5+ (current) Things

My, how time flies.

I’ve been busy posting my photo of the day (if you haven’t checked out this particular blog, head over to One More Snapshot.)  And busy with lots of other things too.

I thought I’d get you all up to speed on some of the most current things…

1. It’s strawberry season!!!

My Pepere, my Mom and I headed to New Hampshire for some real time strawberry picking.  The strawberries tasted like a burst of sweet sunshine.  And you can bet your boots that I had my fair share of strawberry shortcakes to celebrate the season.

2. Fighting the fight against cancer.

My family and I went to the Relay for Life for the second time this year.  I find this whole event so inspiring.  The positive energy that abounds, even on a rainy, cold, New England day was absolutely contagious.

3. Beach Babes.

My sister and I spent the day in Maine, living it up on the beach and getting our fill of lobster rolls and ice cream.  I feel happy every time I think about it.  The day was perfect.

Our Idol!!!  We’re both a tad obsessed with Guy Fieri.

4. Training.

I’m training for a half marathon in July, but I haven’t even signed up yet!  I have all the motivation to carry me across the finish line, but I’m still not sure if my knee is feeling the same way.  In case you weren’t here for my last half marathon, I had a knee injury that prevented me from running for a good 6 months or so.  Ever since, I’ve been worried about increasing my mileage to that magnitude.

So, for now, I’m just testing the waters to see how things go.  If my knee feels pain at all, than I’ll simply call it off with no regrets!  Slow and steady.

5. Green Living.

The garden has been planted.  Kale.  Tomatoes.  Eggplant.  Cucumbers.  Lettuce.  Various squash varieties.  Beets.

It’s a slow start due to the rainy month of June, but everything will be sprouting up before you know it.  I’m already eager for that fresh bunch of kale.  Yum.  :D

6. Other (fun) things…

There were plenty of other fun things like…

…doing dishes in heels (why not?)

…flower shopping…

…hanging with this girl…

…going to Boston for my sister’s 30th birthday and riding the duck tour (where making duck faces is actually encouraged)…

…and walking through Boston…

(I *loved* these funky flowers!)

…and then going out to eat at Maggiano’s Little Italy, where I was served one giant meatball.  :mrgreen:

Whew.

What a whirlwhind.

These were just some of the most current things.  I truly missed each and every one of you, and I hope to be here on a more regular basis once again.  :D

Question: What is ONE or TWO of your favorite highlights from the past month or two?  Any fun vacation plans?

 

Pain is temporary, pride is forever.

Aka.

The mantra that was running through my head the entire race.

Sorry for being so MIA this past week.  Life has been hectic (but in a good way!)

Today,  my dad and I spent the morning with a good ol’ fashion 5k.

The day was warm and the run was slightly hilly.  But we were both feeling pretty good and finished in pretty decent times (24 minutes for my dad, 28 minutes for me…he’s always well ahead!)

Already excited for our next 5k.  :D

Oh, and I’ll be back to regular posting soon, I promise!  In the meantime, I hope that you are enjoying lots of sunshine and outdoor time.

 

My Mom.

My mom is my best friend.

My mom taught me that crying is okay but whining isn’t.  She taught me what love and family and selflessness really,truly mean.

My mom taught me how to use mascara and blush.

Most importantly, however, my mom taught me that beauty starts on the inside.  Beauty is much more than skin deep.

My mom taught me to put God first every morning, by spending time in the Bible — not by telling me to do this but by showing me every.single.morning. for as long as I can remember.

My mom taught me how to knead warm dough, how to boil an egg, how to make a stew.

My mom taught me what home actually means.

My mom taught me to dream big.  To always chase after my dreams, without a trace of doubt that sometimes, dreams can fail.

My mom taught me to believe.

My mom taught me to respect others.

My mom taught me to respect myself.

My mom is more than just my mom.

My mom is my best friend.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!!

 

Fitness Friday: “It All Counts”

The temperatures are finally warming up here in New England.  I can’t even begin to tell you how wonderful it feels to not have to layer up with wool socks, running tights, fleece hats and thick gloves every.single.morning.  Spring is like a breath of fresh air after one too many chilly runs this winter!

Yes.  It makes me happy.

Lately, in addition to my morning workouts, I’ve been trying to squeeze in a 15 minute walk at work.  I sit down a lot, between all the paperwork and charting on patients.  I do make it a priority to get up at least every hour and when I make my rounds to visit patients, I’m shuffling up and down stairs and walking in and out of rooms.

Even still.  It’s pretty sedentary.  So these walks are a must, in my opinion.  And nothing clears my head quite like being outside.

Refreshed.

Re-energized.

Ready for the day.

I wasn’t always the type to just go out for a leisurely stroll now and then.  I went through a fitness phase where I felt that everything needed to be intense or it simply wasn’t worth doing.

Running needed to leave me out of breath.

Biking had to leave me sore.

Weights needed to push me to my limits.

Etc, etc, etc.

While I can still appreciate a hard core workout now and then, I (even more so) appreciate the very act of moving my body.  It’s enjoyable.  And I appreciate what my body is capable of vs. always having to see where my limits are.  AND, it’s healthy.  Studies show that the very act of getting up to stretch or move periodically throughout the day can be very protective against many health related risks (i.e., strokes, dementia, diabetes, etc.)

In other words?

Get up, get moving!

It all counts.

Fitness Friday

Saturday: 11-mile bike ride + 2- mile after dinner walk

Sunday: 7-mile bike ride

Monday: 3-mile run + 2-mile after dinner walk

Tuesday: 6-mile walk, broken up into two walks during the day

Wednesday: 3-mile run + Yoga

Thursday: 2-mile run

Friday (today:) Rest

QUESTION: What is your typical day like in terms of being active/sedentary?  What are some ways you can (or DO) sneak a little activity into your day?

Ch-ch-chia!

I’ve been using chia seeds a lot lately.  In my oatmeal.  In my yogurt.  In my granola.  You name it, I’m using it.

(As a side note, I just started keeping things like chia seeds, wheat germ, flaxseed, etc. in little mason jars, in the fridge.  I notice that when I have them in their original bags, I forget to use them (out of side, out of mind.)  When they’re front in center, greeting me each morning, I almost always remember to use them when making my breakfast.)

Now that’s some real fancy schmancy labeling right there, huh?

When it comes to healthy eating, I’m not a huge advocate of the self proclaimed “super foods.”  I believe that a healthy life can be obtained in a pretty simply (and also affordable!) way, with fruits, veggies, lean protein, healthy fats, etc.  There’s not necessarily a need for the savvier trends, like quinoa, chia seeds, etc.  But they’re fun and healthy, and they can offer you a unique way to sneak in more healthy fats, fiber, protein, etc.

I especially like to include them in my breakfast meals.

Like muffins.

These muffins are dense and subtly sweet, and (best of all) they will keep you full for hours, thanks to the fiber boost.  They remind me of morning glory muffins and would probably be delicious with dried pineapple and cashews!

Yum.

Bran Flax Muffins - modified from the original “Bob’s Red Mill” recipe

I began making this recipe only to realize that I was missing several ingredients.  I had to substitute ingredients based on what I had on hand, and this is the resulting recipe…which ended up turning out just fine (crisis averted!)  Increase the amount of sugar used if you prefer a sweeter muffin and use the lesser amount if you like a subtle sweetness.  Enjoy these muffins with a tall glass of milk and a fruit for an easy, fiber rich breakfast option!

• 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup flaxseed
• 1/4 cup chia seeds (or use all flaxseed)
• 3/4 cup oat bran
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1-1/2 cups finely shredded Carrots
• 2 shredded Apples
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup Milk
• 2 beaten beaten Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla

1. Mix together flour, flaxseed, oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. Stir in carrots, apples, raisins and nuts. Combine milk, beaten eggs and vanilla. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir until ingredients are moistened. DO NOT OVER MIX.
3. Fill 12 muffin cups evenly. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.  Let cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

QUESTION: Do you use things like chia seeds, flax seeds, wheat germ, etc. in your daily eats and/or cooking?  Which are your favorites?  

Meatless Monday: Roasted Veggie Quesadillas

Cajun.

Aka, my secret weapon.

9 times out of 10, when people proclaim, “This has so much flavor, what did you do??”

My answer?

Cajun.

I sprinkle it on almost everything.

(FYI: When my answer isn’t cajun, it’s usually ‘cinnamon’…which I also just so happen to sprinkle on almost everything!)

Tonight for dinner, I made some roasted veggie quesadillas.  Which started with sprinkling (you guessed it!) cajun seasoning over some peppers and mushrooms and onions.

While the veggies roasted in the oven, I heated a large griddle pan and then layered some cheese between the whole wheat tortilla wraps, letting them get all crispy and gooey and awesome.

And then I preceded to stuff them silly with the cajun roasted veggies.

Yum.

Roasted Veggie Quesadillas

Any leftover veggies are delicious on top of pizza or served over a baked potato with a little avocado.  This is a very versatile recipe and you can truly make it your own by subbing in other vegetables or serving them over something entirely different.  Enjoy and have fun!

Serves 3

• 1 green bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 onions, thinly sliced
• 10 mushrooms, thickly sliced
• Cajun Seasoning
• 3 Whole Wheat Tortillas
• 3/4 cup Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Mix vegetables together on cookie sheet that has been coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle liberally with cajun seasoning (to taste.)  Stir together and place in oven for a total of about 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time.
3. Meanwhile, heat nonstick pan to medium.  Spray with cooking spray.  Place tortilla wraps on top and place about 1/4 c. of cheese on half of each wrap.  Fold wrap in half and press down lightly.  Cook until browned on underside, flip, and cook the other side until browned and crispy.
4. When veggies are done roasting, open up quesadillas and fill with the roasted vegetables.  Cut in half and serve!

QUESTION: Do you have a favorite go-to spice (or herb, sauce, etc?)  For me, it’s cajun, cinnamon, garlic powder and cilantro.  I use these ingredients with abundance!

Spring.

There’s something about spring.

The smell of earth on an afternoon walk.

The sun dancing and sparkling on newly born maple leaves.

The sweet song of cardinals, robins, goldfinches, etc.

Spring.

It literally revitalizes my soul.

Spring speaks of patience, love, peace, gentleness.

Spring is a soft reminder that even after sustaining the long, brutal harshness of winter, hope endures.  Spring returns.

Despite all odds, flowers still bloom.

Birds still sing.

Life continues on.

Spring.

QUESTION: What is your favorite season?  Spring is definitely one of mine, although I love every season’s transition phase, as its a promise of something new and exciting.