Kitty Konundrum

So I totally had a post laid out for yesterday. I came upstairs, pulled out the lap top and then got a call form the little one. "Mama"!!!!. So I sat it down and went to check on her needs. When I came back a minute later the kitten (still has no official name) was standing on the lap top and my screen was gone and the mouse wouldn't work :(. BLAH!!! Ill be honest, I was more productive yesterday. Amazing what a day without the Internet can do!

Anyway, here's a quick recap of Wednesday and Thursday. I am guessing this was my mid morning Wednesday snack...

I think it was a strawberry and pineapple smoothie.

• fresh pineapple
  
• frozen strawberries
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• ice
• stevia

Wed. lunch....
Later, after lunch the little one and I decided that we were going to go to a matinee to see the new Hannah Montana movie. Before I left we shared this scrumpdilliumptious snack...
Yes, that is the beautiful Wilderness Poets nut butters melted on top (see a review here). As you can see I had some of the Cashew Cocoa and the Sesame Pistachio. They were the perfect addition to my warm melty Chocolate Chip Vitatop. Mmmmmm.

We then headed to the movies. We were early so I snapped a few pics of sassy pants...
I joined the action...
(man that shadow really makes my nose look weird)

Surprisingly the movie was fab!! and the little one danced her way through the whole thing...



There were only 3 other people there besides us :).

Although the movie was great and I had an awesome time, on the way out the theater I fell and busted my grill...










Hahaha. Got cha...
Later I made Green Pea Guac....
And had some with dinner...
That's roasted eggplant mixed with another one of my random sausages.

Later I picked up the man from the airport. I was so tired when we got home and just wanted to sleep but he really really really missed me....A LOT (if you know what I mean) hehehe!! Anyway, I got to bed later than planned and had to get up at 4:30am to make it to my weekly weight class. Like a tard I did the 50 min. weight class (with sore knees) and then did a 45 min. spin class. OUCH!

Thursday, I apparently made a smoothie....
Packed a salad to take to the park...
and a side of butternut squash fries..
I also had a much needed LADIES NIGHT!! Sadly this is my only pic..
(a long time friend of mine)

No gym today. Just a bowl of yummy almond butter, banana oats..
Thanks to Wildnerness Poets Hemp Nut Butter I am becoming a fan of chunky nut butter!!

What do you prefer? Chunky or smooth?

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: I am totally one of those moms who hopes her little girl wont grow up wanting to be a cheerleader. Love me or hate me....

Mr. Jay Robb & Chocolate Balls

First, just let me say Sarah, Mr. Jay Robb has been foolin around on you!! I just received a friend request from him on facebook also. Haha, I love it and I was so excited to hear from Heather that he is coming out with a new Brown Rice Protein Powder. Mr. Jay Robb himself told me this

"Hi there Justine! Great to hear from you. Yes, we are indeed coming out with a brown rice protein; it should be available in early May and will be available in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry! I would be delighted if you featured it on your blog! Best, Jay."
Thanks for the info. Jay!! Cant wait to try it!!

Anyway, back to yesterday. Lunch was so exciting that I cant even remember what I had. After I ate I took the little one to the park to try and stay out of the fridge. It was such a beautiful day and all the flowers and trees were in full bloom.
When we got home I tended to my garden until it was time for dinner at my new favorite restaurant, Cafe Rakka. Appetizer was hummus bar with sauteed onions and garlic and below that is the tabbouleh...

I ordered the Salmon which came with a salad, wheat bulgur and ww pita...
My man and my momma got the Chicken on the Sajj...
My dad is the only one who didn't like his meal surprisingly. He ordered some kind of shrimp that was on special...
I ate a lot and border line over did it. I probably ate a little over half my plate but I ate tons of hummus and buckets of the fresh, soft, warm pita!!

When we got home I took this pic of my kitty which turned out kinda strange so I thought Id share...
I feel like he is going to beam me up somewhere with his eyes. Strange.....

This morning I felt a little guilt from last nights dinner so I did something I rarely do, run. I actually did 4 miles on various machines this morning at the Y. When I arrived home there was an incident with a hair band and my little ones wrist. Apparently it was a lot to tight and she slept with it on all night. Here hand was swollen like 3 times size of the other one. I freaked out but after all the commotion I had settled down to some dark chocolate oats
and some cottage cheese with peanut butter
They were flirting and ended up in the same bowl...
After a quick run the doctor for the little one wrist to ease my mind I came home and made some snackies...
Toasted flatout, Green Pea Guac, turkey bacon and some Chocolate Protein Peanut Butter Balls that I threw together out of no where. they ended up being really yummy!
I just threw together a tbsp of peanut butter and a tbsp of brown rice pp, added a little water and formed into balls. What a great treat! I cant wait to make Jay Robb balls. LOL! I have tons of Easter shopping to do now so TTYL!

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: I have been trying to avoid dairy but I slipped up last night with some yogurt based dressing they served with my salad. Man am I paying for it today!! I feel sorry for the man that was next to me on the treadmill!!!! hahahaha

HUNGRY!

Thanks guys for all of your input on protein for breakfast! Only sad thing is is that I am trying to avoid dairy because of some stomach problems, :( so lately the only thing I have been consuming that is similar is my lactose free cottage cheese. It basically keeps me sane. Yesterdays breakfast was pretty good but not as filling as my 6 egg whites :(. I had 1 chicken sausage, 1 slice of turkey bacon and peppers, and a bowl of oat bran.
I seriously tried to stay busy and out the house so I wouldn't eat because I was pretty hungry (I never thought Id be hungry eating strictly 1800 cals a day). I must really be a huge pig!!! haha!!

Lunch was a salad made with romaine and spinach, Green Pea Guac, and left over Turkey Meatballs. On the side I had some sweet potato chips and my fav. unsweetened ketchup.
After lunch I left the house again because I was still kinda hungry (I am telling you, I am an animal!) I took the little one to the library. She played and I looked at cook books. I ended up checking out these two.
My library does not have a very good selection. This was the only raw cookbook and basically the only healthy one. Anyway, the recipes in the raw cookbook look interesting but the sad thing is is that you need a dehydrator for most and I don't have one :(. When we left the library I was about to eat my face off so I ran in and made a huge bowl of dark chocolate oat bran with peanut butter. So good!
The man had business for dinner so I just made something quick and easy for myself. Chicken and Kale Chips...
A toasted spinach flatout wrap seasoned with sea salt and garlic powder and Green Pea Guac for dipping. Love that stuff!!!
After the man got home I decided it was time for desert (haha! I know what your thinking you dirty girl...or boy)....
Yum, perfect ending to my calorie counting filled day.

Today, was gym day and I had yet another successful full body workout. I have been busy most the morning running from gymnastics and to the doctor (no menstrual cycle) so no food pics yet today but I am about to cook up some lunch and then for dinner we are going to my new favorite restaurant. You can see Heather and I there, here. Cant wait!!

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: Thanks to the sweet and beautiful Heather and our lovely lunches together most of my restaurant anxiety is gone but I really feel it coming on strong for tonight. I know its a healthy restaurant but I am just worried about overeating because I have been watching my calories close and I have been so hungry lately. I really hope I don't over do things tonight!!

Make EVERY Calorie Count!!

Yesterday morning I woke up early and hit the Gym. I was sorta dreading it because I was still pretty sore "down there" from cycle class. Somehow my hips were also sore from cycle (that's a first for me). Anyway, I had a great full body workout containing lots of squats, lunges and pull ups and other fillers. When I got home I was starving and didn't feel like trying to think of something more creative to eat besides eggs so I just had a chocolate rice protein shake and a bowl of Hazelnut Coffee Oats...
I had grabbed a cup of decaf coffee on the way out the Y and decided I didn't really want it when I got home so I cooked my oats in it and then added some hazelnut stevia. Mmmmm!!! Good stuff.

For my morning snack I had a large La Tortilla Factory tortilla split. One half rolled with a chicken sausage, spinach, and mustard. The other smeared with a tbsp of peanut butter...
It was a really cold dreary day here so I tried to keep myself busy with housework before the little ones karate. I did however stop to make so more Grean Pea Guac (thanks Sarah) for lunch. Yesterday, was the first day I have counted EVERY single calorie going into my body (even the 7 cals from spinach) so I measured all the ingredients to my Guac.
I ended up with a little over 1 and 1/3 cups with I calculated to be about 22 tbsp.Here's the list of ingredients...

• 6.5 ounces avocado (1 avocado)
• 1 cup peas
• 1 Roma tomato
• about 2 tbsp diced onion
• salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
• lemon juice (i didn't have lime)

Final product...
I divided it into a 2 tbsp serving equaling 35 cals, 2.5 grams fat, 2.8 grams carbs, .9 grams protein.

Here's my lunch..

For my afternoon snack I had 1/2 an acorn squash, 1/2 cup lactose free cottage cheese, 1 tbsp peanut butter and one of Gina's Macaroons crumbled on top....
Since I was counting EVERY cal today I had to do some research to find out how many cals are in the macaroons. Boy, was I shocked to find out these babies have around 230 calories in each one. That really pushed me over with my cals and I was quite disappointed when I found out I only had 250 cals left for the whole day and it was only 3:30. The macaroons are good but not 230 cals good!!! Sorry, Gina.

For dinner I had to use my cals wisely. For the fam. I made Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs (thank you Clean Eating Mag.) I simply put...

• 1 lb extra lean ground turkey
• 2 oz toasted pita made into fine bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
  
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

...into a bowl and mix. Then form 24 to 30 meatballs in the palm of your hand. Meanwhile have an oven preheated to 400 with a skillet inside. Take out the skillet when heated and add the meatballs and cook for about 10 to 15 min.
When done place in desired pasta sauce until heated thru....The mans plate

My plate
a measly 250 cals. All I had left for the day :(. My total was 1800 and I was starving!!! I have probably been eating over 2000 cals a day without realizing. A lot I am sure coming from veggies probably close to 300. I am happy with my weight but I just want to become more aware of my daily totals and maybe this will help me get some abs!!! A girl can have fantasies cant she????

If anyone still has any suggestions for protein in breakfast besides eggs and protein powder I am very open????

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: As a stay at home mom I often feel really under appreciated! Men just don't see all the work it takes staying at home with a young child, keeping the house some what clean and cooking every meal. Do they think they magically have clean clothes, folded nicely in their drawers everyday??