Stuffed Mushroom Recipe #2

I made stuffed mushrooms last week and used a different recipe than what I've used in the past. They ended up being delicious! Definitely something I want to make again soon. I didn't take pictures, because I didn't plan on blogging this recipe, but it was too good not to share. I used this recipe as a base and made some modifications.

Here's what you'll need:

4 large portobello mushrooms (remove stem and gills)
1 egg
1 clove minced garlic (I doubled this because we love garlic)
salt and pepper to taste
1 (10 oz bag) fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 cup chopped turkey pepperoni
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 tbsp seasoned bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Arrange mushrooms on a baking sheet gill side up and bake until tender, about 12 minutes.
3. Beat egg, garlic, salt and pepper together in a large bowl.
4. Stir spinach, pepperoni, parmesan cheese and 3 tbsp mozzarella cheese and bread crumbs into egg        mixture.
5. Top mushrooms with spinach mixture. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on top.
6. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Note: I had a lot of spinach mixture and had to pile it pretty high on top of each mushroom.

Let me know if you try them and what you thought of them.

That's all for now!

Eggplant Parmesan

I was browsing the produce section in the grocery store the other day when I came upon eggplant. I realized it had been a long time since I'd last made Eggplant Parmesan. It is an easy recipe (I based mine on this one) and something Cam and I enjoy eating. I didn't measure anything so this is a measure with your eyes kind of recipe.

Here's what you'll need:

1 large eggplant sliced into 1-1 1/2" slices (I recommend using a serrated knife for easy slicing)

2 eggs beaten

Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs (Panko bread crumbs are my favorite)

Jar of Red Pasta Sauce

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese 

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prep your egg wash and bread crumb dipping stations. 

Coat eggplant slices in egg and then dip in bread crumbs.

Layer on baking sheet (I should have used a larger one).

Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Flip slices over and bake

an additional 10 minutes. 

Increase oven temp to 475 degrees. 

In a 13 x 9 pan layer pasta sauce, eggplant, cheese, repeating this and finishing with cheese.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until cheese melts and is golden in spots.

Bon Appetit!

Let me know if you try this recipe and what you think about it.

That's all for now!

Crockpot Veggie Pesto Lasagna

This is one of my favorite meals to make in the crockpot. I got this recipe out of a recipe book that my Aunt's co-workers put together.  Jesse Cool, whoever you are, thanks for the recipe!

Crock-pot Veggie Pesto Lasagna

4 cups torn spinach

2 cups diced mushrooms

1/2 cup pesto

3/4 cup reduced-fat shredded Mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup reduced-fat shredded Provolone cheese

15 oz Fat-free Cottage Cheese (original recipe uses ricotta cheese, but I absolutely despise ricotta cheese)

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 jar (25.5oz) tomato-basil pasta sauce

1 (8oz) can no salt added tomato sauce

 1 package (8oz) no-boil lasagna noodles 

1. Arrange spinach in a veggie steamer. Steam, covered for 3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Drain, and squeeze dry.

2. Combine spinach, mushrooms and pesto in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.

3. Combine mozzarella, provolone, cottage cheese, egg and 1/4 of Parmesan cheese in a medium sized bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.

4. Combine pasta sauce and tomato sauce in a medium sized bowl.

5. Coat crock-pot with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of pasta sauce mixture onto bottom of crock-pot.

6. Arrange 3 noodle over sauce. Don't worry if they overlap.

7. Top with 1 cup of cheese mixture and 1 cup of spinach/mushroom mixture. Then top with 1 cup sauce mixture.

8.  Place another 3 noodles on top of sauce. Then add 1 cup cheese mixture and 1 cup spinach mixture. 

9. Place 3 noodles on top of spinach mixture. Top with 1 cup cheese mixture and 1 cup sauce mixture. 

10. Place 3 more noodles and spread remaining sauce mixture over noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 Parmesan cheese. 

11. Cook on low for 5 hours. 

Spinach and Mushroom Mixture

Sauce Mixture

Cheese Mixture

After first layer

All finished!

Let me know if you try it and if it was good!

Thanks to Lean Lena and Fairytales and Fitness for hosting their Tasty Tuesday Link up!

That's all for now!

Pi Day Spinach and Feta Quiche

In honor of Pi day here's a recipe for a delicious quiche.

This recipe is pesky. When I made this in the past using just one pie crust I end up with so much filling that there's hardly any room for the egg and milk mixture. So this time I decided to make 2 quiches out of the filling and it worked out really well.

Spinach and Feta Quiche
1/2 cup butter
3 cloves of minced garlic
1 small onion, diced
10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
3/4 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
6 oz. herb and garlic crumbled feta cheese
8 oz. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2-9" unbaked deep dish pie crust
9 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in butter until lightly browned, about 7 minutes.
3. Stir in spinach, mushrooms, feta and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Spoon half of the filling into each pie crust.
5. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Place pie crusts on a baking sheet.
7. Pour half of egg mixture into each pie crust. Allow egg mixture to combine with filling.
8. Bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining cheddar cheese and bake an additional 35-40 minutes or until set in center.
9. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Let me know if you tried this recipe and if you liked it! :)

That's all for now!

Corn and Black Bean Salad

This recipe reminds me so much of summer! With all of the snow and ice storms we have gotten lately a little slice of summer is just what I needed. My cousin's wife, Jenel, makes this salad each year for our fourth of July picnic. She passed the recipe onto me at my bridal shower. It's tastes so fresh and is packed with flavor!

Ingredients:
1 can (15 1/4 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced

Dressing ingredients:
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper

1. Mix top set of ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl whisk together dressing ingredients.
3. Pour dressing over mixture and toss to coat.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
5. Stir before serving. Serve with a slotted spoon.

This can be eaten by itself or served with scoops as an appetizer.

Dressing and ingredients

Yum!

That's all for now!

Old Fashioned Meatloaf

Tonight for dinner we had meatloaf. Simple, easy, comfort food. We don't eat very much red meat, but meatloaf is the one thing I crave sometimes. Cameron whipped this up while I was at the gym. 

Disclaimer: This is definitely not the healthiest meal, but with a few modifications it can be healthier than normal meatloaf. 

I modified this recipe. One pound of meat is enough to feed the two of us. If you are cooking for more than two people I would definitely at least double the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef (we used 96/4, I would suggest 93/7 or 90/10 for a little more flavor)

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 egg, lightly beaten

8 oz can diced tomatoes with juice

1/4 cup quick cooking oats

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

2. Mix above ingredients in a bowl and form loaf on a cookie sheet/baking dish.

3. In a separate small bowl combine below ingredients and spread on top of loaf. 

4. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked through. 

Topping:

1/3 cup ketchup

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp yellow mustard

He was in charge of taking pictures for this post :)

That's all for now!

Pesto Shrimp and Greek Quinoa Salad

A few nights ago we made pesto shrimp and Greek quinoa salad for dinner. It was really filling and super delicious! I only made a single batch of the quinoa salad and definitely should have doubled or tripled it because we ran out.

Greek Quinoa Salad (modified from here)
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup water
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 torn fresh spinach
1/3 cup diced red onion
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 avocado, pitted peeled and chopped
Feta cheese

1. Bring quinoa and water to boil in a small pan. Cook according to quinoa package directions.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together quinoa, tomatoes, spinach and onion.
3. Stir in lemon juice, oil and salt.
4. Serve with sprinkled feta and avocados on top.

Pesto Shrimp

2 lb thawed raw shrimp, peeled

1- 7 oz jar prepared pesto

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Place peeled shrimp, pesto, Italian seasoning and cheese in large bowl. Toss to coat.

3. Skewer shrimp leaving a small amount of space in between shrimp.

4. Place skewers on a cookie sheet and bake in oven for 6-8 minutes or until shrimp are pink. 

5. Turn broiler on and place cookie sheet under broiler for 3-4 minutes (keep a close eye to make sure they don't burn)

Expert shrimp skewerer

That's all for now!

Seared Scallops and Mashed Cauliflower

Tonight for dinner I made seared scallops and mashed cauliflower. We love seafood and treat ourselves to scallops every once and a while. They are a great source of protein with almost no fat. Scallops are also very quick and easy to prepare.

Cauliflower on the other hand I'm normally not a huge fan of. I definitely don't like it raw and just always thought of it as bland when it was steamed. I had done some recipe research to find a recipe that might appease my taste buds and it was a success. I have actually never made mashed potatoes (crazy, I know) so I thought mashed cauliflower might be an easier and healthier alternative.

At the store I had asked for 2 dozen scallops, because I know that we can eat quite a few scallops. When I got home I was quite disappointed to find only 1 dozen scallops in the package. I also ate them too quickly to take a picture of them haha

Seared scallops (I used this recipe)
Sea Scallops
2 tsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
salt
pepper

1. Season both sides or scallops with salt and pepper.
2. Heat butter and olive oil in saute pan on high heat until it is melted.
3. Add scallops to pan and sear for 1 1/2- 2 minutes on each side. They should be translucent in the center when cooked.
4. Enjoy!

Mashed Cauliflower (I modified this recipe)
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp water
2 Tbsp margarine
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Fill large pot with water and bring to boil.
2. Add cauliflower and continue to boil for 10 minutes or until tender.
3. Drain cauliflower.
4. In food processor or by hand blend all ingredients until mashed potato consistency.
5. Enjoy!

I have a small food processor so I added batches of cauliflower and blended them. Then placed it into a separate bowl and added all of the flavorful ingredients.

Finished product. Looks just like mashed potatoes!

By the way, yesterday was 60 days until the half marathon! So nerve wrecking and exciting all at the same time :)

That's all for now!

Week 6, Day 2 and Salmon Florentine

Today I ran on the treadmill at the gym. I needed a day of not running on asphalt and the ability to control my pace easily. It went pretty well and felt good.

   Standard warm-up
   30 min run (3 min run @ 5.6-5.7 mph, 1 min walk @ 3.6 mph)
   Standard cool down

   Total: 3.85 miles in 50 minutes

Last week I tired a new salmon recipe. My husband took one bite and said, "This is my new favorite salmon recipe." Hearing enthusiasm from him always puts a smile on my face :) This recipe was super easy and really quick. So here's the delicious recipe. I modified it from here.

Salmon Florentine
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese
pepper
salt
10 sun dried tomatoes, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
Fresh baby spinach (I just threw in handfuls at a time until I thought it looked like enough)
1.8 lb of salmon in fillets (this was plenty for 3 people)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add spinach, tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until spinach is wilted and combines with other ingredients.
4. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 min.
5. Add cottage cheese to skillet and stir to combine.
6. Place salmon on baking sheet and top with spinach mixture.
7. Bake until cooked through, depending on thickness it can take between 15-25 minutes.

This isn't the most beautiful picture I've ever taken haha but I love food with lots of color!

Let me know if you try it and what you thought!

Shout-out to my Mom who is recovering from an injury right now. She's in a boot for at least 2-4 weeks :/ She started running earlier this year and completed her first 5k in June. She totally rocked it! She's lost weight from diet and exercise and looks great. It's absolutely killing her to not run or even go on a walk. Just remember Mom, the more closely you follow the doctor's orders now the longer you should be injury free later. So rest up now and you'll be back at it before you know it! According to this Mom, you are officially a runner...

Source (I love this site, some of the bibs are hilarious)

Source

That's all for now!

Week 4, Day 1 and Day 2

Day 1

On Monday I ran on the treadmill at the gym. Last week we had noticed that the 30 minute runs were getting easy and we weren't feeling as if we were getting a good workout in. What we decided to do was increase our running interval time, but run at the same speed. So for this workout we ran for 3 minutes and walked for 1 minute.

Standard warm-up
30 minute run (3 min run @ 5.6, 1 min walk @ 3.5)
Standard cool-down

Total: 3.8 miles in 50 minutes

This run felt good. I liked the longer running interval. I could definitely feel the difference even though it only added 30 seconds onto the running intervals. It left me sweating at the end, which is always a good thing!

Day 2

Today I ran outside for my 30 minute run. It was a beautiful outside so I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I ran the 3 to 1 interval again today. It was a pretty good run. I got to wear my Garmin watch which is still new to me so I just love running with it! My average mile time was 11:00/mile which is my goal for race pace.

Total: 3.7 miles in 50 minutes

After I ran I went to the gym and did a quick chest, back and abs workout along with stretching. It took about an hour.

Tonight for dinner I made a healthier version of chicken and rice casserole. I found it on Picky Palate blog. I didn't take pictures because it wasn't exactly beautiful looking haha. It turned out really well and I would make it again. Here's what you'll need:

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
2 cups cooked brown rice
16 oz prepared wild rice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic salt

Cheese sauce:
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
topping: 1 1/2 cups reduced fat cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, celery and carrots until softened.
3. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Stir in chicken, rices, salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Reduce heat to low.
5. In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium high heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper.
6. Slowly pour in chicken broth, whisking continuously. Whisk until thick and nearly boiling.
7. Stir in cheese until melted.
8. Pour cheese sauce into rice mixture then transfer into 9x13 pan. Top with cheese and bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted.

That's all for now!

Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Tonight for dinner I tried a new stuffed peppers recipe and it was delicious! The recipe I used put a Mexican twist on the traditional stuffed peppers. It was easy to make, but did take a good bit of time to cook/bake. I used double the amount of meat that I needed so therefore I had extra stuffing. I put this in a pie dish and baked it at the same time as the peppers.

I modified the recipe from Skinnytaste.

Preheat oven to 350.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb lean ground turkey
3/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup frozen corn
1 large diced tomato
1 clove minced garlic
3 Tbsp chopped onion
1 tsp cumin
Sea salt to taste
3 green bell peppers
Reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

1. In large skillet brown turkey and season with salt.
2. Once turkey is browned add onion, garlic, black beans, tomato and cumin to skillet.
3. Mix well, cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes.
4. Add corn and simmer another 5 min or until all liquid reduces.
5. Cut peppers in half lengthwise and remove stem and seeds.
6. Pour 1/3 cup of water into bottom of oven-proof dish.
7. Place peppers cut side up in oven-proof dish.
8. Fill each pepper with filling.
9. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minute or until peppers become soft.
10. Remove foil and top each pepper with cheese. Bake another 5 minutes uncovered.

So yummy!!

Rainy Day Happiness

I had off of work for the past two days. When I know I have two days off of work in a row I will usually do body part specific workouts each day. For example, yesterday my workout involved shoulders, biceps and triceps. Today's workout focused on chest, back and abs. My knee has been bothering me for the past few days so I have been resting my legs for the time being since half marathon training starts in 6 days (I'm super nervous just thinking that)!

Shoulders, Biceps and Triceps Workout (rotated through each group of 3 exercises twice)
Arnold Press: 2 x 12- 10 lb DB
Zottman Curls: 2 x 15- 12 lb DB
Tricep Pushdown: 2 x 13- 22.5 lb

Low Pulley Side Lateral Raise: 2 x 12- 2.5 lb
Cable Curls: 2 x 13- 7.5 lb
Assisted Dip Machine: 2 x 13- 50 lb off my body weight

Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 2 x 13- 10 lb DB
Preacher Curls: 2 x 15- 10 lb DB
Skull Crushers: 2 x 15- Empty EZ bar

Front and Lateral Raises: 2 x 12- 5 lb DB
P90X Curls: 2 x 13- 12 lb DB
Tricep Kickback: 2 x 15- 10 lb DB

Chest, Back and Abs Workout
Assisted Pull-ups: 2 x 10- 45 lb off of my body weight
Incline Bench: 2 x 15- 15 lb DB
Leg Raises: 2 x 15

Inverted Row: 2 x 12
Push-ups: 2 x 10
Russian Twists: 2 x 20- 8 lb medicine ball

Bent Over Rows with EZ bar: 2 x 13- 35 lb
Fly Machine: 2 x 13- 60 lb
Planks: 1 min middle, 30 sec right side, 30 sec left side, 1 min hip bridge, 30 sec right side, 30 sec left side, 1 min middle

Staight Arm Pulldown: 2 x 15- 45 lb
Bench: 2 x 12- 20 lb DB
Oblique Side Bends: 2 x 20- 15 lb DB

Tonight for dinner I tried a new side dish recipe. It turned out pretty well and with a little tweaking will be better next time! It's a new take on an old not so healthy favorite: Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole. Here's how you make it:

Broccoli Cheese Quinoa Casserole (taken from Confessions of a Foodie Bride)
1 1/2 cups quinoa, uncooked
2 heads of broccoli, cut into small florets
3 Tbsp butter or margarine
3 Tbsp flour
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cups milk (I used skim)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard (we were out of spicy brown so I used yellow)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper, to taste
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (not pre-shredded)(I used reduced fat)

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. In a medium sauce pan cook quinoa according to package directions.
3. Fill large pot with a couple inches of water and add broccoli (make sure you use a pot big enough to hold all ingredients because this is what you will use to comine eveything)
4. Cover and bring to boil for 1-2 minutes. Then drain, rinse with cold water and return to pot.
5. Add quinoa to broccoli in large pot.
6. In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat.
7. Whisk in flour, onion, garlic, mustard, cayenne, salt and pepper.
8. Let cook for 1-2 minutes and then slowly add milk, whisking until smooth.
9. Let the sauce simmer, reducing heat if necessary, about 5 minutes or until it's thickened and bubbling.
10. Removed from heat and whisk in cheddar a handful at a time until completely melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.
11. Pour sauce over broccoli-quinoa mixture and toss to coat, mixing well.
12. Transfer mixture into 13x9 casserole dish.
13. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is browned.

 Here's the finished product! I think it even looks like Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole :)

**Note: This was more labor intensive and took more time than I originally thought it would to make, but it's totally worth it!

I'll leave you with this:

Today it was raining out. Normally I wouldn't be excited about this, but today I was for sure! I bought this awesome yellow rain coat back in May and I haven't gotten to wear it since. Today it rained hard enough to wear it! I can see myself enjoying many more rainy days in this sweet rain jacket! 

That's all for now! I hope you enjoyed reading!

Strength Training Workout #2 and Pumpkin Protein Bars

Sore didn't even begin to describe how I felt when I woke up on Friday morning. The 4x4 workout definitely got the best of me. I had to work Friday and since I do 12-13 hour shifts I typically don't work out on days that I work. Saturday I woke up feeling like a slug! I went to breakfast at my favorite local diner and indulged in a cheat meal :)

This only worsened the sluggish feeling. Needless to say I took a nap only 3 hours after waking up! I ended up lounging around all day until we met up with some friends to get sushi.

Today I got back on track! I thought this picture matched perfectly to how I was feeling!

via Back on Pointe

Today I had the unpleasant experience of working out in a gym that was 81 degrees (I am not exaggerating!) Somehow it says it was set to 69 degrees, but something wasn't working with the AC. Amazingly on this hot day it felt refreshing when I stepped out of the gym!

I did another full body (except legs) strength training workout. It went as follows:

Warm up: 1 mile on treadmill (0.5 mile walk at 3.5-3.8 mph pace and 0.5 mile jog at 5.5-5.8 mph pace) 14 min total

Assisted Pull-ups: 2 x 9- 45 lb off of my weight

Push-ups (1 set spider-man and 1 set traditional) 2 x 10

Hyperextensions: 2 x 12- 10 lb

Bench Press with dumbbells (DB): 2 x 15- 15 lb DB

Preacher Curls: 2 x 15- 10 lb DB

Skull Crushers: 2 x 15- 25 lb ez bar

Hammer Curls: 2 x 15- 12 lb DB

Body weight dips with feet stacked: 2 x 14

Arnold Press: 2 x 10- 10 lb DB

Plank (done in succession with no break): 1 min middle plank, 30 sec left side plank, 30 sec right side plank, 1 min hip bridge, 30 sec left side plank, 30 sec right side plank, 1 min middle plank

Front/side raises: 2 x 10- 5 lb DB

Oblique side bends: 2 x 20- 15 lb DB

Treadmill: 20 min (walk 1 min (3.8 mph), run 3 min (5.3-5.6 mph)) 1.56 miles

Full body stretch: 15 min

On Thursday I made Jamie Eason's Pumpkin Protein Bars. They are super easy to make and really delicious! I find these can easily curb a craving for sweets as they have a bread/cake like consistency. 

Preheat oven to 350. 

Spray 9x13 dish with non-stick spray.

Combine the following ingredients in a bowl and mix well. 

1/2 cup xylitol brown sugar blend (I can never find this so I use plain xylitol which can be found at any vitamin store)

1- 4 oz jar baby food applesauce (I use organic applesauce that has no added sugar or extra ingredients)

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground clove

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 large egg whites

1- 15 oz can raw pumpkin

Then add:

2 cups of oat flour (you can either buy this already ground or simply blend rolled oats until they become a flour like consistency.)

2 scoops vanilla whey protein

1/2 cup almond milk (skim milk can also be used)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Mix this until well incorporated. 

Spread batter into dish and bake for 30 min. 

Finished product!

**Note: I have found that these must be refrigerated or else they will mold very quickly because of the lack of preservatives. 

This week I will be trying some new recipes for dinner. If they're good I will be sure to post them here. 

That's all for now! Hope everyone had a great weekend! 

H.I.I.T. Workout and a Quick and Healthy Dinner

This morning I completed one of my favorite workouts. H.I.I.T. stands for high intensity interval training. It's a quick workout, yet it leaves you feeling as though you've worked out for two hours by the time you finish! This particular H.I.I.T. workout is called the 4x4. I found it on Pinterest here. I modified mine from this particular version. Mine went as follows:

Warm-up: 0.75 mile on treadmill, walked for 3 min at 3.8 then jogged at 5.8 mph

Jump Rope- 40 sec
Front Kicks- 40 sec

25 sec rest

Burpees- 40 sec
Jumping Jacks- 40 sec

25 sec rest

10 pushups/10 dips
Alternating lunges- 40 sec

25 sec rest

Calf Raises- 40 sec
Frog Hops (forward and backward)- 40 sec

25 sec rest

Mountain Climbers- 40 sec
Squat jumps- 40 sec

25 sec rest

Plank- 40 sec
Bicycle crunches- 40 sec

25 sec rest

V-sit hold- 40 sec
reverse crunches- 40 sec

I repeated this twice through which took a little over 27 minutes.

Treadmill: 2 min walk. Jogged for 3 min, then walked for 1 minute and repeated this interval pattern for 24 minutes.

Full body stretch: 15 min

Tonight for dinner I made one of my husband's favorite meals. The Turkey Avocado Bowl. I got this recipe from Tenley Molzahn (past bachelor contestant!). This meal is so easy, super healthy and filling! Here's what you'll need:

1 lb lean ground turkey
Lettuce (we use a combo of romaine and spinach)
Plain Greek Yogurt
Avocado

All you do is brown your turkey

Then place your greens in a bowl and top it with the turkey.

Mash up the avocado in a bowl and add it along with the Greek yogurt to your turkey and lettuce.

You might be thinking, "Greek yogurt? Why would I ever eat that with lettuce and ground turkey?!" Amazingly it tastes like sour cream! My husband and I substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream in almost every situation (baked potatoes, tacos, etc.).

We had to go without avocado tonight because the one we bought a few days ago was half rotten and half not ripe :/ I still can't figure out how that's even possible haha.

We had a side of corn on the cob and cantaloupe (I just love summertime and the fresh produce that comes with it!) I also made Pumpkin Protein Bars tonight, recipe to follow tomorrow.

That's all for now! Goodnight!

Wednesday's Strength Training Workout

This morning I got to enjoy working out in an empty gym for the first hour of my workout. It was awesome! I did a full body workout that went as follows...

I would complete one set of bent over rows, then one set of cable crossovers, then repeat that for another set. Then move on to the next two exercises in the same fashion. 

Warm-up: 1/2 mile walk on treadmill at a pace of 3.5-4 mph (8 min total)

Bent over rows with EZ bar: 2 sets x 15 reps- 20 lb
Cable Crossover: 2 x 15- 12.5 lb

Push-ups with feet on stability ball: 2 x 10
Straight arm pulldown: 2 x 15- 22.5 lb

Zottman Curls: 2 x 12- 12 lb
Body Weight dips with feet stacked: 2 x 14

Cable Curls: 2 x 12- 7.5 lb
Tricep pushdown with rope attachment: 2 x 15- 22.5 lb

Box Jumps- 23.5in high box: 2 x 12
Upright Row with dumbbell: 2 x 12- 20 lb

Body weight squats: 2 x 25
Shoulder press with dumbbells: 2 x 12- 10lb

Medicine ball twists: 1 x 20- 8 lb ball
Leg lifts: 1 x 20
Crossover ball crunches: 1 x 10
Ball crunches: 1 x 20

Cool down: Elliptical for 15 min
Full body stretching: 15 min

Post workout today I made a Strawberry Banana Protein Shake.
Here are the ingredients I used.

Add the following ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth: 

-8 oz milk 

-1 scoop of any Vanilla protein 

-1 banana

-2 heaping spoonfuls of plain Greek yogurt 

-10-15 small frozen or fresh strawberries 

I usually mix in frozen strawberries even if I have have fresh ones because it gives it a thicker consistency. If I don't have frozen strawberries I will add a few ice cubes to thicken it up. 

Here's the finished product. Yum!

I'm off to get some fresh produce from a local market and make a trip to a local running store. Check back tomorrow for another great recipe and workout.