A Not So Good Day In The Life Of Me

*Be Prepared For Sarcasm*

Today was my day off from the gym so I got to sleep in till 7:30am. Whoop de f*in do!!! My morning started off wonderful with a bowl of Dark Chocolate Exploding Protein Oats.....
Right then I knew it was destine to be "Grrreeeaatt" day!! I topped it with a spoonful of homemade almond butter that was a gift from my wonderful friend Heather. Slowly working my way through this jar...

I did a bloggie check and then made a Pumpkin Ginger Shake to take with me to grocery stores (yes plural)...
My mix contained

• unmeasured amount of canned pumpkin
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• small nob of fresh ginger
• cinnamon
  
• ice
• blueberries
• stevia
  

it hit the spot and I loved the kick the ginger gave it. I hit up Kroger first and I picked up this to eat in the car on the way to my next destination...

Which was Wally World (Wal-Mart). After I faught my way through that store I then hit up Publix because it was the only place that carries my Lactose Free Cottage Cheese and medjool dates to make the "Raw Snickers" I saw on Abbies blog. I love having to go to three grocery stores to get all my things because one cant carry all the shi* I need!! :)

Here's just some of the goods I picked up...
After putting everything away I started on my "Raw Snickers". I basically used the same recipe as Abbie. For the chocolate sauce

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp agave nectar
• splash of vanilla
• few dashes of salt
• half a red onion (edited because I left this out before)
  

I used peanuts in the inside, Abbie used macadamia nuts. Here they are dipped in the chocolate sauce once....
I had extra chocolate left so I set them in the fridge and then took them out for a second chocolate sauce bath. My husband sampled one when he got home. He said he liked them but they tasted just like an Almond Joy. So I shall rename them "Raw Almond Joys". I then proceed to make a random lunch because I didn't feel like actually cooking anything...
Small side salad, left over chicken sausage pizza spread with roasted red pepper hummus, and a bowl of cottage cheese sweented with stevia and cinnamon. I then tried to clean but wasnt very successful. I was to busy getting hickeys...
and they weren't from my husband!!! They were from this little fellow. Who still remains nameless. Apparently she/he thinks if she sucks hard enough my neck will spontaneously start producing milk. The damn thing is 4 weeks old and still refuses to eat anything except for the milk from the glove. Its really starting to get annoying and at one point in the day during its monotonous meows and continuous attempts to suckle from my neck I contemplated feeding it to my neighbors Great Dane. Don't judge, everyone has bad days!! I also went on a walk with the little one and for a split second wondered if the Great Dane would still be hungry after the eating kitten??? hehehe

For dinner I cooked up some random Black Bean Turkey Burgers. In the food processor went (if a can remember)

• 3/4 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• fresh parsley
• fresh garlic
• garlic powder
• 1/2 an onion or less depending on taste
  
• salt
• pepper

I then mixed the black bean mixture with 1lb of extra lean ground turkey...
Then proceeded to cook on the stove the same way I cooked these Pan "Fried" Chicken Burgers. They turned out great. Here's the mans plate....
Inside view...
I didn't eat dinner because I was still full from my eating adventure I had after lunch. I simply wandered aimlessly around the kitchen eating whatever I could get my hands on. I love days like that, you know, like when I totally have no self control. BLAHHH!!!

Ok I better get off before I really start dropping some F bombs!! Hope I am more cheerful tomorrow.

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: I don't know if it is my hormones or what (currently taking bioidenticals) but I often have days like this when I am just angry at the world and any little thing can set off an array of emotions.

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).

2 Monkeys & 3 Recipes All In One

So I am going to do a quick Saturday and Sunday food and fun recap. This was my Saturday lunch. 2 whole wheat pitas filled with extra lean ground beef, mixed greens, mixed peppers and my fav BBQ sauce. The bowl contained some cottage, Trader Joes pumpkin butter and peanut butter.
After lunch we headed out for a fun filled day at Monkey Joes.
Can you tell shes a little timid? We went home and relaxed and I made me some "ice cream".
I think it was mostly frozen strawberries almond milk and cottage cheese. For dinner I made a scrumptious salad. There are so many possibilities with salad I don't think I could ever get tired of it!!
After dinner we decided to take a family trip to Maggie Moos for ice cream. I was so full and told myself I wasn't going to have any because I have cut out dairy but when we got there I saw a huge sign that read "New Lactose Free, Low Fat Ice Cream, ". I couldn't resist :).
I ordered a kids cup and chose cookie dough for the mix in. I couldn't eat the whole cup but I ate about a 3/4. Here's all of them.
My man always gets the cookies and cream shake no matter where we go. The little one got cotton candy with gummy bears and marshmallows. I looked up the nutrition for mine and it contained about 90 cals and 15 carbs for 1/2 cup serving, not including the cookie dough. Not to shabby.

Sunday was a lazy day. At some point I got the baking bug and decided to make these banana doughnuts I have seen floating around the blogsphere. I altered it a little by using 3 bananas, coconut oil, and only 2/3 cup sugar. I also squirted in a little honey and some powdered stevia.
The little one added sprinkles to hers.

They turned out pretty good. My parents arrived just as I was pulling them out of the oven so they were able to each have one and they loved them. Mom asked for the recipe.

Shortly after baking it was time to make dinner. I was sad that it was so cold here because I was really cravin something off the grill. Instead I decided to make some Turkey Tenderloin Nuggets.
The pic doesn't do them justice but I promise they will not disappoint. Here's the recipe:

Turkey Tenderloin Nuggets

• 2 whole wheat pita breads
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 1 clove garlic, split
• 2 tsp. olive oil (i use Pam spray)

First, toast pita in oven or toaster until dry and crispy. Process pitas into coarse crumbs in food processor. Stir in salt and fresh sage. Place crumbs on a plate.

Next, dry tenderloin with a paper towel and rub all over with split garlic. Cut the meat into 1 1/2
chunks and add oil. Toss to coat.

Last, roll each piece of turkey in pita crumbs and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 min.

So easy!!! I usually make a Cranberry Yogurt Dipping Sauce but since I am avoiding dairy I didn't. Its really simple to make though. Just process 1 cup fat free Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries. The whole meal is kinda reminiscent of thanksgiving with the turkey and sage combo and the cranberry sauce. I love it!!

This morning I hit the gym early with a good full body work out. Breakfast was my usual but I had a fantabulous snack.

Monkey Shake

• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
  
• 1 1/2 tbsp choc. rice protein powder (and protein powder will do)
• 3 ice cubes
• 5 drops dark chocolate stevia
  

All this yumminess for 315 cals and 26 grams of protein. :) :)

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Thanks for all the comments on the last post!

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: If I have caffeine, i.e. coffee or caffeinated tea, it makes me have an anxiety attack. I know it sounds weird but I completely quit caffeine when I found out I was pregnant in 04'. When the little one was around 1 I began having anxiety attacks and I had never had them before. I eventually found a link between my attacks and caffeine. Ever since I cut it back out I have been anxiety free!!!! :)

♪ You Can Call Me Nanner Puss, Nanner Puss..♪

....and guess what? I like pancakes!!!

I will get to those in few.

First, here is my morning snack from yesterday.
Although it was yummy, I think I should have eaten more protein. Lunch was left over chicken tacos with one of my homemade spelt flour tortillas (Heather just posted a cool single serving tortilla on her blog).
Lunch didn't feel me up and I am thinking it may have been from my protein lacking morning snack. After lunch I proceeded to eat my body weight in peanut butter (3 diff. kinds), puffins, ww wraps and God knows what else. After I finally pulled myself out of the kitchen (imagine a murder scene except the blood is peanut butter), I decided I needed to clean up the house. I politely instructed my little one to put away her 200 light brights (remember those babies?) that were scattered all over her floor. A while later I went back to check her progress and noticed the crime scene had moved from the kitchen to her bedroom. First thing I noticed was the top of the floor vent was removed and laying in the middle of the floor. I began putting the pieces together and realized she had conveniently put the light brights down the vent. I had already pulled 90% of them out when I took this pick.

Here's all that was down there. It may not look like a lot but this little bowl easily hold over 100 light brights.After cleaning I was still full from my escapade with the peanut butter but I proceeded to make dinner anyway. On the menu was something easy to throw together, meatloaf Turkey Cups. That word just sounds so dirty. This is a fun way to make them especially if you have kids. They are also very portable this way. In the mix..

• 1lb extra lean ground turkey
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 cup oatmeal ( I was out so used oat bran)
• grated carrot
  
• bell pepper
• 1 cup canned Italian tomatoes (slightly drained)
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• oregano
  
• Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper
  

Then mixed up and scooped into muffin tins, topped with ketchup and baked at 350 for about 45 min. This recipe is very versatile so use your imagination. I got 11 Turkey Cups out of this so that would be roughly 70cals and 13g of protein in each one. Pretty good I think!
So on to my Denny's commercial jingle. This morning I had (drum roll please).......PANCAKES!!! Pumpkin pancakes to be exact. A client of my husband gave us this lovely bottle of homemade maple syurp and I had been dying to use it.
The pancakes were my basic recipe except I forgot I was out of oatmeal and had to replace it with oat bran. I also added in some canned pumpkin of course. Then I mixed the rest of my Better n butter with a tsp. 1/2 of maple syrup and heated until runny and used as my topping. Yum. to bad I was out of whipped cream.
They were good but oat bran didn't give them the same consistency that the oat meal does. They stayed kinda raw like in the middle.

Hope everyone has fab weekend and had a great first day of spring!

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: I am really tall (5'10) and really self conscious about my big feet (size 10). I am also self conscious about wearing high heels. Don't get me wrong I do own a few pairs of high heels but I only pull them out for special occasions.

Big Blur

Gosh, the weekend all seems like a blur. What day did I do what? Heck I don't know but Ill try and recap. Heather and all her pancakes were really starting to get to me on Friday. I think it was Friday? We ll go with Friday. So I went to a lovely, trusted pancake recipe except this time I was changing up a main ingredient. I had gone and gotten lactose free cottage cheese because I was really missin it! In the blender went 1/3 cup oats, 1/2 cup cc, 3 egg whites, and vanilla stevia. I got 3 large pancakes out of it and I topped them with some Naturally More PB and strawberries. Yummy in my tummy!
Oh, and I made the mistake of using a drizzle of SF syrup. Tummy was not happy!Saturday was a really good day. I got early and had breakfast than headed off to the gym for a sweat soaked leg workout. It was great!! After going home and cleaning up the man, the little one, and I headed out into town to get the oil changed in my car and do a little shopping. While we were getting the oil changed we walked over to a little health store on the corner. I had been there before but they had gone out of business and I guess the office store next to them bought there inventory and kinda took them over and combined. Weird I know. An office supply/health food store. Anyway, when I walked in I was so excited to discover these flavored Stevias. I was on the internet for like an hour the day before wanting to order them and tyring to find the best price but never did. What a cowinkidink......Naturally I snatched them up
They also gave us some free chocolate samples. Good stuff check them out. For dinner I went for simple because we had movie we wanted to watch. It was a Quick and Healthy Pasta Carbonara. Turned out great and the little sucked it up! I am not keen on carbs at night if you haven't noticed so I made myself this healthy low carb mix of everything in my fridge. I guess you could call it a stir fry?? Then I topped it with my fav. BBQ sauce. For dessert I made every one shakes and I had the little square of chocolate.

I was excited when I woke up Sunday morning because I was going to go shopping and because I could wait to try my new stevias! I started off the day with a big bowl of dark chocolate, hazelnut, blended oats with a little bit of a grated dark chocolate bar from the day before. YUM!!!This was my snack. Banana with homemade almond butter and strawberries. Man, I should have topped that whipped cream!!
So my friend and I had been talking about trying Indian food for the first and we were gonna be right by a vegetarian Indian restaurant that's supposed to be great, plus shes pregnant, so how could I tell her no :). We went there before shopping. To be honest I had no idea what I was eating and the staff wasn't very helpful at explaining but it was darn good!! Different but good. I tried to snap a few pics but we had already dug in and the lighting was bad but here they are. The first pic is a Paneer Rava Masala Dosa Cream of wheat filled with cooked cottage cheese. The stuff in the middle was awesome.
These were some of the sauces. The big empty bowl was a vegetable ball curry. (Go head laugh...BALLS). We didn't eat the rice.The pregnant lady wanted dessert. Ill be damned if I was gonna deny her!! This was RASSMALAI, home made cottage cheese in a special condensed milk garnished with pistachio nuts. Pretty good but I only took a few bites. We also had some ww bread with our meals. I was full when we finished but not busting at the seams.I did good while at the restaurant but after shopping and getting home I really started to freak out about what I ate. I even got on the computer and tried to figure out how many cals I had eaten! Then, I started to feel a little sick to my stomach. I don't know if was real or in my head? My stomach felt weird the rest of the night and I didn't eat anything else but one bite of a hazelnut cracker the little one gave me. Can you say ISSUES!!!! haha

This morning I woke up feeling fine and hit gym early for an upper body workout. For an after breakfast snack I made this...
Really good! In the bowl was 1/3 cup oats, 1/2 cup pumpkin, and water nuked and then thrown in the blender with a small chunk of leftover tofu, cinnamon, and vanilla stevia. Back into the microwave for 30 sec. then topped with homemade almond butter and some cool whip. I highly recommend this concoction!!! Estimated at less than 250 cals. and very filling for a snack. Well, its about 5 o'clock and I haven't taken a shower yet today (cleaned my moms house after the gym) and the stench from my dirty, sweaty, armpits with the mix of softscrub and lysol is really starting to get to me. Plus I need to make some more almond butter so tootles!!

CONFESSION OF THE DAY: Ok I am gonna be striaght here...something is giving me terrible gas and for the life of me I cant figure out what it is. AAGHHHHaaaa!!!