Friday, March 30, 2012

Foodie Pen Pal Reveal

This is my first month participating in the Foodie Pen Pal "party" put on by Lindsey at The Lean Green Bean. I was super excited to find out who I was sending a food package to and to find out who was sending one to me. 

Being my first month, it was hard to figure out what to get my foodie pen pal, but I managed to find some stuff that I hope she will enjoy.

As part of the deal with the Foodie Pen Pal party, all packages must be mailed out by the 15th of each month. I was stoked when I received my package from an amazing girl named Sara just a few days after the "send deadline." Sara is from Ohio and sent me some awesome food gifts.

I opened the package and the first thing I pulled out was a little card. It was so sweet!!!! Sara said that she was a little jealous when she found out I live in California since we have such warm weather.....well Sara, I am just a little jealous that you reside in the state that is home to Cedar Point! :) I have been there once and it was so much fun. I also have family in Michigan who have season passes and go all the time!!! <3

Sorry, went off on a small tangent there. Anywho......here is what Sara sent me:
The first thing that caught my eye was that chocolate bar! OMG!!! Dark chocolate, cherries, and almonds! Talk about heaven wrapped in a pretty package! :) An added bonus, it's organic! Love it! I tore it open right away and had a bite! It was so delish! The ingredients are minimal and healthy!!!! So perfect! <3

The next thing I grabbed was the Buffalo-style cheese dip mix. Buffalo cheese dip......YUM!!!!!! I am a sucker for buffalo style and cheese. I am planning on using this on some kale chips in the near future!!!! Can't wait to see how that turns out! Mmmmm......my mouth waters just thinking about it!

Next up were the Larabars. I was really excited to see these added in the box. Surprisingly I have never had a Larabar. Sara sent a roasted nut bar and a peanut butter and jelly one. They were both delicious, but the peanut butter and jelly one took the cake of the two! I love that it's made from all natural ingredients, and dates are the main base in this bar! <3

I then grabbed the little bottle with the red cap.....this was a seasoning mix that looks to be made in Ohio! It is a beef seasoning and again I was really excited!!! I love seasoning my burger patties and we always like to grill up a tri-tip, so this will be a great new taste to an old classic in our household!!!!

The package of taco seasoning also made me happy......turkey tacos here I come!!!!!

Red curry paste......something totally unexpected and new to me! I have never made anything "curry" and can't wait to explore the possibilities with this paste!!!

Last, and certainly NOT least, 2 packages of Justin's Peanut Butter!!! I LOVE Justin's peanut butter.....what a great addition to my morning oatmeal. I have tried the honey peanut butter one (super YUM!!!), but have not tried the tradition peanut butter. With Justin's reputation, I have no doubts that it will be amazingly delicious!!!


Thanks so much Sara for all these awesome gifts and the sweet card! You rock!!!!

Until next month's FPP!!!

<3

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Best Body Boot Camp



I am signed up and ready to start the Best Body Bootcamp put on by Tina Reale! It is an 8 week course and I will be documenting my progress throughout the entire program!!!! I am hoping this will tone me, get me ready for summer, and most importantly, aid in my preparation for my first 1/2 marathon on April 29th!!!

Wish me luck! :) <3



Week 1 Day 1(3/5/12)

The alarm went off at 4:30 this morning. It was time to get up and workout. I am usually up this early for my daily workouts, so at least nothing had to change in my daily routine. I put on my workout clothes, had some water and a cup of green tea (I read that it will actually help your workout and help you to go longer. Not sure if that is true, but what the heck.....green tea IS good for you, so either way I am benefitting from it's awesomeness)! Off to the workout room I went.

The boot camp is designed to be done in a gym, but Tina also gives variations for people who are not members of the gym, like myself. Why pay for a membership when I have all I need at home for a kick ass workout? Thankfully I have a treadmill, weight machine, free weights, and as of Saturday, a resistant band! :D

I turned on the "Hard Rock Strength Training" station on Pandora and got to movin'!!!! The entire workout took me about 35 minutes. Day 1 wasn't as hard as I had expected (guess she is starting us off a little easy.....either that or I need to increase my weights....which I really need to do).

Although I start every morning off with a great workout, it feels great to be changing up my normal workout routine and have something to be committed to!

Until tomorrow!!! <3


Week 1 Day 2(3/6/12)

"I feel so good, I feel so numb"

Hahaha!!! Rob Zombie's "Feel So Numb" song came on Pandora right at the last 5 minutes of the last intense block on today's cardio block! It was the perfect song to get me through those last five minutes and I couldn't have said how I was feeling better myself! My legs were numb, but I felt sooooooo good!!! :)

This morning I started off with some water, green tea, and half of a grapefruit. I always forget how much I love grapefruits until I eat one. I then wonder why I don't eat them more often!!! Yum! After "fueling up", I headed off to hit the treadmill!

Today's Bootcamp workout was a 50 minute cardio block. A cardio block is when you do a high intensity cardio workout followed with a lower intensity one, then back to high, then back to low. I chose my treadmill since it was the easiest piece of cardio equipment I had available (I could have hit the streets, but why do that when I can stay in the warmth comfort of my own home? ;) ) I did the whole workout with the treadmill set to a 6% incline. I typically run on a 6% incline anyway, so why change that at all.....unless it's for a steeper incline.......hmmmmm!!!! ;)

The 50 minutes actually flew by and then I was done! :D I love the high you get from such a great workout. Day 2 of the Bootcamp has been great!!!! Looking forward to Day 3.......can I start tonight??? :P


Week 1 Day 3(3/7/12)

The alarm went off at 4:30 this morning and I had to get up! Blah! I didn't sleep well last night due to waking up so many times to pee (the joys of drinking twice as much water as I normally do throughout the day.....but hey, gotta make those goals!) and the dogs cramping my sleeping space. I intentionally put my phone (which acts as a secondary alarm) in a spot in my bedroom where I would HAVE to get up to turn it off. I got up and went on with my morning routine......water, green tea, and the other half of my grapefruit from yesterday. By 5am I was ready to rock and roll!!!!


Today was another workout like Monday's, only with different strength workouts. Boy did this really kick my butt!!! By the third set I could barely do the single leg sit and stands and was shaking like an earthquake with my side planks with leg lifts! My legs were like Jell-O!!! It didn't end there, though. I then had some cardio to conquer! I decided to break up my cardio and do half running and half hills!!! When the time was up, I was DONE!!!!!

Today's workout really challenged me and reminded me that, although I consider myself to be in shape, I still have a lot of growth to make! I like it that way. Once you know you can conquer anything and everything is easy, well, that just makes working out mundane!

Tomorrow is a long cardio block again.....I just hope my legs are up for it! ;)


Week 1 Day 4(3/8/12)

Oh man, this morning I woke up and felt like I had been hit by a truck! I started to feel yesterday's workout in the afternoon and I knew that I was going to be sore in the morning. It was no surprise then when I struggled just to get out of bed! LOL!!!!


Again I strategically placed my "alarm clock", got dressed and hit the workout room for another 50 minute cardio block. Once I got started it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Don't get me wrong, it was still rough since my legs felt like 100lb blocks of steel, but I pushed through the ache and continued on! The hardest parts of the workout were actually the lower intensity blocks. When I would "slow down" my muscles would start to tighten up again.

Just like on Tuesday, the 50 minutes went by pretty quickly and I am ready to face the day. Tomorrow's workout scares me......there are some scary drills on there, but I am looking forward to working out with a friend of mine, so that should make things more fun! :)

Now time to fuel my muscles with some yummy protein oatmeal!!!! <3

Have a great day!


Week 1 Day 5(3/9/12)

Holy molys!!!! Today's bootcamp workout kicked me not only in the ass, but in the face as well. If the other day didn't make me feel out of shape, well then today certainly did the job! I struggled through the 3 sets of the strength and stability workouts. I was begging for mercy, but kept pushing on. I was NOT going to allow myself to give up!

After face planting into my yoga mat a few times, I made it to the last set of genie squats with leg raises and then belted for the door to go meet my friend Beth at the park for our weekly workout. Lucky for Beth, today is her birthday (Happy Birthday Beth!! We are becoming such old ladies.....at the ripe age of 28.....I still have a few months though ;) ), and she got to do my HIIT cardio workout with me! :D What a great friend I am, huh??? Beth is getting back into the fitness scene after having her son, so she has been doing some workouts with me to get her on track! So proud of the progress she has made so far! <3

I set up my Gymboss interval app on my phone and we started down the path! We covered about 2 miles doing this workout and then ended with another mile walk! I tried to get her to do the HIIT one more time, but she was having NONE of that! LOL!!!! Maybe next time I will leave her no option!!! ;) I know, I am a mean friend!

I made it through the workout and am soooooooooo glad that tomorrow is going to be my rest day! I have to work one Saturday a month and tomorrow just so happens to be that one Saturday, so have to start work at 7:15am......plus, my body needs a recovery day! LOL! I am so sore and I know that tomorrow is going to be even worse! But I love this feeling. It's great to know I am changing my routine up so much to actually feel those muscles that I have been neglecting!!!

Now I am eating breakfast and then off to make some cupcakes!!!! Hehehe! What a tease!!!! Have a great day! <3



Week 1 Day 6(3/10/12)

I have to work at the day job just one Saturday a month......today happened to be that Saturday. All was good at work and then I came home with high hopes of doing Saturday's workout......any cardio activity that my little heart wanted to do. Well, my high hopes were crushed when I walked in the door and Davey said to me, "do you want to go to a BBQ at Jeff's house?" I can't pass up a BBQ at Jeff's house (LOL), so I said, "yeah, sure, what time?" The hubs replied with "half an hour ago...."!

There went my hopes of my workout....right out the window. So, instead of dwelling on it, I changed into my regular clothes (since I wear scrubs to work), headed to Jeff's house, and decided to just enjoy the day off!!! :)

Enjoy it I did!

Hope you all had a wonderful Saturday.....as I have even higher hopes for tomorrow's workout!!!


Week 1 Day 7(3/11/12)

Daylight savings time started today.....but that didn't stop me from still waking up around 7:30 this morning....well, I guess it's better than 6:30 ;). Davey and I laid in bed until about 8:30 and then I got up and made us breakfast. He got a breakfast burrito and I made myself the norm......oatmeal. Oh how I love my oatmeal!!! <3

After breakfast I cleaned up the kitchen and went to take a shower. I decided today was going to be a HUGE workout day!!! After my shower I put on my workout clothes and then headed to a local park. At this park there is a dirt path that runs around the entire park and is just about 1 mile in length. I was GOING to do 13 laps!!!!!

The weather was beautiful here in SoCal and I couldn't have asked for a better day to go for a run! The wind was blowing slightly and the sun was shining bright. It was probably in the mid-high 60s, and although I prefer the warmer temps, I thought it was perfect! :)

I set out my water bottles and GuChomps in front of my car for me to have when I passed by and then set up my Nike+GPS on my phone......let the run being! I started off really well and was totally in a groove until all of a sudden, around mile 5, something flew into my mouth. I figured it was like a pebble or something (I don't know why a pebble would be flying, but that was my initial thought). It wasn't until I got stung on my upper AND lower lip that I realized it was a bee!!! The burning from the sting slowed me down for just a couple minutes, but I told myself that I was NOT going to allow a couple little bee stings stop me from accomplishing what I set out to do!!!! Even if I had swollen lips, it would all be worth it at the end!!!!

So on I went, passing by the same birthday party every lap around (they must have thought I was crazy, or wondering when I was going to stop). My legs were getting tired, but I kept chugging along, thinking things to myself about the other people out on the track....
**Ok, so I saw 2 people out there on leisurely walks talking on their cell phones. You know you aren't getting a decent workout if you can talk on your phone. One lady was older and kind of rude (I passed by her many times and she never said "hi" or waved or anything; in fact she didn't even move out of the way for me......

I kept pushing myself each mile. One of my most favorite songs started playing (P5hng Me A*Wy by Linkin Park and Stephen Richards from Taproot)! Just the motivation I needed to keep going. Then I heard the news in my ears that I was close to completing my goal (I set my Nike+GPS for the "half marathon" mileage). OMG!!!! I was only .1 mile away from being done!!!!! It then came on saying that I had reached my goal!!!!! I had completed 13.1 miles......my own personal half marathon! I was so excited and proud of myself that I actually had to hold back the tears!!! LOL! Yes, I know, I am that corny, but I just wanted to cry......and scream that I had just ran 13.1 miles!!!!!!!!

I had to still finish that lap, though, to get to my car. When all was said and done, I had done 13.4 miles!!!! I drank some water and did some stretching!!!! I felt amazing and am so overwhelmed with the sense of achievement. It may have taken me 2 hours, 19 minutes, and 46 minutes, but now I KNOW I can conquer my half marathons I have coming up!!!!
I had a full battery at the start of my run....damn GPS taking up all my battery! ;)


Now just to invest in some compression socks cuz my calves are CRAMPING!


***Oh and note to self.....driving a stick after running over 13 miles is not very easy!!! LOL!


Adios and enjoy the rest of your Sunday!!!! <3



Week 2 Day 8(3/12/12)

This morning I woke up feeling not as sore as I expected. In fact, the only places on my body that actually hurt were my underarm on my right side from chaffing and my chest where I chaffed from my heart rate sensor! LOL!!!!

I was stoked to start the second week of bootcamp!!! Man, was it a killer though!!! I started off with the lunges, but adding in the pulsing at the end really made them burn! It was a lot harder than last week's workout, that is for sure!

I made it through all 3 sets and then on to my cardio. I guess my body was more tired than I thought because just a 20 minute cardio session really kicked my butt! I finished strong, though, and then started on one of my new goals for this week.......to stretch more!

The stretching felt soooooooo good after that workout and I think I am going to really enjoy reaching this goal this week (since I hated every day last week that I couldn't have my frozen yogurt!).

Looking forward to the week ahead with new challenges and more sore muscles! Love it!!!!

Have a great one! <3


Week 2 Day 9(3/13/12)

We all have those mornings where we just don't want to get out of bed. This was one of those mornings. The alarm went off and I kept pressing the snooze button. Finally, I forced myself to get out of bed. I got all ready for my workout and then lagged around a bit drinking my green tea and reading some emails (hell, I even Facebooked a little)....but then I told myself that I needed to get on that treadmill for some cardio blocks!

I did some stretching (one of my new goals I set out for myself this week) and then hopped on to that "running to nowhere" machine (I have a love/hate relationship with it.....mostly I love it though!!!). My legs were tired, my mind was blah, and the music selection was far from motivating.

Have you ever noticed that when you are pumped for an exercise and giving it your all, all the music that comes on is fast paced and keeps you in a pumped spirit, but when you are dragging, the music selection seems to as well??? Davey says it's cuz I am not "in sync with my iPhone...." I believe that is because I AM so in sync with it that it feeds off of my "blah" vibes and plays "blah" music...... ;) Hahaha! So not true, but that is my theory and I am sticking to it.

Anyways, I kept pressing the next button hoping for a better song......failure after failure. I pushed myself to keep going.....
I kept telling myself that.....but my evil mind kept combating me saying: "Fuck your goal! Get off this damn thing and relax!"

Oh no........Those evil mind games your head plays with you on a run.....sometimes they are good games, sometimes they are bad, but either way, I try to push through them and continue on.....and continue on I did!
Ok, this may be the wrong message to send out, but if it motivates me, then I am all for it!
Half way through the last higher intensity block, I had technical failure......my treadmill decided to just stop on me! WTF!?!?!? I reset it and continued on. Man, did not need that interruption. Shortly after getting back into my groove, the hubby walks in and decided to start carrying on a conversation with me......with just 3 minutes left! Ugh! He asked me if I was mad, cuz I looked mad, and I told him that I was not mad but just wanted to finish this run and I told him I had until [this] time until I could do my cool down. I had 3 minutes remaining and he states, "wow, you still have a long time to go..."!!!! Fuck YOU!!!!!!!! LOL! 3 minutes isn't very long, but it is when you have been wanting to quit since you started!!!! I pushed through those last 3 minutes, cooled down, did a little more stretching, and then hit the showers!

I am so glad that workout is over with. My body sure is feeling this boot camp!!! I am loving it though!!!! :D

Hope you all have a great day! <3


Week 2 Day 10(3/14/12)

I have officially hit a rut.....I woke up this morning not wanting to workout......again! :/ I hate that! I have "on" weeks and "off" weeks. This week is definitely an "off" week.

Once again I pushed through today's workout and finished with my cardio. I bought a stability ball over the weekend and was able to use that for the designated workouts. It was so much different than doing the moves over the arm of the couch. LOL! It made me really focus on my core and stability on the ball.

My left leg was hurting me this morning so I took it a little easier on that side, but still managed to complete all 3 sets along with finishing off with hill intervals on the treadmill. I was a sweaty mess, but I am proud that I at least pushed through my rut and did the workout!

Now it's time for work.....and I desperately need some coffee....


Week 2 Day 11(3/15/12)

This morning started off a lot better than the last 2 did! I woke up feeling refreshed and ready to get on with my day! I am surprised (and a little bit disappointed) that I am not sore at all. Last week's "Wednesday" workout was felt for days after.....but not this week. Maybe my body is getting used to being pushed harder.....
I am going to stick to that one!!!! LOL!

Today was scheduled for another cardio block. I got some stretching in (gotta keep up on my goal!!!) and then said good morning to the treadmill. All 3 "intense" blocks felt really good and if I would have had more time, I would have done more after the 50 minutes was up.

I had a clear mind and no negative thoughts this morning and it made my run so much more enjoyable!!!!

Tomorrow is scheduled for yet another ass-kicking strength sesh and I am quite nervous (I DO remember last week's......)

Until then!

<3


Week 2 Day 12(3/16/12)

Remember that funk I was in at the beginning of the week? Well, I think it is gone! :D

I had to wake up extra early this morning (and by extra early I mean at 4am instead of 4:30.....) since I knew that today's workout was going to take me a little more time than the others. The alarm went off and I was up, feeling refreshed and ready to take on Workout C!!!

Last week Workout C really kicked my ass and had me wishing I never would have started this boot camp. Today though, was a totally different story (ok, it still kicked my ass, but I didn't want to quit). I got through all 3 sets of the circuit without face planting into my yoga mat. Those damn mountain climbers still got me, but not as bad as last week.

It took me about 40 minutes to get through the workout and then I had the HIIT to do afterwards. I "HIIT" ;) (pun intended.......) the treadmill and got my sweat on with a constant run and recover. I wish the weather was a little nicer....and by a little nicer I mean warmer.....so I could have pushed myself harder out on the streets! ;) But none-the-less, I did the whole workout and any workout IS better than no workout!!!

We should be getting the next 2 weeks worth of workouts this weekend and I am excited, anxious, and yet nervous! LOL!!!! Can't wait to see what the next 2 weeks brings though!

Happy Friday and have a great one! :D


Week 2 Day 13(3/17/12)

Today was a rest day for me. No reason, no excuses, just took a rest day. I did do a lot of "running around" doing errands and such, if that counts as cardio ;) but not going to give myself the credit for it since it really wasn't a workout! LOL!

It felt great to have a "rest" day though!!! My left leg was hurting all week and taking a break today was just what it needed!


Week 2 Day 14(3/18/12)

I did an easy cardio workout today. Scrappy has gained some major poundage over the years and he has finally gotten to a point where I feel he needs a fatty intervention!
That's my fatty oombalaty!

I went out and bought him diet doggy food and decided he was going to start his own boot camp today!!!! He will be my only "boot camper" that will actually follow through (only because he has NO choice) ;)!!! I know, mean Mommy!

I decided the best thing to start him with was the Couch 2 5k workout plan!!! Hahaha!!!! Despite the frigid weather, I bundled up, leashed Scrappy up, and off we went. Scrappy used to be able to run 3 miles with me back in the day, which is quite impressive for a pug.....but these days, he was struggling just to do the C25K day 1 with me! LOL! I didn't want to kill him so we took it easy on some of the latter runs, as well as the uphill runs. He finished and made it home.

I plan to do these easy workouts (well, easy for me) with him on top of my normal BOOT CAMP schedule!!! I am hoping he gets into better shape so I can have my running partner back! ;)

Now just time to teach him how to run on the treadmill.......

Tomorrow starts a whole new set of workouts and I am really excited! After some confusion with the schedule, I believe I have it all worked out and can't wait to start them in the morning! 4am is going to come all too soon though......


Week 3 Day 15(3/19/12)

It's Monday yet again! How it comes so quickly every week. Where did the weekend go? Between running errands and getting stuff done around the house, I feel as though I don't get a weekend anymore. But none-the-less, it IS Monday and there is nothing I can do to stop it from coming......

This Monday started Phase 2 of the boot camp! That means, new workouts, new schedule, new confusions.....LOL! I sat down last night and looked up all of the new strength exercises so I would be ready to tackle them this morning. A new week also brings new goals. Although I tried to keep up on my water in take last week, I know I didn't. This week I am bringing back my water intake goal as well as keeping my "eat more veggie"! So no "new" goals for me, but some really good old ones....oh, and I have a goal to only eat frozen yogurt ONCE this week (I had it 4 times this week....had to make up for the previous week.....LOL)!

When the alarm went off this morning I was up and at 'em!!!

I got started right away (after my morning water ritual) with the 5 minute warm-up on the treadmill. Then it was time to do the supersets!!! Today's supersets were all about the legs. Man, my legs were burning and felt like jell-o every time I got back on the treadmill to do cardio. I found 2 new favorite exercises, crossover lunges and surrender squats!!! <3

The whole workout took me about 45 minutes, and then I spent about 5 minutes stretching (I know, not long enough.....and I don't have a good excuse as to why I didn't do more stretching......). I felt amazing after that workout!

I can't wait to see how my legs feel tomorrow!!!


Week 3 Day 16(3/20/12)

Have you ever woken up with the intentions of doing one thing, only to find out something different was on the agenda instead? This was me this morning....I woke up all ready for today's workout. I thought for sure we were doing Workout B. I put on my clothes and was soooooo happy to not have any cardio to do this morning (I just needed a cardio break today). I grabbed my workout list and looked down.....

Workout B was NOT scheduled for today, but a 30 minute progression interval was.......CARDIO......Now, the great thing with this boot camp plan is that you can totally switch up the days. You don't HAVE to go by what is on the written agenda, but for me, I prefer to stick with what is in stone and not change it, unless absolutely necessary.

So, I dragged my little butt into the workout room and had to pump myself up for the run on the treadmill. I have also been practicing running without music the last few days and I am actually doing pretty well without it. I don't want to have to rely on music to get me to run......I want to run for me!!! I stuck the workout sheet in front of me and off I went.

The 30 minutes went by rather quickly. I love having the constant "wonder what's next" approach with these cardio exercises Tina made up for us. It really passes the time away, and maybe that is why I haven't missed my music at all.

Once the 30 minutes was up I was pumped and didn't want to stop! I ended up doing an extra 10 minute run at a constant pace, for a total of a 40 minute cardio workout!!! Next up on the schedule was the core workouts. I set up my living room with the yoga mat and stability ball and got to it. My abs sure were hurting, especially with the ball pass. I ended up doing 3 sets of the core workout with 25 reps for each exercise (except for the ball pass; I only did 10 reps of those). My workout for today has been completed!!!! :D

I love working out in the morning, knowing that I started my day off right and that I don't have to worry all day about how or when I am going to squeeze it in after work!!!


Week 3 Day 17(3/21/12)

Oh man, so this morning I felt like I was in a funk again. :/ I kept hitting snooze on the alarm (and I didn't strategically place my phone last night....) and then I grabbed my phone and started playing Draw Something (do you play that game?? I love it and am addicted!). I know, great way to waste my time. Finally,  I dragged myself out of my warm, comfy bed at 4:50.

Yesterday I was super excited and ready to tackle Workout B. Today, not so much. I was lazy, but would have actually preferred a run day over a weight day this morning. Dammit.....I should have just switched the schedule yesterday. Oh well, I didn't and so off to do Workout B I was!

I got all my stuff set up in the kitchen (great place to workout, huh? ;) ) and got down to business. I realized that I really need to invest in some larger weights. I found myself using both of my 5 pounders for some of the exercises, and others were just too easy.

Workout B was fun, but I don't feel like I got THAT great of a workout. I am ok with that today since I am a little on the lazy side, but I was hoping to feel more burn.....which may be due to the lack of weight I was using.

So I sit here now, Workout B completed! :) It took me about a half an hour to do all 3 sets.

And as funny as it sounds, I am excited to bring on tomorrow's workout!!!!


Week 3 Day 18(3/22/12)

This morning's boot camp workout consisted of a 40 minute cardio session with intervals. I knew that it was going to be challenging, but I didn't realize how challenging it would be until I got started. The intervals had us gaining speed and/or resistance to the cardio equipment we were on. Of course I chose the treadmill since that is what I have available at this time (I am hoping to get my bike trainer up and running really soon).

We started off with a warm-up. I always run at a 6% incline, so this is where I started. At the first resistance change I stepped it up to a 7% incline. All was fine until I had to bump up my speed! Let me tell you......my legs were dying on me with this one!!! At my normal pace, 5 mph, the 7% incline wasn't so bad, but when I had to go to 6 mph.....OMG!!!!

Things slowed down for a few minutes and then the tough got tougher......an incline AND speed increase! HOLY MOLYS!!!!! And the worst part, it was the longest interval in the workout (besides the warm up and cool down).

I was 30 seconds away from finishing this deadly interval when I had technical difficulties.....the treadmill quit on me!!! WTF!?!?! Ol' trusty stopped as though I pulled the "emergency cord". I immediately started back up and finished that run for the last 30 seconds and then it was on to the cool down. Phew......I had made it.

These interval cardio workouts have made me realize that I really like going a little faster on the treadmill, and I think I am going to start pushing myself harder to go faster. I run a mile in just over 8 minutes, but on the treadmill [at 5 mph] it takes me 12 minutes.

I think it's time to step things up!!!


Week 3 Day 19(3/23/12)

So this morning started off like every other morning. The alarm went off at 4am, I was up, dressed, got my water, and hit the treadmill. Today was Workout C with circuit intervals. I was actually looking forward to today's workout and couldn't wait to get a start on it.

Workout C focused mainly on shoulders and arms. My arms have been hurting ever since Wednesday's workout!!!! I am loving the burn! The burn was intensified with the [seemingly] easy exercises that Tina picked out for today.....but after a few reps, I was hurtin'! :D Gotta love the burn!

After each set we were due for a 5 minute cardio burst. I got down and dirty with the good ol' treadmill, as always, and busted through each set.

Today's workout took me about 45 minutes (considering that 20 minutes was spent on the treadmill). I loved the weight moves that were part of Workout C. The only problem I had was keeping myself still on the stability ball for the rotator cuff on stability ball exercise. Maybe my core needs more work, or I just need to get in tuned with my stability ball (we are still new friends......). If you click on that link you will get to see the wonderful Tina herself showing us how to do that particular exercise!!! Shout out to Tina!!!! <3

The next 2 days are technically "rest days", but I am hoping to get Scrappy back on his boot camp tomorrow and Sunday, as well as fitting in a decent run sometime!!!! <3

Have a wonderful weekend! We finally made it!!!!!


Week 3 Day 20(3/24/12)


Today was a lazy day for me. I spent the morning making breakfast and then the afternoon I made batches and batches of cookies!!!! :D

The sun was starting to head it's way down and I knew that I had an obligation to attend to. Scrappy needed to do the next round of C25K!!!! I changed into my running clothes (and donned a jacket since it was a bit chilly outside), grabbed the leash, and Scrappy and I were off and.....walking. LOL!

We started with out 5 minute warm up......I made one loop around and realized that the app never came on and told us to start running. I looked at my phone and realized that I had never pushed START!!! OMG.......So I pushed start and we were off and walking, AGAIN!!!!

We got through a couple of run segments, but Scrappy was having none of this. We then got back onto our street and Scrappy decided he had to poop!!!! Like NOW! He pooped in front of my neighbor's house.....oh joy. So I went home, grabbed a bag (since I don't carry any with me.....like a responsible dog owner would ;) ), ran back to the neighbor's house, picked up the poo, and then came back home to throw it away. I had left Scrappy at home to do all that and when I went to grab him again to go back out, he was pancaked out on the floor looking like he was going to die!!!! :(

I decided that he was pooped himself and that we should just call it a night! We did get in about 20 minutes, so I guess that is better than nothing! :)



Week 3 Day 21(3/25/12)


Today was a rest day.....plain and simple! I did nothing much, besides trucking it to my car in the rain and wind after going and seeing Hunger Games with my friends!!! I won't count that as any cardio or workout though!!!! ;)

The rest day was much needed though and I am ready to tackle week 4!!!



Week 4 Day 22(3/26/12)


Oh Monday.....Monday Monday Monday.....why do you always have to come so quickly? Thankfully today's workout is one that I really enjoy. It is the same as last Monday's circuit interval workout, only instead of doing 3 sets of each exercise, we had to do 4!!!!

Knowing that there were extra sets involved, I made sure to allow myself enough time to complete the whole workout! I started with my 5 minute warm up on the treadmill. I decided that instead of doing a low intensity warm up, that I was going to jump in full force and run!

The first 5 minutes were over and done with before I knew it! Then came the weight exercises! Since I don't have multiple sets of free weights, I decided to add more reps to each exercise!!!! I was feeling the burn in my legs and I was so glad that I had added in extra reps!

After 4 sets it was time to hit the treadmill again for another 5 minutes!!!! I got to running and then headed back into the living room to do another 4 sets of 2 different exercises.

The whole workout took me a little over an hour, so I am really glad that I thought about that ahead of time!!! My legs are jell-o"y" and I can't wait to see how they feel tomorrow!!!! :D



Week 4 Day 23(3/27/12)


When the alarm went off this morning I did NOT feel like getting up. I was so comfy in my bed and the thought of getting out of it was excruciating! After pushing SNOOZE a few times, I finally got up and got dressed.

Today's workout was just like last Tuesday's.....a 30 minute progression cardio workout. I really enjoyed this one last week and I don't know why I was in that "dreadful" mood about it. Once I got going, though, I was loving it!!!!!

My first speed interval was at 5 mph, the second was at 6 mph, and the third was at 7 mph. I love how running at the 6 mph on the treadmill feels. Not too fast, not too slow (and running at 7 mph really made running at 5 mph seem like a light jog)!!! ;) The intervals are short and it passes the time away fairly quickly!

I finally made it through the run and got to the cool down. I was getting bored in that 4 minutes of cool down time, so I decided to bump it up for another short spurt of a 7 mph run!!!! So much fun! I then finished the cool down and got on to those core exercises.

I hate core exercises.....like with a passion....especially the ball pass! I could definitely pass on those. I always feel them and they hurt, and maybe that is why I hate them so much.....but I love the pain I had in my legs from yesterday's workout (which, BTW, my legs are soooooooo sore from)!

I only had enough time to do 2 sets of the core exercises (25 reps of each exercise, except the ball pass which I only do 10 reps) and then it was time to hit the showers!!!! My legs are sore and I hope my abs are as well tomorrow!!!! <3




Saturday, March 17, 2012

Kale Chips

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!! 


Hope you're all wearing your green today!!! 


If you are any crazy person like me, and are subscribed to [hundreds] of blogs, I am sure your email inbox has been blown up by St. Patty's Day treats all week long! I would love to say that I am posting a super awesome treat for you to rock your Irish holiday with, but instead, you are getting something else. 


My recipe IS green!!! :D 


But it's healthy....and I highly doubt it is Irish (well, kale might be Irish, IDK......).....


I also think that you will love it once you give it a try and become highly addicted like this girl has become (said girl being me...hahaha)!

Kale chips, I just can't seem to get enough. I love to experiment with different seasonings to make new flavors. They go quicker than I can bake them.

These yummy chips make an awesome healthy snack. I love to crumble them up and mix them with some popcorn, or add them to a salad for a little crunch! Try them any way you like, but just try them! Kale is so full of vitamins and gives you a big dose of healthyness!!!! :D


Kale Chips
Ranch seasoned kale chip I made


INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch of kale
Olive Oil
Seasonings of choice:
~Ranch seasoning
~Taco seasoning
~Garlic powder
~Onion powder
~Fresh pepper
~Sea salt
~Lawry's seasoning
~Fresh grated parmesan cheese
~The list is endless.....play around and see what you like
**I prefer to use low sodium seasoning packets or if I am doing my own seasoning, I omit the salt all together

DIRECTIONS:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-Remove leaves of kale from the stem

-Rinse and dry the leaves very well

-Place dry leaves in a ziplock bag

-Add in approximately 1 TBSP of olive oil to the bag and massage oil into the leaves

-Add in 1-2 tsp of seasonings (if using a packet) or just add in as much as you want
*I didn't measure any of the "free seasonings". This will be a trial and error recipe, but I believe you can't really have too much flavor! ;)

-Shake around in the bag and massage the seasonings on the leaves

-Evenly place the kale leaves on a baking sheet with no leaves overlapping

-Bake for 8-10 minutes, checking after about 7 minutes to make sure none are burning

***Kale is very delicate and will burn quickly. I don't mind the burnt pieces, but some of you may not. Just keep checking and adjust your time as needed for future batches


I really hope you enjoy these "potato chip" alternatives as much as I do!

Have a happy and safe "Green Beer" day!!!!!

<3
Amy

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Cauliflower Soup

Every morning I have the same routine.....

I wake up (duh)

Throw on my workout clothes

Drink some water

Workout

Shower and get ready for the day

Make my breakfast

Sit down, eat my breakfast, and read my emails......


The majority of emails I receive are from other bloggers sharing their amazing recipes. Some mornings I want to call out sick from the day job and stay home all day making all these great treats!!!

On my quest to eat healthier (well, healthier than I already do), I found this recipe. Cauliflower soup!!! The ingredient list was short and it looked easy to make. The calories were almost nil as well, which made it even better!!! I added this recipe to my "Ziplist" (in case you haven't heard of Ziplist, it is AMAZING!!!! More on it later).

On Fridays I do my grocery shopping. I always have so many stops to make since I eat differently than my husband. While at Henry's I gathered everything I needed for my meals for the next couple weeks, including all the ingredients to make this soup!


Cauliflower Soup
(as adapted from SkinnyTaste)


INGREDIENTS:
1 large head of cauliflower, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onions (I used an entire onion in mine, only because I LOVE onions and believe you can never have too many onions!)
6 cups of water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
**I used fresh ground pepper. I also omitted the salt, but added in some garlic powder, Lawry's Season Salt (just a little), and some crushed red pepper flakes. You can season this pretty much how ever you want!

DIRECTIONS:
-In a 5 quart sauce pan add all ingredients

-Let come to a simmer and cover

-Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes, or until veggies are soft (I just let mine simmer for the 20 minutes)

-Once veggies are soft, use an immersion blender to puree until smooth


This soup was OMG delicious! It is so simple yet sooooooooooooo good!!!! It tastes like cream of broccoli soup. I think it would be made even better (if that can even be possible) with the addition of some cheddar cheese.....or any cheese you would like! :) Hey, with as little calories as the soup has, you can totally afford to throw some cheese in there! ;)

This makes a lot of soup, so if you are not going to be "sharing" then think of freezing it! I packaged up my soup and stored some in the freezer. I am just hoping it freezes well and will still be tasty when thawed.

NUTRITION FACTS:
(based on original recipe)

Servings: 6 servings • Time: 20 minutes • Old Points: 0  • Points+: 1 pts

Calories: 45.1 • Fat: 0.6 g • Carb: 8.8 g • Fiber: 3.7 g • Protein: 3.3 g 
Sodium: 469.1 mg



Ok, so back to that Ziplist thing I mentioned!!!!

AMAZING!!!!


Have you ever been to the store and thought of a recipe you wanted to try but didn't think of it before hand and didn't know all the ingredients so you just guess, only to come home and find out that you missed something!?!?! That happens to me all the time! Even though I make a list, I will still forget about a recipe or forget to add something to it! This is where Ziplist comes in handy!

If you are like me and find most of your recipes online then this is a great and nifty little tool (as long as you have a smartphone). Since it is new, not all sites are linked up with Ziplist yet, but I am sure that you will start to see them coming around soon!!!

At the top of some recipes you will see a little blue rectangular button that says "Save Recipe". If you have a Ziplist account (it is free), you can click save. A pop-up will come on and ask you if you want to save the recipe or add it to your shopping list!!! I always click to save the recipe (you can go back later and add it to your shopping list if you would like). You can store so many recipes, make different "folders" for them, like for instance, I have "cooking", "baking", "family", etc.....

If you have  an iPhone or an Android phone, Ziplist makes an app for you! It is a free download. Once downloaded, just sign in on your account and everything is linked up. Then when at the store you can think, "what do I want to make for dinner tonight?" Open up your Ziplist app and search through all your saved recipes. Click on one and see all the ingredients you need. If you added those ingredients to your shopping list then you can just open your shopping list and mark off what you got!!!! :D Super easy and a great shopping tool!!! Check it out, unless you like to walk around aimlessly in the grocery store trying to figure out what to cook, or what you need.....or if you like to make multiple trips to the store!!!! ;)

Give Ziplist a whirl.....its free, so you have got nothing to lose! :)

Enjoy all!!!!

Amy


*This post was not sponsored by Ziplist. In fact, they have no idea that I am writing this. I just really love this app and think it is an amazing tool that everyone who cooks/bakes should have. I am hoping I can get my site linked up to Ziplist soon so you can save my recipes as well! :)

Friday, March 9, 2012

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

Man, March is the month for birthdays! My dear co-worker, Cindy, has a birthday coming up on the 11th, so I [once again] volunteered to make her some birthday cupcakes!

It also happens to be that time of the year where those little devils in green uniforms (aka the Girl Scouts) start to bombard your local grocery store, Target, Walmart, etc....selling those disgusting cookies......

Ok ok ok, I know as much as you know how delicious they are!!!!!! I always stick to the basic, Thin Mints and Samoas. After buying my boxes of cookies I always fight with myself on how I should have bought one of each flavor (the realist in me tells me that I don't even need the boxes I just bought)!!!

I have only bought 2 boxes of cookies this season (yes, you read that correctly, only TWO!!!!). Those 2 boxes happen to be 1 box of Samoas and 1 box of Thin Mints! ;) Didn't want to step outside my box this year....nope, this wasn't the year to do that! Now, if we survive 12/21/12, then I will buy a box of Lemonades or Shortbreads, or maybe even some Tagalongs......but until then......

After buying said cookies, I stuck the Thin Mints in the freezer....WHERE THEY BELONG, and gave the box of Samoas to the hubby.

***Shocker Alert***
I did NOT eat a single Samoa!!!!!!!!!! Not a one! Can you believe it? Cuz I can't!


Well, I have been saving those freezer Thin Mints since I bought them for a special occasion......

These cupcakes were that occasion!


Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
(cupcake recipe slightly adapted from Sprinkle Bakes)



INGREDIENTS:


3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups + 3 TBSP cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup hot water
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 TBSP canola or vegetable oil (I used canola)
2 tsp vanilla extract
10 Thin Mint cookies, crushed
10-15 Andes mints, broken into pieces (or you can use a bag of those "Andes Bits")

DIRECTIONS:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-In a large bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt

-Add in the cookie pieces and Andes pieces and stir to coat the "chunks" with the flour mixture


-Add in the eggs, water, cream, oil, and vanilla and mix until all is incorporated

-Spoon into prepared cupcake tin and bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean

-Allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack


Now it's time to whip up some yummy frosting!!!

Mint Chocolate Chip Buttercream Frosting
(adapted from my buttercream recipe)




INGREDIENTS:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 TBSP Crisco
1 (2lbs) bag powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
Whipping cream
Mint flavoring
Mini chocolate chips
Green food coloring (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
-Cream together the butter, Crisco, vanilla, and mint flavoring

-Slowly add in the powdered sugar
*The mixture will become very dry and crumbly. This is normal and just keep adding in the powdered sugar (a little mixing motivation can be found HERE)

-Once all of the powdered sugar is added, start adding in your whipping cream, 1 TBSP at a time, until desired consistency is reached
*I have found my magic number of TBSPs is 10, but you may like your frosting creamier, or less creamy, so keep adding until your desired consistency is acquired

-Add in food coloring (I used about 5 drops of gel food coloring)

-Mix well until color is uniform and then add in the chocolate chips

-Frost cupcakes and devour!!!!

I was really bummed, though, after making these.....I had grand plans of doing pretty, swirly frosting on top of them, but ran into a problem.....the mini chips clogged up every frosting tip I had! So I had to frost them the old boring way....with a knife. :(

But on a positive note, these cupcakes taste just like a Thin Mint cookie!!!! :D I love how you would get chunks of cookies in each bite! Yum!!!

I am definitely going to be needing my bootcamp after making these! LOL!!!


So, for some exciting news.....I got an email today from my friend, Jaime, of whom I met at my first triathlon. Her and I rode the entire bike ride together while chatting and then met back up after the race in the transition area and exchanged emails (she lives in Colorado). Well, she will be out in my home town next month and will be staying at one of the wineries here in Temecula!!!! I live only about 5 miles from wine country, so I am super stoked!!!! She invited Davey and me to dinner while she is out visiting and I am majorly excited to see her!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!

Also, I headed to the store today to get the stuff for my foodie pen pal! I can't wait for her to get my package and I hope she enjoys all that I picked out for her!!! Packages should be going out around the 15th (no later). I can't wait to see what comes in mine!!!! :)

Well, time to sit back and relax and spend some quality time with the hubs!!! <3

Have a great night everyone!

<3










Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Better Than Sex Cake!!!!!!

Yes, that is right!!! A cake that is better than sex! ;) (well, I guess that all depends on a few things.....)

If you have never heard of this cake then you have been living a very sad life......

Chocolate, caramel, Heath bar, Cool Whip.......mmmmmmm!!!!

This cake is a diet breaker, but it is worth every calorie you consume. You can't help but to go back for seconds thirds ok, like fourths or fifths! It is so delicious! It is so rich and moist, but even with how rich it is, you want more!!! Crack cake may be a better name for it since it gets you hooked! This is the type of cake that you better get some NOW or it won't be there when you decide you want a piece!!!!

And don't bother cutting a small piece, because that is just a tease and your taste buds will have you begging for more like a crack addict without his fix! Hell, you may even lose some teeth from all the sugar in it!!! ;)

But, like with all good things, I am going to be mean and make you wait for this recipe. Don't get your panties all up in a bunch, you will be getting the recipe today.....but first I have to tell you something really exciting! :D

The other morning I was doing my daily routine (reading blogs that is) and came across one of my favorites: The Picky Eater. She was doing a Godiva coffee giveaway!!! Love me some giveaways! I entered (like I almost always do, just for fun). Well, a few days later I received an email saying I had been chosen [at random] and won the giveaway!!!!!!!!! YAYAYAYAA!!!!!!!! I was so excited!!! About a week later I received my package and was so excited to try the delicious coffee that was enclosed!

Enclosed were 2 types of Godiva Chocolate Coffee....Roasted Almond and Dark Chocolate Raspberry. Also, a travel coffee cup and an apron! I was so stoked for the apron (almost more than the coffee) since Zoey had chewed up my super awesomely cute one I got from Flirty Aprons!!! I have an apron again! Yay! :D

I immediately prepped my coffee for the next morning and decided to try the Dark Chocolate Raspberry one first. OMG! It was amazing! I loved it so much!

I tried the Roasted Almond one the next day and it was so tasty. I am still more fond of the Raspberry one, but the Almond was still heavenly! :)

So thank you to The Picky Eater for my wonderful new loot! :) Go check out her site and try some of her amazing recipes!!!! <3


Ok, so I have teased you with some yummy coffee, but I know your minds were all in a haze over that cake that deems to be "better than sex"......so here you go, no more foreplay for you, it's time to get down to the dirty business! ;)


Better Than Sex Cake
(this recipe was something I just acquired over time......should be in like the golden book of cakes! LOL)


INGREDIENTS:
1 box Devil's Food Cake mix (yes, I used a boxed cake mix for this! It's a poke cake, so why use good ingredients when its going to have stuff poured into holes in it????)
Ingredients for cake mix
1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
1 jar of Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch flavored caramel sauce
1 tub of Cool Whip
4-5 Heath or Skor bars, crushed (I used a combo of both, but personally, I prefer Skor over Heath)

DIRECTIONS:
-Bake cake according to directions on box

-Once cake is made and out of the oven, poke holes with the handle of a wooden spoon all over the cake

-Immediately pour entire can of sweetened condensed milk over cake. Spread all over and get into the holes

-Heat entire jar of caramel sauce in microwave for 30 seconds, then pour entire jar of sauce over cake

-Using a knife, go around the edges of the cake about 6 times to get sauce mixture on to the sides and in the cake



-Refrigerate until ready to serve

-Immediately prior to serving, spread entire container of Cool Whip over cake and top with crushed candy bars

-Snag a slice before it's all gone!!!!


This cake was made as a special request by my friend and co-worker, Lee Anne, for her birthday!!! Happy birthday Lee Anne!!!!!!! She turns the big 31 today! ;) What an old lady!!!! ;P


Have a great day and I recommend (like seriously recommend) you make this cake ASAP!!!!!!!!! Just do it....especially if you're PMS'ing, having a bad day, having a really good day, or need a little "pick me up"!!!!! It is guaranteed to put a smile on your face (just like good _____.....you can fill in that blank ;) ).


Oh and before I forget to tell you all!!! If you haven't already noticed, I added a new tab at the top of my page. Every day I am going to document my progress with the bootcamp I am doing!!!! Check it out and follow my butt kicking! ;)

Thanks for all the love and support!!!

Much love!
<3
Amy






Monday, March 5, 2012

Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Lemon Glaze

The other day at work one of our patients came in and brought us some lemons. When life throws you lemons what are you supposed to do? Well, since I refuse to drink my calories, making lemonade was not in my agenda. I don't like to drink my calories, but I will most certainly eat them! ;)

I knew what had to be made....LEMON POPPY SEED MUFFINS!!!

Of course I am going to take them to work and make everyone else eat them, besides me! ;)

One of my co-workers has a gluten intolerance and she doesn't get the chance to eat many of my goodies that I bring into the office. I decided to make these yummy treats gluten free so that she can enjoy them right along with the rest of us!!!

I have never really baked anything that was gluten free, so a little research had to be done! I found this great recipe and ran with it! ;)

Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Lemon Glaze
(adapted from Gluten Free on a Shoestring)


INGREDIENTS:


2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Zest from 1 lemon
2 TBSP poppy seeds
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
Juice of 1 lemon

3 TBSP lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar




DIRECTIONS:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-Grease or line a muffin tin with cupcake liners

-In a medium sized bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, lemon zest, and poppy seeds, and mix to combine
*You want the lemon zest and poppy seeds to get coated with the dry ingredients so they don't get clumped together in the batter

-In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy

-Add in the eggs, sour cream, and lemon juice, and mix well after each addition

-Slowly add in the dry ingredients and beat well until the all is incorporated and the batter becomes thick and "elasticy" (that is my own made up word....but you will see what I mean if you make these muffins)

Yummmm!!!!


-Evenly distribute the batter into the muffin tin
(Notice how I didn't say to "pour the batter...."? There is no pouring of this batter. It is thick and gooey)

-Bake for 18-24 minutes (mine only needed 18 minutes, but my oven is whacked. The original recipe says 22-24 minutes, so bake accordingly)

-Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack

Now it is time to make your glaze (this is the best part!!!! YUMMMMMM!!!!!!)

-Place the powdered sugar and the left over lemon juice (I really hope you saved those 3-4 TBSP of lemon juice.....) in a small bowl

-Mix well until there are no clumps
**Depending on how much lemon juice you used, you made need more or less powdered sugar. Keep adding and mixing until desired consistency is reached

-Pour over top warm (or cooled) muffins

Now go enjoy those yummy muffins!!!!


Hope you all have a wonderful day!!! :)

Amy

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Mini Chicken Quinoa Meat Loaves

I enjoy trying new things. The hubby, not so much. I have a tendency to "throw things together" and will eat whatever the outcome may be. They hubby.....he wouldn't touch it.

In the attempts of creating healthier meals [for myself, obviously] I have started to explore new "health foods". One of my favorite new things is quinoa! It is so tasty!!!! I have started to incorporate it my meals almost daily!!!!

The other day I decided to make a meatloaf for dinner.....well, a meatloaf for the hubs! A meatloaf sounded soooooooooooo good though, so I decided to slap a "healthy" meatloaf for myself. I had some ground chicken that needed to be used up, quinoa, and of course bell peppers (since you can't have a meatloaf without bell pepper chunks)!!!! So in a big bowl I mixed everything together and used my handy dandy new muffin baking dish to make a bunch of mini loaves!!!! :)

Mini Chicken Quinoa Meat Loaves
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground chicken
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 packet Lipton's Onion soup mix
1 egg
1/2 cup water
Tapatio (more or less to your liking of spiciness)
2 TBSP Stub's BBQ sauce (you can use any kind of BBQ that you would like, but Stub's is a low-carb sauce)
3/8 cup panko bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Mix all ingredients in a large bowl
-(If muffin pan is not non-stick, spray with a non-stick baking spray) Scoop meat mixture into muffin pan cups
-Bake for 30-45 minutes
-Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving
I added an onion to the top of each muffin!

These were so yummy!!! Since I made 6 of them I froze the others for future meals.

You can also make this in a loaf pan and make a whole meat loaf if you are making for more than one person! ;)

Hope you all enjoy these little loaves of meat!!!! ;)

Have a great night! <3

Amy