TEA TIME

BREAKFAST

So I bought this amazing little tea pot the other day and I was so excited to try it today.  All you do is put one of the flower tea buds in some hot water...

BEFORE...

& AFTER

It was so beautiful and tasty too!!!  This is going to have to be a treat though because the flowers are EXTREMELY expensive!!!

So breakfast consisted of tea, warm water with lemon juice (I try to drink a glass as soon as I wake up), and PUMPKIN OATMEAL!!!!

NATURE'S PATH MULTIGRAIN RAISIN SPICE OATMEAL + 1/2 CUP CANNED PUMPKIN + 1 CUP ALMOND BREEZE UNSWEETENED MILK + SPLASH VANILLA EXTRACT + PUMPKIN PIE MIX

LUNCH

Finally made it to the gym today!!!!!!  Very brief visit but a visit nonetheless.  It felt so good to get back into the swing of things and I only hope I can keep it up.

So because I worked out, I rewarded myself with a little "After Workout" smoothie.  And I made one for boyfriend too!!  Used my Birthday Glass too!!!

1 CUP ALMOND BREEZE UNSWEETENED MILK + 1 SERVING YOPLAIT TRIPLE BERRY SMOOTHIE + 1/2 MEDIUM BANANA + 1 TBSP VIV AGAVE

Viv Agave Fiber Supplement.  Tasteless but effective! 9 grams of fiber per serving!

DINNER

Yesterday I defrosted and boiled a bunch of chicken I had bought awhile ago.  I am determined to use it before it goes bad so I came up with this Neopolitian Chicken combo.

1/2 CUP CRUSHED TOMATOES + 4 OZ CHICKEN BREAST + 2 OZ PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS + 2 CUPS SPINACH + 1 OZ TRADER JOE'S LIGHT SHREDDED MOZZARELLA CHEESE

I've been having such a difficult time sleeping lately.  I think I've just had a lot of stuff on my mind and it runs through my head at night over and over again thus keeping me awake.  I bought some Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea in hopes that this will aid my trip ZZZZzzzz land!  Review to follow...

AT HOME TACO TUESDAY (TT)!

Short post because I've been really busy finishing up some errands today.  Life has been crazy yet missing one thing...will follow.

DINNER
TACO TUESDAY B%$CHES!!  LOL!  Decided it was MUCH cheaper and much more health conscious to make tacos at home for the weekly holiday.  Plus, the Boyfriend was working tonight so I wouldn't have a partner in crime.

MARGARITA (SILVER TEQUILA + TRADER JOE'S MARGARITA MIX) + 3 TRADER JOE'S FISH STICKS + 1 TBSP FAT FREE SOUR CREAM + 1/2 CUP TRADER JOE'S BROCCOLI SLAW + LIME JUICE + 1/4 AVOCADO + LIME JUICE + 1 LA TORTILLA FACTORY WHITE CORN TORTILLAS

SNACKS

Falling in LOVE with Dark Chocolate!!!  A few bites of this AMAZING chocolate bar totally satisfied my girl chocolate needs!

I boiled some chicken in my kitchen to make chicken salad for later.  This left the kitchen with a rather unpleasant funk that a candle could not cure.  *Light Bulb Idea* Cheesecake Brownies!!!  I replaced the oil requirement with unsweetened natural applesauce and used pure egg whites where eggs were called for.  Result: AMAZING!!

SUNDAY SUNDAY

Every Sunday I formulate the same plan: Wake up early, go to church, go to the Farmer's Market.  And EVERY Sunday I fail!!!!  Woke up at 1:30 PM today so all three plans were impossible:(

NEXT SUNDAY!!!!!!!!

BREAKFAST
I've gotten into a bit of a breakfast rut...but a good one.  I've never really been a real cereal eater but I've found that a little cinnamon and some fresh blueberries and I can down a bowl of cereal like a could a vat of ice cream!

HUGE CUP O'COFFEE + 50 GRAMS BLUEBERRIES + 1 CUP ALMOND BREEZE UNSWEETENED ALMOND MILK + 3/4 CUP MOM'S BEST NATURALS TOASTED CINNAMON SQUARES + A BIT OF CINNAMON AND SPLENDA

DINNER

Gi-Normus Spinach Salad!!!!!  It's been so long since I've had a nice spinach salad, I've forgotten what I've been missing.  So healthy and SOOOO filling!!!

100 GRAMS SPINACH + 100 GRAMS TRADER JOE'S BROCCOLI SLAW + 2 TBSP CEDAR'S GARLIC LOVER'S HUMMUS + 3 TRADER JOE'S ARTICHOKE HEARTS + 1 ROASTED RED PEPPER + 3 VEGGIE PATCH FALAFEL CHICKPEA BALLS + 2 TBSP CEDAR'S TZATZIKI

Did a bit of fun food shopping!!  Found some great eats and new products!!

BIRTHDAY CHALICE!!

FINALLY FRIDAY

Nothing too exciting.  My birthday is next month and I happen to be on every email list so I got a tons of "Birthday Coupons" from various stores (Victoria's Secret, Philosophy, World Market). 

I bought something a World Market today that I have been DYING for but have been to cheap to buy.  However, with my sweet $10 coupon I thought I'd go crazy.  Details to follow...

Slow day. 

No exercise :(

Good eats!

BREAKFAST
Usual coffee goodness with Light Vanilla Whipped Cream and some overnight oats!

1 PACKET NATURE'S PATH MULTI-GRAIN RAISIN SPICE OATMEAL + 1/2 CUP CANNED PUMPKIN + 1/2 CUP ALMOND BREEZE UNSWEETENED MILK

SNACK

Love em!  Running out soon.  Must go to Costco and re-up on some of my bulk-bought eats!

MRS. MAY'S FREEZE DRIED APPLE CHIPS

DINNER

Who can go wrong with a MONSTER 230 calorie pizza!!!!!

FLATOUT MULTI-GRAIN WRAP + TRADER JOE'S FAT FREE PIZZA SAUCE + TRADER JOE'S LIGHT SHREDDED MOZZARELLA CHEESE + 4 FRESH BASIL LEAVES

That's it for the day!  So much to do, so much to see!

JERSEY SHORE FUN

Off the radar for a bit having fun and not too concerned with what I'm eating and it hasn't made too big of a difference.  My 29th birthday is is two weeks so I want to be in top top shape by then so I won't feel so bad that in one year I'll be THIRTY!!!!!!!

SPECIAL K PROTEIN CEREAL + 1/2 ALMOND BREEZE UNSWEETENED VANILLA MILK + 1/2 CUP GREEK YOGURT + 50 GRAMS BLUEBERRIES + 1 TSP SLPENDA + 1 TSP CINNAMON + 1 CUP COFFEE

LUNCH

Not the healthiest craving but I was really dying for a sandwich so I cut down the portion size and then stats became manageable.

1 SLICE OROWEAT LIGHT WHEAT BREAD + 1 TSP YELLOW MUSTARD + 2.3 OZ PASTRAMI + 1/4 CUP COLESLAW + 9 OZ. CAULIFLOWER (UNPICTURED)

Bought this the other day and made as a side to my sandwich.  Lundberg Butternut Squash Risotto was AMAZING!!!

143 CALORIES!

I scratched up my knee the other day riding my bike so I'm going to skip the gym til Sunday.

Jersey Shore premeires tonight!!  So excited...yeah it's trash but it's fun to laugh at and it's amazing to think that there are people out there who look and behave like that!

Til tomorrow!

TACO TACO

BREAKFAST

Woke up late today and was actually feeling too lazy to make breakfast therefore I just grabbed the first thing I saw in the fridge that didn't consist of microwave and/or oven use which resulted in: apples with low fat caramel!!  Very exciting (sarcastic obviously)!  Coupled with a cup of coffee of course and some Fat Free Cool Whip thrown it it too for a touch of sweet because I have run out of Fat Free Reddi Whip (sad face).

CRUNCH PAK TART APPLE SLICES WITH LOW FAT CARAMEL DIP + COFFEE + 2 TBSP KRAFT COOL WHIP FAT FREE

LUNCH

A bit more energy led me to actually "cook" aka microwave some frozen treats.  I bought Veggie Patch Corn Bites the other day because I had a coupon (obviously).  I portioned them out and froze them so I would have quick, go to meals.  Verdict:  YUM!!!  Love these little bites but obviously not enough for a whole lunch so I paired them with some soup and a cracker!

3 VEGGIE PATH SWEET CORN BITES + 1 DR. KRACKER FLATBREAD, ORGANIC AND ARTISAN-BAKED PUMPKIN SEED CHEESE + 1 CUP TRADER JOE'S ORGANIC BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

DINNER

It's Tuesday in San Diego and that means...TACO TUESDAY!!

Boyfriend and I LOVE South Beach Bar and Grille in Ocean Beach for Taco Tuesday fun!  They have half price apps, tacos, and severely discounted cocktails.  It's practically right on the beach and the views from the bar are amazing!

DRINKS!

APPETIZERS!

1/2 DOZEN OYSTERS

OCTOPUS COCKTAIL

MORE DRINKS!

PATRON

DINNER!!

 

GRILLED SHARK AND LOBSTER TACOS

After dinner, we took a walk on the beach.  I felt the water for like a half a second and it was FREEZING!!!

Then we went to the ice cream shoppe that is right next door to where we ate dinner (beach on one side, ice cream shoppe on the other...this is why South Beach is our favorite Taco Tuesday stop).

PEANUT BUTTER SWIRL SUNDAE

Had a blast tonight!!!  Taco Tuesday and Boyfriend are my two favorite things about San Diego.

JUST ANOTHER DAY

BREAKFAST
Nothing too fancy.  I meant to eat some overnight oatmeal today but I forgot to make it last night:(  Just a plain bowl of cereal bulked up with some fresh blueberries!!!

LUNCH
All out of spinach however a full container of alfalfa sprouts made due to bulk out an odd but delicious tuna salad.

DINNER
Hot dogs panini style?  It's not as bad as it sounds.  I threw two dogs on a tortilla with some mustard and threw it into the panini maker.  Wasn't half bad.  Also threw in a side of my spiralized sweet potato leftovers from yesterday.

Bought some fun and MUCH NEEDED stuff at the store today:

SEPHORA

Rave reviews about these products online so I thought I'd give them a try.  I bought Clinique's Even Better Clinical Dark Sport Corrector and Philosophy Microdelivery Peel Kit.   Ever since I had that facial at the spa, I've been trying to be nicer to my skin.  I'm getting older and I've been a "sun baby" for so without a little intervention I might be looking like Leather Face in a few years.

TRADER JOE'S

New finds and new foods at TJ's.  The pizza and the Marsala Lentil dip are new items totally and the polenta and Meatless "Meatballs" are things that I've been meaning to try.

I've been looking for these Doctor Kracker Flatbreads everywhere because I've heard such good things about them.  I tried the Pumpkin Seed Cheese as a snack today and I have to say that I wasn't very impressed.  One flatbread is 100 calories and I really didn't think it had that much flavor :(          

These Sweet Georgia Brownie cookies from the Immaculate Baking Co. looked so good.  The package said that 4 cookies were 140 calories so I had a suspicious feeling that the cookies were tiny and they indeed were.  They were hard too and I was expecting a soft batch cookie.  They were okay but again I wasn't too impressed.  However, I thought that they were much better then the flatbread.

SUNDAY SUNDAY

Meant to wake up early today for church, gym, and farmers market.  Only got one of them done:(  Made it to the Hillcrest Farmer's Market and picked up a pepper to make ques for lunch today.  The pepper was AWESOME and beautiful.  I should have taken a picture of it but I was so excited to make my eats that the pepper didn't survive long.

LUNCH
Went right to lunch because of the late time and I was in the mood to play with the new panini maker some more.  Rocked the best quesadilla I have ever had or made.  It was REALLY simple (not that many ingredients) but VERY flavorful. 

1/4 CUP SARGENTO REDUCED-FAT SHREDDED SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE + LAUGHING COW QUESO FRESCO & CHIPOTLE WEDGE + LA TORTILLA FACTORY LOW CARB WHEAT TORTILLA + 1/2 POBLANO PEPPER + 2 TBSP FAT FREE SOUR CREAM + 2 TBSP EL PINTO MEDIUM SALSA

Also had a bit of the Turkey Chili from yesterday.  It was pretty spicy.  A lot hotter then I normally make it, but not too much that it's uncomfortable to eat.

TURKEY CHILI + 1 TBSP FAT FREE SOUR CREAM

SNACK

VITATOPS FUDGY PEANUT BUTTER CHIP!

DINNER

Two paninis in one day!  I think this has now turned into a full blown addiction.  I made a pizza panini with two kinds of cheese for only 225 calories!! 

 I had a genius idea to grind up a string cheese in my Magic Bullet to make a little cheese go a long way.

  

Spinach and Basil "topped" my panini pizza

LA TORTILLA FACTORY LOW CARB WHEAT TORTILLA + 1/4 CUP TRADER JOE'S FAT FREE PIZZA SAUCE + 1 OZ. TRADER JOE'S GOAT'S MILK CREAMY CHEESE + 1 FRIGO LIGHT STRING CHEESE + 1/2 CUP SPINACH + 5 BASIL LEAVES

So I've done paninis for lunch and dinner.  Now all that's left is breakfast and dessert and I will have proved that paninis can be eaten any time of day for any meal. 

FRIDAY EATS

I've taken a bit of a gym break these last two weeks.  Sort of got bored and just lacked motivation.  Tomorrow is Sunday which to me is the start of the week therefore I think I will restart my work out sessions with the little help of a motivator that I picked up the other day.  More details to follow at another date...

BREAKFAST

Boyfriend bought a cantaloupe the other day so I snagged some pieces of that for an unpictured breakfast

LUNCH

Panini time!!!  A little Mediterranean inspiration with homemade crushed falafel balls and veggies and a side of sugar free pudding.

LA TORTILLA FACTORY LOW CARB WHEAT WRAP + 2 TBSP CEDAR'S GARLIC LOVERS HOMMUS + FIRE ROASTED RED PEPPERS + 1/4 CUP PEPPERONCINIS+ 1/2 CUP SPINACH + JELL-O BANANA FUDGE SUPREME PUDDING

DINNER

Clearing out the fridge and freeze which lead to a healthier version of fries and "chicken" nuggets.  I baked a sweet potato that I spiralized with my veggie spiralizer.  I added some hot sauce and blue cheese spread to turn the nuggets into "faux buffalo wings".  I'm really not a fan of of these nuggets.  I have half a box left in the freezer and once they are gone, they will not return :(

TRADER JOE'S SOY NUGGETS + 150 GRAMS SWEET POTATO + LAUGHING COW BLUE CHEESE WEDGE + FRANK'S HOT SAUCE + 2 PACKETS KETCHUP

I'm making a Turkey Chili in the crock pot to freeze.  It's so simple.  Just some various tomato products, a few cans of beans, and extra lean ground turkey.