Can I Harness Some of that Excitement?

Shari B. — Thu, 06 May 2010 15:43:48 +0000

Hi friends!

Can someone tell me where the heck the weeks are disappearing to? I can’t even believe it’s already Thursday and I haven’t had a post out here since Monday! Spring is finally starting to act like it’s REALLY here for good so I’ve been trying to get outside whenever the weather (and job schedule) cooperate.

For example, a little off-leash dog park action:

I wish I’d captured on “film” the huge grin on Riley’s face as she scampered all over the place. (If you have dogs, you know they SMILE!) It’s been awhile since we’ve been to the BIG off-leash park over at the reservoir where there are acres and acres for them to run around in the woods and by the water. The crazy beasts ran themselves silly and then came home and crashed out on the floor in the sunshine.

I admit that I enjoy running and hiking and other exercise, but I wish I could just be GIDDY with excitement to run around the way my dogs are! I think kids are the same way. Exercise is PLAY to them. I try to make it that way by choosing things I like instead of things I dread, but I can’t say “giddy” is a word that describes it. However, if you are doing exercise that you don’t look forward to at least a little, then my friend you should look for other options!

I also got in a visit to the Bluffs this week for a 3.71 mile hilly run, which included 8 sets of 15 sec hill run repeats at the end of the session.

And I have to admit that as much as I love vacations, it’s still awesome to be home and eating MY OWN FOOD again!

Green smoothies:

Huge salads chock full of veggies:

Ezekial toast with coconut butter and raw honey:

Open-faced sandwiches:

Spinach salads topped with a some Chipotle vegetarian “burrito bowls” (because Chipotle is MSP’s all-time fave, and he could literally eat there everyday!)

Baked yams with vegan, soy-free Earth Balance:

And even a few new creation attempts here and there, like this roasted portobello mushroom topped with spinach and herbed goat cheese:

The mushroom was good, but not yet “GREAT”. I think it needs some pre-cooking marinade. When I get it feeling like it’s recipe worthy, I promise to share it!

How about you? Any new food creations lately? Any springtime outings to enjoy the weather?

– Shari B. =)

Am I in the Holiday Spirit Yet?

Shari B. — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:41:39 +0000

Good morning blog buds! Wow, Monday already? This weekend FLEW by!

It was an exercise-less, flour-full weekend. The point of this past weekend was to accomplish as much Christmas shopping as possible. And we did a fine job of it! Then spent a lot of time yesterday afternoon getting things wrapped. I still have a few remaining items to get but now the idea of having the gifts packed up and shipped out for arrival in time for Dec. 25 actually seems FEASIBLE! So that’s some serious progress from where I stood on Friday!

But it also meant we ate out a lot. And while my food choices were pretty good, it is VERY hard to avoid a lot of sodium in “meals out”. And I can feel the effects today. Even my upper eyelids are bloated!!

And it’s another C-C-Cold Colorado day … This morning as I write, the snow plow is going by to clean off our street. Yes, MORE SNOW in Denver. And it’s 5 degrees outside right now. I am having severe “outdoor run withdrawal“. Treadmill, I do love you…. just not every day!

It really IS going to be a long winter.

***

As MSP was bundling up yesterday to head outside for some snowblowing, he mentioned that he wished we’d bought the gingerbread cookies we’d seen at Safeway after all. They make our favorite ones because they are SUPER crispy and are perfect for dunking in hot cocoa or coffee. So I figured while he was out there, I’d find a quick recipe and try to surprise him with homemade cookies as thanks for going out in the freezing cold.

I used a recipe from Allrecipes.com called Fresh Ginger Cookies. I made just a few substitutions (I used whole wheat flour in lieu of white, and I used agave nectar in lieu of molasses – mostly because I didn’t HAVE any molasses!) They turned out GREAT! They were perfectly crispy for dunking! I did sample a few even though they were full of butter – if I’d had enough of my vegan butter I would have used it. But these were also meant for MSP’s enjoyment and I didn’t want to make too many changes.

Yes I have linked you to a totally fattening, sugary recipe from my fitness blog. But because it’s the holiday season and we are all looking for good recipes, I thought I’d share! Plus I still like you guys to see that I do eat like an average American SOME of the time! This weekend just happened to be a little TOO average for my liking!

We enjoyed these after he came back in from the cold, with a side of XM Radio’s “HOLLY” xmas music station and some gift-wrapping! If that doesn’t do the trick to get one into the holiday spirit, I don’t think anything will!

***

Earlier in the day after we had our housework & groceries done, we sat in front of the Broncos game and enjoyed some Chipotle. I had the Veggie Bowl (about 3/4 of the bowl).

We weren’t really hungry for a real dinner when the time came, thanks to the filling ginger cookies, so we each made a cracker plate. Mine had olives, flax crackers spread with Tofutti, and a few pieces of Manchego (sheep’s milk cheese).

It was a GREAT weekend – I enjoyed the food, the fun and the break from exercise. And now I am in dire need of getting back to my normal eating habits (and un-bloating my eyelids!) I am CRAVING a green smoothie this morning! So I’m headed downstairs to get my workout started and then on with the rest of my day!

How was your weekend? Do you ever have a weekend where you just feel like your body is in need of ‘hitting the reset’ button?

Have a MAGNIFICENT Monday friends! See you next time!

– Shari B. =)

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Can I Harness Some of that Excitement?

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