I love You...

..all of MY READERS and especially my fellow blogger Sweet Heather!!!!!!!

Nothing to exciting happened last night. I did make a really random but good dinner. My camera battery was dead so no pics but I threw together a stir fry that consisted of..

• Chicken
• Italian chicken sausage
• Sugar snap peas
• Onions
• Red pepper
• Sweet potato, chopped in 1/2 inch pieces
• lots of garlic powder
• onion powder
• splash of soy sauce
• ginger soy sauce, from Whole Foods

It was interesting but really good and easy.

This morning at the gym the coolest thing ever happened to me!!! I stepped on the treadmill when the girl next to me asked "are you Justine"? Of course I replied yes but was trying to think how I knew her. Then she said she reads my BLOGGIE (and Heathers of course)!! Well she didn't say "bloggie", but you catch the drift. How cool is that to get recognized from your blog? Her name was Kim (shot me if I am wrong) and we had a little chat but I wish we could have talked more. Kim, if you are out there shot me an email and we can get our little ones together for a play date :). That was a great start to my day!

When I got home I was really hot and sweaty and a bowl of hot oats didn't sound good for the first time ever in my life. I deiced on a protein packed shake to cool me off.
In the mix...

• 2 tbsp. brown rice protein powder
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• dark chocolate cocoa powder
• banana
• dark chocolate stevia
• unsweetened chocolate almond milk
• ice and water

Yummy :)

Then I began getting ready for my little date with my loved one. hehe I ate this to tide me over til lunch...
It was this Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage from Trader Joes, a ww La Tortilla Factory tortilla, spinach and mustard.

I was so hungry when we got to the restaurant, Cafe Rakka of course. I pigged out on this lovely hummus and a shit load some fresh baked whole wheat pita (that's eggplant in the middle and roasted garlic along the edges)
While Heather and I chatted about her ovaries and my rash :). I also munched on this side salad..
After our fabulously full lunch we headed over to Wal-Mart for some peanut butter where I held up the express lane due to my demagnetized credit card and a few very necessary peanut butter pics...
I am pretty sure there were people cussing me....

Heather, I always have an awesome time with you. Lets do it again, sooner than later!!!

The rest of the day was spent planning the little ones 4th Birthday party which is coming up next week. Hope everyone had a fabulous fast week and as fun of a day as I did!!!!

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: After eating a meal out like today I sort of feel like I fell off the wagon. Its hard for me to get back on and I feel like I should just eat junk the rest of the day. I guess its kinda like all or nothing for me. A habit I definitely need to break!!!!

Posinious Sun Bunnies

...hopefully that will make sense at the end of this post.

So yesterday after my workout and breakfast I was in a rush to get me ready for my doctors appointment because it was a good 30 miles away. I posted then made a quick shake before jumping in the shower. Strawberries, unsweetened choc. almond milk, dark choc. stevia, cocoa powder, choc. brown rice protein, and peanut butter...
All mixed up...
After showering, getting ready, and doing some basic straightening up I had like 4 minutes to eat lunch. I sloppily threw together some leftover taco meat and tomatoes from the night before into a baked acorn squash and shoveled the green beans down my throat....
Not enough calories but momma had to go!!!

After getting lost and then finally making it to my doctors appointment I found out that I have Polymorphous Light Eruption (PMLE). Sounds fun huh? You can read about it here or here and a million other places if you Google it. Basically in a nut shell I am allergic to the sun!! The doctor wrote me a prescription for a cream and an oral medication I have to take everyday for the whole summer!! I was also advised to use Blue Lizard Sunscreen and wash my clothes in this stuff. Also, before going on my vacation in the Dominican Republic I have to go in and get a Cortisone shot which will hopefully keep the rash away while I am there.

By the time I got home and cleaned up some more it was time for dinner so, I deiced to make a quick homemade pizza using my new favorite Whole Wheat Pizza Dough Recipe that I made once before here. I was in such a hurry to get it together so I could I watch my shows (Biggest Loser, AI, and Desperate Housewives of New York) that I totally screwed up the dough. Basically to redeem the damage I had done I had to re ball it all up the pizza sauce mixed in and bake in a pan. I was praying to Sweet Baby Jesus that it would turn out because I had a hungry 3 year old bugging the crap outta me. I told them that the "pizza sauce was baked in the crust". I wonder if this is a new concept?? Not a good pic but here it is after baking it first without toppings...
Notice the red tint?
This was the last pic I got because unfortunately my camera died. My portion is the one without the cheese. I was really happy with the result though, it actually turned out great and the crust turned out extra thick like a "pan" pizza crust.

This morning I skipped my workout (no biggie) because we got invited by my sister in law to join my little nephew on his class field trip to the Science Museum. We had to leave early and I decided I would try out yet another new sausage I had picked up the other on sale at Kroger.
UGH!! It was by far the worst one I have had!! It was just greasy and nasty and I couldn't even finish it. If you like good ole baseball stadium sausages then you would like this. Really the stats weren't even very impressive. If you want to see them go here. I'm not wasting my time. Now I just have to find someone to pawn them off on. hehehe!!

Science Museum was fun
This was all she cared about doing....
We enjoyed cold leftover pizza for lunch. YUMMO!!!

On the way home I stopped to pick up my prescription for my PMLE. They wanted $415 dollars for the cream. What a FARKIN joke!!! My insurance covered a whopping $12 of it. I laughed and said "no thanks". Now I am just chillin here thinking about how its 4 o'clock and I don't have dinner planned.....Think I will just watch Oprah's show about the girls at the Bunny Ranch. Classssssyyyyy!!!! Air Force Amy anyone???

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: I totally just went to the Bunny Ranch website.....not a good idea and not posting the link!!! hahaa!!

Flatoutta Time

Hi! I hope everyone had a great Monday. Mine was pretty good despite the fact that I have a horrible itchy rash that I get every summer when I go into the sun!! So strange and not good considering the fact that I have a trip to the Dominican Republic coming up soon! I don't think I will be in a bikini at the beach with a red itchy rash. I have a appointment with the doc. today so lets hope he figures something out and doesn't just try to send me home with some itch cream!! My morning snack yesterday was a shake that consisted of the last of my Jay Robb Brown Rice Protein Powder :( (goodbye Mr. Sexy Hot).
In the mix was some frozen strawberries, some green apple, Strawberry Brown Rice Protein Powder, avocado, ice and water. Yum!! You can see the little flecks of strawberries, green apple skin and avocado. For lunch I had some butternut squash fries...
and a salad topped with tuna and tomatoes. Also, a leftover grilled portobello and some grilled asparagus. Very satisfying.
While I was eating, someone smelled the tuna...
and someone got a hold of my camera....

(is this thing on?)

(Mmm..moms lunch looks good)

(gosh I have a cute smile)(rock star)

After running some errands and going to the grocery I had .0002 seconds to come home and feed the little one and I and get her ready for karate. I had a flatout filled with some leftover chicken, a sausage, mustard and spinach...

After karate I went to watch my 3 nieces play their last HS softball home game of the season. Where the little one decided to collect and bring home a S*&% load of caterpillars! We made them a home in a shoe box...
One has already made a cocoon!!
I then rushed home and whipped up some quick tacos for the fam. I severed mine on a split flatout wrap...

Extra lean ground beef seasoned with this recipe, spinach, tomato, avocado and lactose free cottage cheese. YUMMO!!!
Dessert was some peanut butter with a vitatop :)...
Had a great spur of the moment workout this morning. Couldn't sleep so I just got up and went. Did whatever I wanted with no specific direction but left in an awesome sweaty mess!!

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: I shave my legs everyday. Is that weird?

Struck A Nerve

I just try and do a quick weekend recap. My food was all over the place because I have stopped counting cals on the weekend. At some point I ate this yummy bowl of blended oat groats topped with cinnamon and almond butter...

I also had this yummy Monkey Shake. Jay Robb Chocolate Brown Rice Protein Powder, banana, unsweetened choc. almond milk, peanut butter and ice.
Saturday, I went golfing with my man and then came home and made this delish Wheat Berry Salad with Peppers and Grapes....

• 3/4 cup wheatberries
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 red bell peppers, cut lenghtwise into flat panels
• 1 green bell pepper, cut lenghtwise into flat panels
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp walnut, or olive oil
• 1 cup seedless red grapes, quartered
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced (I didn't use any)

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the wheatberries and water to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the wheatberries are tender but still slightly chewy, about 1 hour. Drain. ( I used a crock pot on low for about 3 hours).
2. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Place the bell pepper pieces, skin side up, on a broiler pan and broil 4 inches from the heat for 10 to 12 min. or until the skin is charred. When the peppers are cool, peel them and cit into 1/2 inch pieces.
3. In a large bowl, whisk vinegar, oil, and salt. Add warm wheatberries, bell peppers, grapes and scallions, and toss to coat. Serve warm, at room temp. or chilled.

4 servings (That's being overly generous) 217 cals, 4.5g fat, 7g fiber, 43 carbs, 6g protein.

I let mine sit over night and served the next day at my parents house when we grilled out.

After planting flowers for the first time ever outside our house I came in a made a Green Pumpkin Smoothie...
1/2 cup pumpkin, 3.5 ounces banana, 1/3 cup cottage cheese, ice. Blend and then add spinach. Blend again. Yum, I was hot and sweaty and it hit the spot!! Later in the evening we headed over to my folks for dinner. We grilled out. This was my plate. I later went back for some Wheat Berry Salad.
All items on the plate were grilled.

This morning I had a great sweaty work out that consisted of HIIT, sumo deads, front squats, corner presses, corner rows, db bench press, step ups, hammer curls, abs and the tread climber. Whoa!! I am tired just writing it!! When I got home I had my usual but this time I tried a new sausage...It was really good and tasted a lot like this one.
Only this Trader Joes brand was a tad bit smaller. The stats...

100 cals, 6g fat, 450g sodium (whoa), 2 carbs, 11g protein

This is sweaty, frizzy haired, no make up wearing pic that the little one insisted on taking of me this morning eating my sausage..

Now on to something with some meaning. Did anyone see this video last week on Oprah? If not please take 1 min. and 20 sec. out of your life to do so. It is actually just a snip it of this 12 part series that can be found here. It really struck a nerve with me and almost brought me to tears. I have really being trying to think of some sort of week long challenge to do based around avoiding plastic as much as humanly possible. If anyone is up for it let me know. Regardless I am going to challenge myself.

Hope everyone had a great weekend and is having a great start to their week!!!

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: Last August I weighed 7 pounds less than I do now. I would like to chalk it up to muscle but I highly doubt it :(.

Hey, Hey, Hey, Jay, Jay, Jay

Well, I am glad its Friday but for me its pretty much just another day for me. I hit the gyzzm this morning bright and early for an excellent workout. I then came home to try out another Mr. Sexy Hot (Jay Robb) Brown Rice Protein Powder flavor that the beautiful Heather sent me (thanks love!!). This time chocolate mixed with oat bran and blended.
The verdict....pretty good but tasted a lot like the one I already have, NutriBiotic. If I had to pick a winner thought it would definitely be Mr. Sexy Hot just because there is a picture of him on the packaging. LOL!! But really, the stats are also better on the Jay Robb. More protein and less cals is always a plus in my book!!

For my morning snack I broke out another sausage..

This time I ate it with mustard for dipping and on the side is a bowl of cottage cheese, pumpkin, peanut butter and cinnamon. The verdict...Pretty good. The Mushroom Asiago and the Al Fresco Sweet Italian are still my favs though!! The flavor wasn't very strong and I kinda just felt like I was eating a hot dog. The stats...

110 cals, 6g of fat, 11g protein and 3 carbs
After my snack I had to go finish up some cleaning at mi madres house. Kinda sucked since it is such a pretty day! I went fast and only took a break for luchie...Grilled chicken, butternut squash neck, and a broccoli slaw salad topped with a grilled portobello. I then ran home, changed and went to pick up my nieces to go to the park. I had to snap a pic of the little chicks they got for Easter...
Sweet but stinky!!

Its 90 here today (and my air in my car doesnt work) so when I got home from the park I was really cravin something to cool me off. What better of a time then now to try a new Brown Rice Protein Powder. This time...
Strawberry. I mixed it with some frozen strawberries, avocado, small chunk of banana, water and ice.
The verdict...Loved it!!! Jay Robb is there anything you make that I don't like?? I mean it still had that brown rice protein powder taste that I am pretty sure you cant fully hide but it was masked pretty well. I followed the shake with a flatout wrap stuffed with turkey bacon and peanut butter. Yum.
I was totally inspired by the wacky peanut butter combo page here.
Hope everyone has had a great start to their weekend!!!!

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: I have really been in a rut with dinner lately!! Not just with recipes (I have plenty of those) I just haven't felt like cooking! I go through phases where I will have something different on the table every night for weeks straight and then all of a sudden I am slapping down grilled cheeses and and cereal bowls for the man and little one (I always eat something different).

Sometimes Its Just Better Without One...

the title that is.

Hey, wow I have really been MIA lately! Now that it is getting warm outside I find myself curled up at the computer less, which I guess is a good thing :). Also, my camera died and I kept forgetting to put it on the charger (bad blogger!!). Enough excuses and on to yumminess. I had my first savory acorn squash the other day and loved it.
I usually eat it this way. This time I filled it with some left over spaghetti meat and had a side of my favorite veggies (brussel sprouts). Super, super good it still had a slight sweetness which I loved and thought went great with sauce and meat! I also tried a new sausage :)!
Here I ate it with a leftover Pan "Fried" Chicken Burger and salad with broccoli slaw.

Here I ate it as a snack with an Italian Herb Flatout wrap, red pepper hummus and spinach.
I really liked this sausage and despite the name, "Spicy" my taste buds didn't find it very spicy at all and I thought it had a great flavor. This particular sausage has only

100 cals, 11g of protein, 6g of fat and 2 carbs.

I have eaten it for a quick dinner, snack and breakfast. I love that they are all fully cooked and natural so they are so quick and easy to make! Just nuke for 30 sec., grill for a few minutes, or cut up and warm in a pan. I must admit I have even popped one in my mouth cold.

Yesterday was the little ones last day in gymnastics and we have officially moved on to karate.

Today, I went hiking with my Aunt. We had a great time and probably went about 6 miles. It was a great change of pace and I had such a great time chatting that it didn't even feel like exercise! My Aunt....Before I left I broke into some loot that a sweet little fairy left me and made a shake in my new shaker (also left by the sweet little fairy). Jay Robb, I am lovin the new Vanilla Brown Rice Protein Powder!!! Your a protein genius! Thank you!!
I havent been making a lot of dinners lately because the man has been eating out a lot for work. Hopefully I will get in a few good ones the rest of the this week.

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: I never had bad skin until after I got pregnant. Gosh, it sucks now!!! Maybe these hormones the doctor has me on will clear things up???