yet-delicious feat that I was searching for. The chicken tenders were perfectly crispy and tender and the mac was awesomely cheesy and creamy.

The Mac 'n Cheese actually has canned pumpkin in it for added nutrition, but I waited to tell Hubs that until after he tried it and began singing its praises. I'm sneaky like that!

The overall verdict on this meal was that "I can feel free to make this meal every week, or actually every day if you want"....and that is a direct quote from the Hubs.

Lightened-Up Buffalo Chicken Fingers
source: adapted slightly from the Active Foodie

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
2 tablespoons Frank's Red Hot
1 cup low fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup panko crumbs or whole wheat bread crumbs
1/2 cup crushed whole wheat Saltine crackers - about 10 crackers
8 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Cooking spray (olive or canola oil)
1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot

Preparation

Whisk together chili-garlic sauce, Frank's, buttermilk, vinegar and salt. Add chicken and marinate for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight (I only marinated for 2 hours and it still turned out great).
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray wire rack with cooking spray.
Combine panko, cracker crumbs, flour, paprika, cayenne and salt in a large bowl.
Dredge chicken in flour mixture, shake off excess and place on wire rack. Repeat with all chicken pieces.
Spray chicken breasts with cooking spray, making sure to hit all parts of the chicken.
Cook for 10 minutes. Take out, turn chicken pieces over, spray again, and return to oven for another 5-10 minutes, or until all pieces are golden brown and crispy.
When chicken strips are done, brush them with Frank's Red Hot (or just pour it over like I did). Serve immediately after topping them with sauce (otherwise they will get a little soggy).

Note: After I started cooking I realized I didn't have enough panko or whole wheat breadcrumbs, so I crushed up the Saltines to substitute. We ended up really liking the addition of the cracker crumbs, so I'll probably make them that way from now on. But if you don't want to use the cracker crumbs, feel free to just double the amount of breadcrumbs.

Lightened-Up Mac 'n Cheese
Source: adapted from Meals & Moves

Ingredients:

-3 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni
-2 cups broccoli florets (cut into small pieces)
-1.5 cups part-skim ricotta
1/2 cup 1% milk
-1/2 cup canned pumpkin
-a couple dashes of hot sauce
-3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar
-1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
-salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Boil noodles according to package directions and toss in the broccoli for the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain well.

While pasta is cooking, combine ricotta, milk, pumpkin, hot sauce, salt & pepper in a large bowl. Stir well so that the mixture is completely incorporated and smooth.

Add drained pasta and cheese to the sauce and stir to incorporate. Pour the whole mixture into a square 9x9 inch pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over the top.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking another 10-15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly.

Enjoy!

Note: Janetha's original recipe called for cottage cheese (blended until smooth) instead of ricotta, but I didn't have it so I just thinned out ricotta with milk instead. This method saves you from having to clean an extra dish (the blender) and it turned out great. However, I'm still curious to try the cottage cheese blender method sometime soon! Click here to check out her method!

Also, I think the addition of the broccoli was a great way to add some extra veggies in the mix, but feel free to omit that if you'd like. If you don't use the broccoli, you will want to increase the pasta to 4 cups total.

Last but not least, don't worry - you CANNOT taste the pumpkin in this at all. I promise! Even the Hubs says so. :)

"Decadent" Chocolate Raspberry Oat Bran

2011-02-25T15:23:00.005-06:00

I had a request in the comments section for the recipe for my Chocolate Raspberry Oat Bran so I figured I'd just make a new post about it instead of responding in the comments.

As I mentioned before, I love oat bran because it's smoother than rolled oats, but you could easily do this with rolled oats as well. The cooking time would just vary a bit.

I really don't know if this even qualifies as a "recipe" but here it is nonetheless!

"Decadent" Chocolate Raspberry Oat Bran
source: me

1/4 cup oat bran
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup almond milk (or regular milk)
1/2 a banana, thinly sliced
1/3 cup frozen or fresh raspberries

1 tablespoon Nutella or other chocolate nut butter

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small pot and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-high. Stir vigorously every minute or so until it thickens to the consistency that you want (usually mine takes about 5 minutes). The raspberries and the banana will completely disintegrate into the mixture so that there won't be any chunks (though if you want chunks you could just add the raspberries or banana later).

Once the oat bran is cooked, serve and top with a dollop of Nutella.

Enjoy!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-02-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

Here are my MilSpouse Friday Fill-In answers! (For more info on the Fill-In visit Wife of a Sailor's blog.)

1. Aside from no deployments, what is one thing you would want to make the MilSpouse life “perfect”?
I think being able to stay in one place for a longer period of time would be great. Less moving! Like maybe once every 5 years instead of once every 2-3 years. :)

2. Just how many peppers did Peter Piper pick?
No idea....but if I was able to pick as many peppers as I wanted I would definitely go with 10. :)

3. If you could have any career in the world with nothing holding you back, what would you do? Food critic! I would love to get paid to travel and eat. Or host a travel show!

4. Do you have a service oriented tattoo and if so what is it. If you don’t what would you get? Nope. I'm wouldn't get one.

5. Imagine a block of time has opened up in your busy day for you to take a class in anything you like. What subject would you choose?
Photography. I keep meaning to take a class but I just never get around to it!

So for all you non-military spouses out there...what is YOUR dream job? Leave your answer in the comments!

Italian Wedding Soup

2011-02-24T17:36:00.003-06:00

The love for soup continues (despite the fact that it definitely feels more like Spring here in Southern Arizona)!

I saw this recipe for Italian Wedding Soup on the blog Food, Fitness, Fashion and I immediately bookmarked it. Well, that was back in SEPTEMBER and I'm just now getting around to making it. Sheesh!

This turned out great! It was really light and yet still filling, thanks to the pasta and meatballs. Alex wasn't a huge fan of it but he's not really a soup kinda guy....he'd rather have something manly like chili. :) He did admit that he really liked the meatballs though....surprise, surprise! (not!)

Anyway this was really good! Make it!

Gotta run now because I'm actually blogging from the Tucson airport as I wait on my flight to Houston. I think we're getting ready to board. Woohoo! Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Italian Wedding Soup
Source: adapted slightly from Food, Fitness Fashion

1 lb. ground chicken or turkey breast (I used chicken)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons egg whites
1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni
4 cups baby spinach
10 cups low sodium chicken (or veggie) broth
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon marjoram
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl, using your hands to incorporate well. Scoop out a teaspoon of meat and roll the mixture into mini meatballs with your hands. Repeat until all the chicken has been rolled into mini meatballs.

Pour the broth into a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and add the meatballs. Let the meatballs cook in the broth for about 6 minutes.

Add pasta and let it cook for about 10 minutes (or however long it takes for your pasta to cook). Once pasta is tender, add the 4 cups of spinach and let it wilt (about 2 minutes). Serve and enjoy!

A Day in the Life of Ashley's Stomach

2011-02-23T15:49:00.002-06:00

I subscribe to a lot of Healthy Living blogs in which the author documents every food that they eat every single day. While it may sound a bit over the top, I actually love reading these blogs because it gives me ideas of what to eat and make and it helps me compare my healthy habits with others.

While I could never keep up with the stress and time it takes to document everything I eat, I figured I could handle doing it for just one day. So without further adieu, I present you with A Day in the Life of Ashley's Stomach:

Breakfast:
Chocolate Raspberry Oat Bran (made with frozen raspberries and half a banana....and a spoonful of Nutella on top). And my always-necessary cup of coffee.
I love oat bran instead of oatmeal because it's smoother...more like the consistency of grits. And I love my Chocolate Raspberry version because it seems decadent, but it's really not!

Lunch:
Lefovers: a link of Italian chicken sausage, spaghetti squash & peas. I love leftovers for lunches!

Snack:
A Ruby Red Grapefruit!
I am LOVING grapefruit these days. It is so sweet and juicy and amazing. I eat them just like an orange (only I remove all the membrane parts too because they're bitter). It's a time consuming and messy snack but it's so worth it!

Dinner:
Italian Wedding Soup (recipe coming soon)

And a whole wheat biscuit with honey & margarine on the side. Actually I had two of these.

Dessert:
Two Gingersnaps. I almost always have to have something sweet after dinner, but I try to keep it small. These two gingersnaps were only 60 calories total.

So that's it for that day in my stomach!

Now, keep in mind that I almost never eat the same thing two days in a row since I'm easily bored with food (except for grapefruits...I eat one of those every day lately). Also, I really try to base my eating off the concept of "intuitive eating"....which means really paying attention to what my body is telling me. If I'm hungry for two snacks in the afternoon then I let myself have two snacks. And vice versa as well, if I'm not hungry then I wait until I am before eating.

The point I'm trying to get across is just that seeing one day of my eats is not really an accurate representation of how I eat all the time. But it's still fun!! :)

What do you think about my eats? Weird? Good? How does this compare to a day or your eating?

Fontina, Caramelized Onion & Pancetta Pizza

2011-02-23T09:17:00.005-06:00

A funny thing happens when you have a food blog (whether it be any good or not). Your friends and family start thinking of you as the "Foodie" in the group or the expert on all things cooking and/or baking.

While it's certainly flattering, I am far from an expert. But I do have a strong passion for food and I do love to cook and bake (and eat!). And because I'm passionate about these things, I have a food blog so I can share my experiences in the kitchen with all of you (whether you like it or not). :)

So when my friends email me or Facebook message me and say "I have a recipe you just HAVE to make!" I consider that to be their equivalent of a food blog. They made something amazing and they want to share it with someone....totally understandable! Plus, I get the benefit of trying something new and then blogging about it to share it with all of YOU. It's a win-win!

My friend, Lindsey, sent me one of those Facebook messages last week about a pizza. But this was not your average pizza, as she explained in the message. It is a sauce-less pizza topped with caramelized onions, fontina cheese and pancetta. She admitted that she was skeptical about the lack of sauce and the odd combination of toppings, but she assured me that it was a wonderful result.
She was right.

Holy. Yum.

The recipe hails from the gods over at Cooking Light....seriously, CL recipe developers: I love you. You never fail me!

The most amazing part of the success of this pizza is that it has very minimal amounts of meat (pancetta) in it and The Hubs STILL LOVED IT! What?!? Who is that man?!

I will warn you that caramelizing onions is a task that must not be rushed, so allow yourself about 30 minutes to complete that part of the recipe. If you rush it, you'll end up with either burnt onions or non-caramelized onions. But once that part is done, it's really just slapping on the toppings and popping it in the oven. (You could even caramelize the onions in advance and have them prepped and ready for the night you're making the pizza!)

Mmmm...caramelization takes time!

Also, if you have trouble finding pancetta in your grocery store (like I did), check your deli meat counter! They had it there at mine, though they had no idea what I was talking about until I pointed to the package of pancetta in their counter and said "That pancetta....that you have right there." ::::eye roll::::

For the crust, this time we decided to go the lazy route and bought a package of fresh wheat pizza dough from Trader Joe's.
It was so good!! We usually make our own dough, but honestly lately we've been less than impressed with our dough-making attempts, so this was a nice change!

And please, if you haven't tried Fontina cheese before, do yourself a favor and go get some NOW! It is so good!
Infinitely better than plain old mozzarella and well worth the slight increase in price!

Fontina, Caramelized Onion & Pancetta Pizza
Source: Cooking Light (my adjustments in red)

Yield: 2 (9-inch) pizzas--we just made one 12-inch pizza (serving size: 2 slices)

Pizza Dough
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 ounces pancetta (Italian-style bacon) or Canadian bacon, chopped
8 cups sliced onion (about 3 large)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme --I used 1 tsp of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
Thyme sprigs (optional) --I used fresh basil
Cracked black pepper (optional)

Prepare the Pizza Dough according to directions and roll out.

While dough is rising the second time, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add pancetta, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add onions, thyme, salt, and white pepper; cook 25 minutes or until onions are browned, stirring frequently.

Preheat oven to 475°.

Brush each prepared pizza crust with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; top each with half of onion mixture. Sprinkle cheese and fresh basil over each pizza. Bake at 475° for 9 minutes or until crusts are crisp. Cut each pizza into 8 wedges. Garnish with thyme sprigs and sprinkle with black pepper, if desired.

CALORIES 238 (28% from fat); FAT 7.3g (sat 2.7g,mono 3.4g,poly 0.7g); IRON 2mg; CHOLESTEROL 16mg; CALCIUM 87mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.8g; SODIUM 300mg; PROTEIN 8.6g; FIBER 3.1g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 1998

Survey Says....

2011-02-22T11:20:00.004-06:00

I saw this fun little alphabet survey on a few other blogs and decided to partake! I love reading these and "getting to know" fellow bloggers a little better!

A. Age: 25

B. Bed size: King...I don't like being crowded or touched when I'm sleeping so a King bed is a necessity to keep our marriage happy. :)

C. Chore you dislike: Washing dishes!! I feel like it's a never-ending cycle (because I cook so much).

D. Dogs: Libby, our lovable mutt (5-ish years old)

E. Essential start to your day: Coffee.

F. Favorite color: Blue? Pink? Purple? Green? Yellow? It depends on my mood!

G. Gold or silver: Silver.

H. Height: 5' 5"

I. Instruments you play(ed): Nothing! I was more of an athlete (and I have no musical inclinations whatsoever!)

J. Job title: Well, when I had a job (before the move) I was a Marketing Specialist. Now I'm a Hobo (or a Stay At Home Wife). :)

K. Kids: None yet, but we hope to have some in the future!

L. Live: Currently (and briefly) living in Sierra Vista, AZ. But I will forever be a born and bred Texan!

M. Mom’s name: Shari (this is a random question)

N. Nicknames: Ash, Da-Da (my dad calls me that....like a nickname for "daughter"), Sha-Sha (my cousins called me that before they could say "Ashley" and it stuck), Smoochie Pants (LOL), Smashley (we won't go into that one). The list goes on but I can't remember them all right now.

O. Overnight hospital stays: I don't think I've ever stayed overnight at a hospital....? Well, except for when I was born obviously. I know one time I had a killer stomach bug and ended up staying for several hours but I don't think it would be considered "overnight".

P. Pet peeve: I have a lot of pet peeves. People who post insensitive things on Facebook (and also people who post too much info on Facebook), nose picking (I seriously throw up in my mouth whenever I spot people picking their nose), loud people in public who have no concern over the fact that they are disturbing me, unappreciative people, my husband leaving his shoes where I can trip over them, anyone who touches my things and/or moves them (I'm very possessive!), people who don't listen and/or make every conversation about themselves....I could go on and on!

Q. Quote from a movie: "There's no crying in baseball!" --A League of Their Own

R. Righty or Lefty: Righty! (even though both of my parents are lefties!)

S. Siblings: Younger brother, James, 22 years old.

T. Time you wake up: Ummm....well.....I'm unemployed, remember? So it depends....any time between 7:30am and 9:00am. This morning it was 7:30!

U. Underwear: Sorry to get TMI here, but I HATE wearing anything but thongs. It's not for the sexy-factor, I just think they're wayyyyy more comfortable and less annoying. Plus, I hate visible panty lines!

V. Vegetables you don’t like: Hmmmm....I don't think there is one! I love all veggies! Oh wait! Maybe fennel? I actually haven't ever tried fennel but I have a feeling I wouldn't like it since it supposedly tastes like licorice....yuck!

W. What makes you run late: My memory. I have the worst memory ever so I'm constantly trying to get out the door and going "Oh wait! I almost forgot my ____!"

X. X-Rays you’ve had: Once I had an X-ray on my wrist because I was having issues with it when I played softball....it turned out to be nothing. Oh and I had a CAT Scan of my head once to make sure it wasn't damaged after a pretty bad fall. (Can I blame my bad memory on that fall?)

Y. Yummy food you make: I think all my food is pretty darn yummy (usually)! :) See blog archives for proof.

Z. Zoo animal favorite: Hmmm....probably tigers or lions.

Have you tried Quinoa?

2011-02-11T12:25:00.006-06:00

Have you tried quinoa yet? Did you know it is pronounced like "keen-wah"?

My answer to both of those questions was "no" up until recently. But now I'm enlightened about the deliciousness of quinoa and the proper pronunciation....yay for education! :)

Quinoa is not only tasty, but also very healthy. According to Livestrong.com:

Quinoa is a complete protein, which means that it contains all the amino acids necessary for our nutritional needs. Complete proteins are rare in the plant world, making quinoa an excellent food for vegetarians and vegans, or for anyone looking for healthy protein source. It's also high in iron and calcium, and is a good source of manganese, magnesium and copper, as well as fiber.

That's a pretty awesome grain!

The basic way that I cook quinoa is to combine 2 cups of water or chicken broth (I prefer broth for the extra flavor) and 1 cup of quinoa in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Easy peasy!

Basic quinoa is great and can be used for many different things, such as this Parmesan Spinach Quinoa.

This is a great way to spruce up quinoa and add a healthy dose of veggies!

Parmesan & Spinach Quinoa
Source: Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 cup Quinoa
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 whole Small Sweet Onion, Diced
• 2 cloves Cloves Garlic, Minced
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1 cup Sliced Mushrooms (omitted)
• ¼ cups Dry White Wine
• 1 bunch Fresh Spinach (I used a few handfuls of bagged baby spinach)
• ¼ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese, Fresh Stuff PLEASE

Preparation Instructions

Cook quinoa as directed on the box, but please use chicken broth or stock. It adds a lot more flavor than water.

In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and the salt, and sauté for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add mushrooms and sauté for an addtional 5 minutes. Add the white wine and turn the heat up to medium-high and let simmer until all the liquid has evaporated. Add spinach until wilted down. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Once the quinoa is cooked through and wine has simmered off the mushroom/onion mixture, add the quinoa to the skillet and toss with the mushroom mixture. Add the parmesan cheese on top.

Side note: This is a very hearty side dish, and could easily be made into a main dish by adding some grilled chicken or tofu!

Workout Review: Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training

2011-02-10T18:00:00.003-06:00

Yes, another fitness-related post. What is wrong with me!?

I've just been feeling especially motivated to work out lately....maybe it's the fact that it's the New Year or maybe it's that I'm unemployed right now (and therefore have nothing better to do), but I am really becoming a bit of a fitness junkie!

And I must say, I'm seriously liking the results. I've dropped 5 pounds and I just feel overall more toned and tight than I have in a long time!

A lot of that "tightness" and "toning" I think I have to thank this lady for:

I had heard good things about this workout DVD and was contemplating purchasing it, but then I discovered Exercise OnDemand. And whaddayaknow, they were currently offering this workout for free! Awesommmme! I love when things work out like that.

So I've done her full-body power circuit workout a couple of times now and let me tell you, this is no joke! It is mostly all strength-training (look elsewhere for cardio) done in circuits based on the muscle group that you're working (such as hamstrings, shoulders, etc.). Each muscle group consists of three different exercises, and then you "Power Burn" through all three of them again for a shorter period of time. "Power Burn" is appropriately named, because I certainly felt the burn! The whole workout takes about 40 minutes to complete.

For this workout you will need one or two sets of dumbbells (you could do it with one but I like having two so I can switch from heavier to lighter on some more challenging exercises). I used 5 and 8 pound dumbbells and that seemed just right for me. If you're just starting out with strength training, I would go with 3 pounders. :)

This really is a great strength workout! I loved that Jackie didn't just use all the "typical" strength moves, like pushups, tricep kickbacks, etc. A lot of her moves were new to me, but I liked them even better than the traditional moves.

My Exercise OnDemand says that Jackie's Power Circuit workout is only available until 2/21, so I may just have to buy it after that.

Side Note: As much as I love Exercise OnDemand, sometimes you have to sift through a lot of crap to get to any of the good stuff. I mean, sorry, but "Booty Roll" and "Booty Pop" aren't exactly my cup of tea for a workout.

In case you're interested, here is my general workout schedule right now:

Monday = Run/Walk intervals on the treadmill for 40 minutes

Tuesday = Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training

Wednesday = Run/Walk intervals on the treadmill for 40 minutes

Thursday = Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training OR one of my other DVD's (30 Day Shred, The Firm: Get Chisel'd, etc.)

Friday = Run/Walk intervals on the treadmill for 40 minutes

Saturday = free/rest day

Sunday = Workout with Hubs....usually at the gym on Post

I'll also throw in some yoga about 2-3 times a week...typically just something I find on Exercise OnDemand.

Keep in mind I get bored very easily, so this is a VERY loose schedule. I'll often plan on doing one thing but then that day I just decide to do something else. As long as I'm working out in one way or the other, I figure it doesn't matter what I do! :)

Anyway, sorry to go on and on about working out. I know this is out of character for my blog, but it's what I'm most passionate about at the moment. Hope I didn't bore you too much!

Have you ever done at-home workouts? If so, what is your favorite?