I’M BRINGING MALT BACK

Perfect Day!

Not too hot, not too cold.  A nice 70 degrees and another “Attack of the To-Do List” Day!  Amongst all the errands today, I have to put together a May resolution list.  The last time I did a resolution list, it was a colossal failure!  Does not mean I can not try again!

BREAKFAST was a throw back to my childhood.  When I was young my Grandfather would make my sister and I malted milk shakes.  So today,  I made a malted milk smoothie. 

Love, Love, Love!!

 

STRAWBERRIES + BANANA + ALMOND MILK + 2 TBSP MALT POWDER

Pretty much got everything done but the dreaded LAUNDRY!!!  Ugh.

Crab Salad for DINNER!  Added a little something this time to “bulk” it up.

SPINACH + CRAB + BROCCOLI COLESLAW + AVOCADO + CHERRY TOMAOTES + ANNIE’S HONEY MUSTARD DRESSING

Quick post…weekends have a tendency to bit a bit hectic.  I have a fun crazy day planned for tomorrow!

  XOXO

FINALLY FRIDAY

I can’t get over how much better I feel after only 2 days of getting back on schedule.  Vitamins taken, gym visited, good foods consumed!  Makes me feel like “cheat weeks” are totally not worth it.  Today entailed work, cleaning, and returning my life to normalcy.

Started the day with a GREEN MONSTER for BREAKFAST.

1/2 MEDIUM BANANA + 50 G TJ’S MANGO + 1 CUP ALMOND MILK + 1 TBSP VIV AGAVE + 2 TSP SLENDA WITH FIBER 

I meant to add a bit of the “gums” to thicken this up a bit, but I remembered too late.  It still was quite filing and SOOOOO delish!  I blame that on the Viv Agave.  I forgot that I had this in my collection of powders.  The fiber stats on this are ridiculous!

I’m so boring!!  For DINNER I had YET another crab and spinach salad.  I did mix it up a bit and changed the dressing.  I found a tub of hummus in the back of my fridge and diluted it with a little water to make a perfect dressing for my HUGE salad.  Pictures don’t do it justice.  Even Boyfriend commented on the sheer mass of this puppy!

SPINACH + CRAB + AVOCADO + CHERRY TOMAOTES + TORTILLA STRIPS + CEDAR’S GARLIC LOVERS HUMMUS WITH WATER

I “baked” some raw carrot cake balls the other day for a family BBQ.  I probably shouldn’t have announced that they were “good for you” because one 1 person ate one!!!  I could eat a whole box if I did not show some self-restraint.  Oh well…I took the two boxes home that I made and I will be enjoying them myself.  I ate one today as a little POST WORKOUT treat.  Speaking of working out…

I got my lazy butt to the gym and did a little cardio on the elliptical while reading my Kindle.  I can’t get over how fast time flies when you are absorbed in a good book. 

I’ve been reading Crazy Sexy Diet and I’m LOVIN it!!!  While I’m not onboard with everything in the book, a lot of what I’m reading really makes sense.  GET THIS BOOK!!

XOXO

LIVIN' LIFE

I'm amazed that I've survived these past 2 weeks!  I have had SOOO much on my plate, that the blog and healthy eating just did not fit in:(

I've had a BLAST, but will be paying for it for the next two weeks at the gym.  Totally worth it!  The only thing I regret is not taking more pictures of the fun I had for my own memories.

April 22nd was not only Earth Day, but also Boyfriend's Birthday!!  We are going on a special trip this year so we decided to nix the elaborate birthday celebrations that we usually undertake.  Instead, I decorated (which I always do), baked him some treats, and gave him little "tokens" of my love. 

PIRATE PARTY!

CUTEST WRAPPING PAPER

 HOMEMADE APPLE TART

I also went to a Padres/Phillies game with my gym bud Mark.  I'm from Philly so I guess I should be a Phillies fan, but I can help but route for my Padres of my most favorite city in the world!  Before the game, we went to Altitude Sky Lounge, a bar on top of the Marriott Hotel that overlooks the ball park. 
AMAZING VIEW!

VIEW OF THE BALL PARK FROM THE HOTEL ROOFTOP

MARK ON THE ROOF!

ME ON THE ROOF!

VIEW FROM OUR SEATS! AMAZING SEATS!

I did TONS of baking while on "break".  Here are a few of the things I made...

CARROT CAKE RAW BALLS

CHOCOLATE & BLONDIE MACAROONS

FLAT OUT PIZZA

STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST (they had NO taste...quite awful!)

ROMANTIC DINNER SET UP TO EAT THE TASTELESS CHICKEN ABOVE

So I'm back, trying to keep healthy and bounce back into my routine.  With that, BREAKFAST was a GREEN SMOOTHIE!!!

STRAWBERRIES + BANANA + ALMOND MILK + FLAX SEEDS + SPLENDA WITH FIBER

I had a wonderfully HUGE crab salad for DINNER.

SPINACH + CRAB + CHERRY TOMATOES + 2 EGG WHITES + ANNIE'S NATURALS LITE GINGERLY DRESSING

I felt that I deserved a bit of a treat so I paired my yummy salad with...

PEACH BELLINI (fresh peaches, peach schnapps, champagne)

Well, now that I'm back to my regular schedule, my postings won't have to be a photographic purge of weeks worth of events.  I had so much fun these past few weeks, but I miss my routine.

XOXO

SUNDAY SHOPPING

Today was beautiful today, but not beach weather for me.

No matter.  I still did the regular Sunday routine: Farmers Market & Shopping!!

I decided not to buy my Bitchin' Sauce this week because of it's rapid disappearance as soon as I pop open a bag of pretzel slims:)  I did decide to eat BRUNCH at one of the food stands.

3 FISH "STREET" TACOS

I also decided to do a little light shopping because it was so nice outside, and I didn't want to stay couped up in the house.

Picked up these new measuring spoons ON SALE.  I have these exact ones in black, but they are old and the  writing with the measurements are wearing away.

KITCHENAID PINK MEASURING APPARATUSES 

Also made a quick visit to Victoria's Secret to use up a few coupons that I had.  I had one for $10 off, one for $10 off a $50 purchase, and one for a free panty.  I bought 4 lip glosses (I'm OBSESSED with their lip glosses), a cute new Padres Pink shirt, and a pair of black panties all for $30!!!

VICTORIA SECRET PADRES SHIRT

Yet another EPIC salad for DINNER!!  Finished up some of the seafood I've been stockpiling, and threw a bunch of veggies into a bowl.  One of the best food decisions I have ever made was to replace iceberg lettuce (no nutritional stats whatsoever), with spinach (crazy good for you).

SPINACH + SHRIMP + IMITATION CRAB + TOMATOES + ROASTED RED PEPPERS + AVOCADO + ANNIE'S LITE GINGERLY DRESSING

I usually measure all of my food for portion control purposes.  One of the most useful uses of a food scale is for measuring dressing.  Annie's dressing is usually 31 grams/2 TBSP for a 40 calorie serving.  I just put the salad on a scale and slowly drizzle the dressing over the salad.  I looks like so much if you do that!!!  If I could, I'd use the whole bottle.  I HEART dressing!!  Especially Annie's Naturals Lite line.

Well I'm off.  I might end my night with a little GreenFix juice plus some Splenda with Fiber.  The juice guys would KILL me if they knew what I was doing to their beautiful raw juice.

FYI Haven't used the Vita in a few days.  However, I've noticed it's being cleaned on a daily basis.  Boyfriend has a new favorite thing!!

XOXO

BEACH, BAKING, BEER

80 degrees here and hella SUNNY!!!  I am so blessed to live in such a beautiful place!!

I decided to take an early trip to the beach for a few hours this morning, and enjoy the beautiful weather we are having here in San Diego.  

Fueled myself with my GreenFix juice and a sandwich thin for BREAKFAST.

1 CUP GREENFIX RAW JUICE + WHOLE WHEAT SANDWICH THIN + SPRAY BUTTER

I hung out on the beach for an hour and read Very Sexy Diet on my kindle while sunning myself.  Afterwards, I popped over to the People's Co-Op and feasted on some unpictured KALE SALAD and BAKED TOFU!  SO GOOD!!  I might have also consumed several DATES for dessert.  I MEANT to eat two, but that didn't happen :)

While I was leaving the beach, I saw incoming traffic and was grateful that I was raised to hit the beach early in the morning to avoid the late rush!!

When I got home, I made these cute Easter treats!!  I'm going to snag a few and bring the rest to work to avoid eating them all myself, which I am POSITIVE I can do!

BIRD'S NESTS EASTER CUP CAKES

DARK CHOCOLATE DRIZZLED PRETZELS WITH PASTEL NON PAREILS

CHOCOLATE EXPLOSION MACAROONS

While cooking, I was going to treat myself with a Trader Joe's Light aka. "Corona Light".  Then I was inspired!  I brought back an old treat.  One of my favorite San Diego taco joints has a drink called a, Michelada.  It was refreshing and enjoyed while sitting on my back porch waiting for my baking timer to go off. 

TJ'S LIGHT BEER + ICE + LIME JUICE + "TAJIN" SPICED RIM 

DINNER tonight was perfection!!  I might have licked the bowl...but I'll never tell.

SPINACH + IMITATION CRAB + TOMATOES + AVOCADO + ANNIE'S HONEY MUSTARD DRESSING

That's it for the day!  I've been feeling so accomplished lately!!  I love being lazy, but I need to kick my butt and get "stuff" done!

XOXO

TARGET & TIFFANYS

What an accomplished day!!!

Baking: CHECK!

Grocery stockpiling: CHECK!

Cleaning: CHECK!

Mani/Pedi: CHECK!

Good eats: CHECK!

Work out: CHECK!

Work: CHECK!

Love days like these!

Started off the day with a new BREAKFAST option.  I bought grits awhile ago, but haven't busted them out until this morning.  Short, simple, and quick.  I didn't do anything to "spice them up" besides adding a little butter spray but they were tasty and FILLING!

1/4 CUP QUAKER INSTANT GRITS + I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT BUTTER

SNACK consisted of an apple that I consumed while on-the-go at Target.  I was looking for a mop, but bought everything BUT a mop.  I did get this cute mug though!  I'm a sucker for cute mugs and holiday wares!

EASTER MUG

RUN to Henry's if there is one near you!!  BLACKBERRIES are on sale for the next two days for $1 for a 6 oz. container!!!  I bought 3 containers, and might have to stop by for more before the sale ends. 

FINALLY finished the last of my Vita Avocado Tortilla Soup!!  Next time I think I'm gonna reduce that recipe by half.  I loved the soup, just not enough to eat it everyday for 2 weeks!

AVOCADO TORTILLA SOUP + DOLLOP FF SOUR CREAM

I also rocked a 30 Day Shred sesh this evening.  Level 1 is becoming increasingly easy so I think I might have to kick it up a notch to Level 2 pretty soon.  At-home work-out videos are great so that I don't have to deal with the hassle of the gym, but I feel like I'm not maximizing my efforts at home.  Having a bunch of people around me at the gym pushes me to do more.

On a different note...

A BIG birthday is coming up for me soon!  I like getting special gifts for my birthday so that I can always associate beautiful things with monumental occasions in my life.  My mother picked out these two earrings at Tiffany & Co. that she thought I would like.  Surprisingly, I LOVE them!!  It's surprising because I am the fussiest person in the world.  I'm not going to apologize though...I know what I like.

I'm having trouble deciding between the two.  I think I have to see them in person before I can make a final decision.  I am leaning more towards the pink sapphire because it's simple, elegant, and understated.  The amethysts is GORGEOUS though!!!

XOXO

BUSY BEE

MIA!!

I've been SUPER busy lately with work and whatnot!  When my head's a mess, my house is a mess.  I spent a whole day cleaning up the random clothes and dishes laying around.  But now that's done and I feel so much better!!

The first picture I've taken this week was glorious!!  Shrimp salad for a late LUNCH today was tasty!  I basically eat whatever is on sale at the moment and I bought a few pounds of shrimp for $4!!

Caviar meals, on a Taco Bell budget!!

SHRIMP + SPINACH + ANNIE'S NATURALS GINGERLY DRESSING + CHERRY TOMATOES + TORTILLA STRIPS

I also met up with my gym bud, Mark, for another return to Oyster Thursdays!!!  Definitely seafood overload today...but in a good way.

CORONADO ORANGE WIT BEER + 12 OYSTERS

• BARRON POINT OYSTERS: PUGET SOUND, WASHINGTON STATE
• BLONDE OYSTER: CARLSBAD, CA
• CHEF CREEK OYSTERS: BRYNES SOUND BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
• DABOB BAY OYSTERS: BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
• DEEP BAY OYSTERS: VANCOUVER ISLAND, CANADA
• FANNY BAY OYSTERS: VANCOUVER ISLAND, CANADA
• LUNA OYSTERS: CARLSBAD, CA

We also stopped by Aero Club Bar for a pitcher.  I have never been to this bar before and I really liked it.  It's kind of divey and laid back.  Just my style!



PITCHER OF HOEGAARDEN FOR SHARING!

On Sunday, I went to the Farmer's Market to pick up some yummy treats!

I bought a bottle of juice from GreenFix Raw.  I know I have the Vita, but I thought I'd give someone else's creation a try.

I bought the raw one, so there was no apple juice.  They offer $1 off on refills if you bring the carton back.

I also bought some treats for later from the "hippies" at the Peace Pie booth.

MOCK TUNA WRAP

MEDITERRANEAN RAW PIZZA

The Tuna Wrap was REALLY good!!!  Tasted just like tuna and I loved the fact that it was wrapped in greens.  The Pizza was good, but not as unforgettable as the Mock Tuna Wrap!!

Well I'm pooped!  My day tomorrow is going to consist of work, running some last errands, baking a few things, and tiddying up a bit!

NITE!

 

XOXO