Finally {Getting Ready} Friday

Posted on August 19, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

Hey guys!

I hope you are all having a fantastic Friday!

I took the today off of work so I could get everything together for my trip to Cali tomorrow….so many errands to run and things to do before I leave! It’s so hard to believe that by this time tomorrow, I’ll be on the other side of the country!

This morning started out perfectly…I woke up on my own (love it when I don’t have to wake up to the alarm) after a great night’s sleep, threw down a date and some PB, grabbed my new friend, and hit the pavement!

I was actually aiming for 8 miles this morning, but around the 5.5 mark, I knew I just wasn’t feeling it…I blame the weather…

Humidity at 8am > Humidity at 5am :-/

After my run, I came home and whipped up a quick and easy breakfast that featured my two new loves AND helped me clear out another shelf in the fridge! Project “eat all the perishables” is almost complete! 😉

Greek yogurt mixed with protein powder and topped with banana slices, cinnamon, kamut puffs, granola, and ooey gooey melted Heaven peanut butter!

Oh and that granola isn’t just any granola.

It’s Erin Baker’s Peanut Butter Granola! I won some in a giveaway hosted by the lovely Averie a couple of weeks ago and I am totally addicted now! Definitely ordering a tub…or ten when I get back from my trip!

Along with breakfast, I enjoyed a HUGE cup of coffee while catching up on some blog reading…wait, didn’t I say I had errands to run?

Meh, there’s ALWAYS time for a little A to the M relaxation! 😉

Mr. Coffee says I had THREE cups this morning…but if it all fits in my mug, we can just say I had ONE, right?

So yeah, around noonish, I finally decided to get my butt into gear and actually get some stuff done!

Four hours later, I return home with this!

Layers!

Because shorts and tanks aren’t gonna cut it next week…

Ohhh, how nice not to see 90+ temperatures with heat indexes of a bajillion!

Annnnd…

The perfect carry-on bag!

I didn’t want to get any grief at the airport trying to take a purse AND a laptop bag on the plane so I set out on a mission to find one to do both…

MISSION COMPLETE! 

TJ Maxx…$19.99!

And Mabel the Mac Book fits nicely with plenty of room to spare!

Now I just have to finish with this:

So I can fill this:

And since I’m the world’s worst procrastinator, I’ll probably still be up folding laundry and debating over which shoes to take until the wee hours of the morning…

Because I already made plans to go out with a friend for dinner tonight…

Hey, I don’t have any food, remember? 😉

Plus it’s Korean BBQ…and there’s ALWAYS time for Korean BBQ!

Any big plans for the weekend?

Are you a procrastinator when it comes to packing for a trip?


Posted in Breakfast, Shopping, Travel | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

Things I’m Lovin’ Thursday

Posted on August 18, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”
-Robert Brault

How true is that quote? I mean seriously, if we don’t appreciate each day’s little things, then what exactly are we getting up for each morning?

Here are a few of the things that have been making my days lately…

The fact that so many of you guys are interested in trying Spinachy Oat Bran!

Yesterday wasn’t the first time it’s made an appearance on the blog, but each time I make it, like here and here, it’s a little different!

Basically, just use your favorite cooking method for your oat bran, throw it in a blender or food processor with a big handful of spinach and a little S&P and press the button labeled

“Make me a delicious bowl of green oats!”

Also known as: “blend”

Seattle’s Best Cinnamon Coffee

And truth in advertising…
Not that I can remember MY grandmother ever baking cinnamon rolls! 😉

Finding gems at (of all places) Wal-Mart 

I checked out this protein powder when I found a coupon in the paper and after a look at the nutritionals, I figured what the hey…THEN I tasted it!

Ahhhhmazing!

And over one POUND of rich and creamy PB for UNDER 3 bucks?!

Don’t mind if I do!

Incorporating two of my loves in ONE breakfast
WHILE sneaking in more veggies!

Spinach isn’t the only thing I’ve been trying to eat through lately…

Zucchini Bread Protein Oats: (serves 1)

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 medium-sized banana (thawed from frozen, or sliced very thin)
  • 1/2 cup shredded zucchini

1. Combine all ingredients, stir well, and microwave on high for 3-5 minutes or until oats reach         desired thickness/consistency.

2. Top with shredded coconut, raisins, granola, and a big ol’ spoonful of peanut butter!

Delicious and nutritious!

As I mentioned in yesterday’s WIAW post, I’ve been having lemon water every morning before breakfast and I’ve been lovin’ my Pampered Chef lemon juicer…

It definitely beats having to squeeze the hell out of them by hand!

The fact that rice really DOES help if you…I don’t know…happen to let your iPhone take a dip with you in the bathtub!

12 hours in some arborio rice (knew I bought that stuff for something ;)) and she was as good as new!

New running gear!

And the fact that a year ago, if you told me to run 5 miles, I would’ve laughed in your face…

Now I own a pair of barefoot running shoes, a sports watch, and I’m working on a bit of a running skirt collection! 😉

What are some of the little things that you’ve been lovin lately?

Posted in Breakfast | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

WIAW: The Greens Edition

Posted on August 17, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

Alternative Title: How To Eat a 1/2 Pound of Spinach in One Day!

As always, be sure to head on over to Peas & Crayons and check out all the blog-worthy WIAW eats this week and while you’re at it, leave some comment luv for our gracious host, Jenn!

So this week’s edition of WIAW could be considered 1. A tutorial on the great uses of spinach or 2. A confession from a vegaholic…

As you guys now know, I’m leaving for California at the end of the week. Well, after waking up this morning, I realized, I have had myself in a bit of a predicament…

A one POUND package of spinach predicament!

Well, that was until I devised a plan: Spinach-ify every meal and see what’s left at the end of the day!

Behold the plan in action…

Breakfast (6:30-7:30am)

Lemon Water and Coffee while catching up on some blog reading

“Candy”

and…

The BIGGEST and BEST green brown smoothie I’ve ever tasted, for the road!

The picture doesn’t really do it justice…seriously, that is a 32oz Mason jar!

Chocolate Cherry Almond Smoothie:

  • 2 big handfuls spinach
  • 1 medium-sized frozen banana (the trick to not tasting the spinach)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh (still not frozen) cherries
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder + 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder (or 1 scoop chocolate protein powder…I’m all out!)
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 Tablespoon almond butter
  • 1 cup ice
  • 1/4 teaspoon guar gum*
  • 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum*

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor (yes, I use my food processor for smoothies…hey, it works!) and blend until smooth!

I seriously cannot even begin to tell you how fantastic this was! There was so much depth to the flavor…at first sip it was vanilla…then a hint of cocoa…and then there was the fusion flavor of the cherry and almond!

Yeah, pretty sure I just found my new favorite smoothie!

Lunch (12:30pm)

Spaghetti Salad: Spinach, carrots, zucchini, parmesan cheese, and fresh ground black pepper to be topped with leftover (reheated) spaghetti sauce from dinner Monday night

The best I can do for a recipe for this sauce:
1 pound grass-fed finished beef, 1/2 onion, 1/2 bell pepper, 1 clove garlic, 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, 1/2 cup tomato puree, 1/2 cup veggie broth, a squirt of sriracha and a crap-TON of spices!

Brown the beef, saute the veggies, dump everything together and let warm through while you add just about ever spice that you have in your kitchen!

Voila! Homemade spaghetti sauce!

😉

Annnnd, just when a normal person would get tired of “choking down” the green stuff…

Dinner (8:00pm)

Savory Spinachy Oat Bran topped with 1 fried egg, sharp cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and black peppa!

Pardon the less than stellar photo…who knew the sun would start going down now around 7:30pm (*sad face*)…who also knew that TWO out of the THREE lightbulbs I have for my lightbox would be dead!

Proof that I still have a LOT to learn about my camera and terms like
“white balance” and “aperture size”

Whomp whomp! 🙁

Anywho! There were a couple of green-challenged eats that found their way into my belly:

A Blueberry Bliss Luna (DEE-lish) bar pre-workout and a decaf iced Americano with a little moo juice post-workout

Final thought at the end of the day:

Whew! At least I have enough to make another smoothie in the morning! 😉

What is your favorite way to get your greens in?

Anyone else noticing nighttime sneaking up on us again? I can’t believe it, Daylight Savings is still TWO months away! I’m so not ready for winter 🙁

Posted in Breakfast, Entree, Snacks, What I Ate Wednesday | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 31 Comments