Hello!! How are you? I’m having a blast in San Francisco (duh, are you surprised?). I’m blogging midday (are you surprised s’more?). I’m getting faster as we speak . I’ve got too much to show you and the festival hasn’t even officially begun yet. Eeps!

***

I had plans to go running this morning but I took one look out the window and said “uhh yeah…NO.” It was dreary and really windy. I had visions of myself blowing away and tumbling down the hills of SF. Ha! Just kidding, I just got lazy and wanted to get my day started.

For breakfast, I ate a strawberry Chobani w/ some Uncle Sam Honey Almond cereal and 1/2 an AllieBar from my host’s kitchen (thanks, Suki!).

I was feeling the need for some fruit so I ate a few bites of frozen mango chunks.

Then I took the BART downtown to meet up with some other blogger friends for Ashley’s photography sesh. It was fun to learn some new tricks, ask questions and exchange information.

I snacked on an AllieBar during the sesh and throughout the day. I’m so grateful I brought a couple extra bars to keep me going in between meals.

Then a big group of us walked over to Cafe Gratitude for lunch, a high raw vegan restaurant.

I was a little bit worried about ordering something raw since I had such a bad experience (tummy wise) in Chicago, but things are so far so good…as of now! Fingers crossed it stays that way.

Again, it took me forever and a half to decide on what to order. The theme of my life.

I shared an appetizer, I Am Insightful Spring Rolls: Avocado, seasonal fruit, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, sprouts & fresh herbs wrapped in blanched collard greens. Served with Thai coconut-almond butter dipping sauce and coleslaw

A. MAZE. ING. sauce!!

I just wish there had been more avocado!

For my entree, I ordered the special of the day: Raw Falafel w/ hummus, olive tapenade, salad with tzatziki dressing and buckwheat crackers.

The falafel was good–very nutty. I think I prefer traditional deep friend falafel though .

I loved the hummus and buckwheat crackers! I had never eaten raw beets before. I think I prefer them cooked.

I guess I’m not going raw anytime soon .

Then we trekked back a few miles to the hotel to check-in and get our swag bag!

SWAG BAG!

Here’s a sneak peak.

I’m currently blogging in Kath and Emily’s room while sipping on my delicious 1/5th caf coffee and munching on an Attune chocolate bar.

(First red holiday cup from Sbux!)

I can’t believe the view from their room!!!

Time to change and get ready for our first official Foodbuzz Festival event tonight. I hope there’s good food! (Who am I kidding? I’m sure it’ll be amazing!).

Have a great weekend and I’ll see you later tonight with my food baby in tow.

Today has been all about planning, packing and baking for the 2nd annual Foodbuzz Festival in San Francisco, CA! I’m flying out tomorrow morning and I get back super early on Tuesday (red eye flight). Who’s going?! Let me know!

To say I’m excited would be a serious understatement.

However, I am a last minute planner and packer so the day has been (and will continue to be) a bit c-c-c-crazy. I went on a run this morning to calm my nerves. I know it helped a lot, but I’m still frantic!!

Let’s all say sayonara to perfect running weather….bye…au revoir…adios.

At least now my shin sleeves will keep me warm and not make me HOT.

“HOT” not “HOTT.” I forgot to wear them once last week and got significantly more smiles and cat calls. Actually, I get none when I wear them! I guess shin sleeves not only protect my shins but keep kidnappers away!

Sweaty shin sleeves = pepper spray?

I ran 6 miles in 60 minutes. I felt a twinge of pain in my left shin near the end (uh oh). I made sure to stretch my legs nice ‘n’ good. Hopefully it’s nothing major.

The gloves make it look like I live in the arctic tundra. It sure felt like it going from underneath my down comforter to 40 degree chill!

I ended at the gym where I did a quick 25 min. full body strength training routine since I will be without weights for 5 days. Strength training is tres important.

Pre workout: I munched on some Shredded Oats cereal and a medjool date.

Post workout:

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Plus a bowl of Greek yogurt and pumpkin oatmeal swirl!

• 1 cup cinnamon spiked Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup pumpkin
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• cereal and raspberries

Operation eat-up-the-pumpkin-berries-and-yogurt!

I love the juxtaposition of hot, nutty oats/chia + cold, silky smooth yogurt.

Then I had to get some ingredients to bake for my festival Foodie Exchange gift. We are all supposed to bring something to exchange with another attendee. I’m baking AllieBars and another surprise item.

***

I think I photographed dinner with the very LAST drop of sunshine. Hmm I win this time, Sun .

I hereby present you the most random salad of ALL time. Are you ready?

While out, I picked up some artichoke hearts, caprese salad, a balsamic onion and olive tapenade from the Mediterranean/olive bar.

Supplemented with a carrot and 1/2 a veggie burger with ketchup.

Cinnaraisin Ezekiel Bread on the side.

So random, I know.

I wake up pretty late to begin with, so on the days that I run, all my meals get pushed back a few hours. Although this was eaten at dinner time, it was more like my lunch. I’m most likely gonna be eating another meal later on tonight.

…looks like I’m ready for California time already .

10 am East Coast time = 7 am Cali time. Heck yes! I’m going to be an early riser for 5 days.

***

I still have about 5,000 things to do in the next 10 hours, including sleep!!

To Do:

• Find a suitcase (uhh yeah…)

• Figure out all my outfits

• Laundry

• Find all my electronics + cords

• Charge everything

• Upload all my photos, burn on DVD, and delete from memory card

• BAKE!!

• PACK!!!!

It’s me against the clock. Ready, set, go!

***

Tell me: Some packing tips!! Running in the cold tips!!

Thanks

I’m SO late tonight! It’s been a rather loooong day.

Dork moment: As I laid in bed last night, I thought to myself: what was I thinking buying a tub of Greek yogurt and a tray of raspberries from Costco when I’m flying to San Francisco on Thursday? And opening a can of pumpkin?! Uh oh. The word “waste” flashed in neon yellow right before my eyes. Then I shook my head and reassured myself it was no big deal. I’m the dairy queen, I can surely finish 1 liter of yogurt in 3 days. Have some faith in yourself, Al!

Did I just call myself ‘Al’? Yep.

Breakfast involved ALL 3 of those foods. Pumpkin eggy oatmeal w/ chia seeds + cinnamon spiked Greek yogurt and raspberries.

Plus coffee

The leaf bowl was appropriate as it really felt like Fall (err WINTER) this morning. Check out that frost.

I got up on the early side this morning to attend one of my best friend’s father’s funeral followed by a reception. I left my camera at home out of respect for everyone there.

I had some pasta salad, a big pickle (not awkward at all) and a white chocolate macadamia cookie. I got to chat with several of my friends from elementary/middle/high school, many of whom I haven’t seen in a couple years.

***

Then I drove back to our old house to vote! I munched on a pack of Halloween pretzels on the way.

Since I was in the neighborhood, I headed to our old house to use the gym. We still own the house so I’m still allowed to use the gym . I did an easy 60 min. on the elliptical.

***

I ventured to the Whole Foods Hot Bar for dinner. ‘Twas glorious.

I got a medley of grains and veggies:

• Tofu
• Asian slaw
• Black quinoa salad
• Kale and wheatberry salad
• Israeli cous cous
• Peas, carrots, red peppers
• Spring mix + spinach

These photos were taken with my point + shoot camera….do you notice the difference?

I picked up a few items afterwards. The Whole Deal has some fabulous coupons. If you shop at Whole Foods, you definitely need to pick up a copy and flip through it.

The Shredded Oats and Siggi’s were actually on sale to begin with so I got the cereal for $1.50 and yogurt for 75 cents….a STEAL!!

I swear, sometimes I think I should write a food THRIFT blog.

The Shredded Oats Vanilla Almond tastes like a mix between Cinnamon Puffins and Quaker Oatmeal Squares. I think it goes without saying that I’m a HUGE fan!

I had several handfuls on the drive home. FYI opening a box of cereal on a 30 min. drive is uhh rather dangerous.

I also spotted this Pumpkin Spice Arctic Zero. I saw the phrase pumpkin spice and was immediately intrigued. There was no way I could put this back after I picked it up.

It’s not really ice cream nor is it frozen yogurt…I’m not sure what to call it!

I ate about 2/3 of the pint.

It tasted more like frozen yogurt than ice cream. I’m happy to report it was much easier on my stomach than regular ice cream. I also love that the whole pint has 16g of protein and 8g of fiber.

I ended the night with some Greek yogurt, raspberries and a several handfuls of cereal. Cereeaaaaaal!

***

Alright time to go figure out San Fran logistics! I haven’t started packing whatsoever. Oopsies.

Tell me: What are your strategies for saving money at the grocery store?

Hey y’all! (I’m watching Paula Deen on the Food Network right now…can’t help it!).

How was your Halloween? We only had a few groups of kiddos ring our doorbell last night so I’ve got plenty of Halloween pretzels left to eat. I thought we would get more kids now that we live in a neighborhood but NOPE. Good thing I didn’t get a big bag of candy to hand out like I had planned!

This morning, I munched on some Halloween pretzels and Honey Nut Cheerios as a pre-workout snack.

Workout:

• 45 min. elliptical
• 15 min. leg weights

Post Workout:

Pumpkin Pie Wheatgrass Smoothie

• 1/2 cup pumpkin
• 1/2 banana
• 1 packet wheat grass
• 2/3 cup almond milk
• 1 scoop protein powder
• water, ice, stevia

Next up, a little something I dreamt up while working out.

2 min. Microwave Pumpkin Pie on Cinnaraisin Ezekiel toast ‘crust’, topped with Greek yogurt ‘whipped cream’ and raspberries

Bread ~ ‘crust’

Greek yogurt ~ whipped cream

I went back for a messy bowl of Greek yogurt, berries, banana, and Cheerios.

***

Then I ran some errands at 2 humongous stores: Super Target and Wegman’s.

At Weg, I picked up an organic Pumpkin Spice tea I’d never seen before and [on-sale] Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride tea. I plan on buying many many many more boxes of this crack tea as the season progresses.

(I actually have a box leftover from last winter. I hoard SCSR tea like it’s going out of fashion.)

I also got 5 Chunks of Energy and ate ‘em all. One day, I will figure out how to make these.

I got home in time to watch Taylor Swift on Ellen and Portia de Rossi on Oprah.

Taylor was adorable. I’ve only been belting her songs day and night for the past week .

Portia discussed her battle with anorexia and bulimia as well as coming out in the Hollywood spotlight. She had me in tears! What a well-spoken lady. I never knew about her story until today. I want to read her new book now, Unbearable Lightness.

While watching, I snacked on some medjool dates. The ones we got from Costco are great–very soft and moist.

…dipped in hazelnut cream cheese of course.

I also had a few handfuls of Kettle Chips. This is definitely something I only eat because it is in the house…PETER!!

For dinner, I put together a simple salad.

Avocado, herbed goat cheese, diced tomatoes, perfectly fried egg and a slice of Ezekiel Bread.

It was the last of the goat cheese .

I also had a few bites of Peter’s cooking.

Now I am trying to figure out how to satisfy my chocolate craving with no chocolate in the house!

***

Becoming a Faster Blogger: Step 1

I’ve mentioned that it takes me an inordinate amount of time to blog. Part of the reason is that I put a lot of thought into what I write and I proofread my posts at least a dozen times before I press publish. The other part is that my laptop is incredibly slow and it can’t handle a lot of activity at one time. Sometimes, if I drag too many photos into my blog post, I have to restart the computer just to load more. This makes it very difficult for me to blog when I am short on time such as when I am on FUN TRIPS. It’s also just really annoying.

Recently, I’ve been using my mom’s super powerful laptop to blog and I’ve been enjoying the speed with which I can upload photos. However, it’s not practical for me to hog her computer all day and when I go out of town, I need something to speed my ancient laptop along.

Enter, the SD Card Reader.

My mom’s laptop (and most newer laptops) has a card reader on the side where I can insert my memory card directly. My laptop, however, doesn’t have one and therefore I have to use a cord.

With the cord, I have to download the photos before I can drag them into my blog posts. With the SD card reader, I DON’T have to download the photos. Instead, I can drag them into my blog posts directly.

This allows me to sort through the 80,000 photos I take on a daily basis without taking up a lot of my precious and limited computer memory.

I found this at Target for $7.99. I’m sure you could find a similar one online for cheaper but I am leaving for San Fran this Thursday!

OH! Also, with this gadget, I can drag my photos onto a blank CD and burn them there so I can back up my photos without having to take up computer memory space.

I can’t believe I didn’t buy this gadget a year ago!! I could have saved so much time. So long, farewell camera cord!

***

Have a great night and US peeps, don’t forget to vote tomorrow!

Tell me: Got a strategy to help me (and others) blog faster? Do tell!

8 MILES!!!

I ran 8 miles today—crazy! I’ve only run 8 miles once before and that was exactly 3 years ago. It was the last run before my stress fracture creeped in. That run happened after a month of running without a day of rest. As I describe in my story, I went from running 0 mi/wk to 40 mi/wk in 4 weeks and then found myself sidelined for several months thereafter.

Major yikes.

I’d like to think I’ve come a loooooong way since then.

Today, I ran ~8.2 miles in 82 minutes (it took about 0.2 mi. for my Garmin to pick up the satellites!).

This run was actually supposed to happen yesterday but I never made it outside. I even procrastinated some more this morning by putting together a shelf in my room…ha!

The ‘long’ run came out of nowhere, really. I didn’t expect to run more than 4 miles or so. I was huffing and puffing at the 1 mile mark (!!) but somehow I just kept chugging along. I definitely had more to give at the end but my hips were starting to hurt so I called it a day. Better safe than sorry.

All made possible thanks to copious amounts of granola, chips, cereal and cookies. I went a little crazy with the carbs yesterday.

Probably not the greatest fuel choices but it did fill up my glycogen stores, I suppose.

***

Post run, I immediately made a protein Green Smoothie.

Protein powder, spinach, strawberries, almond milk, water, ice and stevia. Oh and my favorite Amazing Grass flavor–the lemon lime energy blend.

Then it was time for an ICE BATH! I depleted our entire supply of ice and threw in some ice packs as well. I lasted 20 freezing cold minutes!

Post steamy hot shower, I had some leftover salad (see below) and Cinnaraisin Ezekiel toast with Hazelnut Cream Cheese.

This hazelnut cream cheese from Panera is the bomb! I can surely eat it by the spoonful.

Now for the salad…

Last night, I made a big ol’ salad for myself and the ‘rents.

In the bowl:

• ~8 cups spring mix
• 10 mini peppers
• 1/2 large tomato
• 2 oz. crumbled herbed goat cheese
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans
• 6 [forgotten] medjool dates

I was trying to create something similar to the Santa Monica Salad I had at Eppie’s in Cville but I completely forgot to add the medjool dates! Oops.

I made sure to throw in some dates with my leftover portion today. There ain’t nothin’ better than dates, goat cheese and pecans, y’all!

***

Time to go munch an AllieBar and get ready for dinner! Running always seems to take over my entire day somehow.

Tell me…your best job interview tip! I’ve got a job meeting (interview?) tomorrow afternoon! Wish me luck .

Last night my stomach asked me if it was Thanksgiving because it felt uncomfortably full. I told her (her?) no, it was a false alarm and I just ate too much. There wasn’t even pumpkin pie to use as an excuse! I apologized for ignoring the fullness cues she sent me and continuing to eat through the night. I promised to be a little more careful next time.

(What’s that? You don’t talk to your stomach? ).

Oh well, this morning I put those carbs to good use by going on a run (I also had a lot on my mind that I needed to think through). I was still full when I woke up and I felt energized….or so I thought.

Eating carbs gives me energy for my runs but Carbo-verloading weighs me down! Another testament to the importance of eating well for optimal running. At mile 3 I thought I was done. I was hot, thirsty, tired and my stomach was in knots.

However, my legs weren’t finished just yet and they continued to string me along. Before I knew it, I ran 5 miles (I had a lot on my mind!!). I wanted to go for 6 but I found it hard to breathe by the end. Instead, I walked the last mile while rockin’ out to my iPod.

Just like that.

When you’ve got full blown runner’s high, you don’t care if construction workers think you suck at dancing or if Simon Cowell is lurking in the bushes waiting to tell you that you sound horrendous.

***

After I got back, I stretched and drank an enormous smoothie with protein powder, spinach, frozen berries and almond milk.

And then depleted our entire ice supply by taking another ICE BATH.

Many of you commented that you could never take an ice bath but let me tell you, it helped me a lot last week. I get pain in my right achilles, left hip and both shins. I thought I would be in trouble after my 6 miler on Friday but the ice bath worked it’s magic. I was sore the next day but only sore, not in pain. I also recovered a lot faster than I typically do after longer runs.

Coming from someone who can’t take cold showers even in the summer, it’s really not as bad as it seems. It’s like entering a pool. The bottom half of your body can tolerate the cold okay. It’s when you’re upper body goes under that you get the shivers.

Ya know?

***

Afterwards, I had some No-Bake Baked Oatmeal with Greek yogurt <– carbs and protein for my muscles!

This time I used 1/2 oat flour and it turned out really soft in the middle–very baked oatmeal-ish.

And the rest of my new cereal. Yep, this was all that was left .

With almond milk.

Then I baked some Carrot + Parsnip Fries. I made them using the same method as last week. This time I tossed in 1 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil and it made all the difference. This was 1 carrot and 3 parsnips.

I’d been meaning to make nut butter fries with these parsnips, but sadly this jar of love didn’t last the week.

So ketchup it was!

Alright I’m hungry again and ready for dinner.

Peter? Where’s Peter??

Today was just one of those days. I mindlessly ate (and ate some more) even though I wasn’t feeling the least bit hungry. I continued eating despite feeling quite full–the complete opposite of intuitive/mindful eating. Hmmm.

Of course, I always try to pinpoint why this happens when it does so I can learn a thing or two from my experience. I narrowed it down to a few reasons: 1) A new box o’ cereal in the pantry 2) Looking at so many delicious baked goods for sale <–AllieBars for sale! 3) Watching The Food Network and 4) Applying for jobs.

Writing up a cover letter almost always gives me major munchies. For me, applying for jobs works similarly to studying for exams. Perhaps, next time I’ll head to a coffee shop to write rather than sit in my kitchen!

You live and you learn, right?

***

Today started with a bowl of Autumn Harvest cereal and almond milk. Yes, there is something missing in this photo. A banana!! Ohhh how badly I wanted a banana to go along with this bowl…

Cereal munching continued afterwards.

I also had some chocolate. It’s never too early for chocolate.

Greek yogurt.

Frozen organic strawberries.

And repeat.

***

I made sure to get in some protein and fat with leftover salmon from last night and an Amy’s veggie burger with 1/3 avocado.

No more munching, it’s time to buckle down and get to work now!

***

Edited to add: I thought I was done eating and then I found myself making tofu burgers with Peter. It was all his idea, I swear!

Naturally I ate one….and a half.

More on that to come. I’ve got writing to do and maybe some walking to help me digest.

***

Tell me: What brings out ze munchies for you? What do you do to quiet them down?

It may seem as if I like to read but it’s actually only something I grew to [kind of] enjoy within the last couple of years. I was the girl who preferred to play outside, climb trees, ride my bike, and catch bunnies in the woods rather than curl up and read books on the couch. Unfortunately, my neighbor and I never caught any rabbits. We built an awesome contraption though, if I do say so myself.

My dad may or may not have bribed me to read when I was little by using money as an incentive. 1 cent per page. It worked, but only for about 1100 pages worth of The Babysitter’s Club. I cashed in on the $11 and then it was back to the wilderness with the bunnies.

Because of my apathy toward reading, I had to work very hard in school to improve my writing. Thus, if and when I have children of my own, I am locking them in a room full of books. Okay, not really, but they will be reading and there will be no monetary exchanges taking place .

I guess I grew up at some point and discovered the joys of reading a good book. Well, more like I read my first adult chick lit novel. The point is, I found that reading was kinda sorta maybe a little bit fun…if the topic was interesting. Also, reading serves as my natural sleeping pill. Whenever I am having trouble falling asleep, I open a book and within 2 pages I am passed out. Works like a charm.

***

Today’s library finds:

1) I started The End of Overeating a few months ago but had to return it to the library before I could finish it. The author, the FDA commissioner under Bush and Clinton, writes about why it’s difficult for people to resist certain foods (i.e. those loaded with sugar, salt and fat) and how the food industry manipulates ingredients to stimulate our appetites.

It’s sciency, but definitely understandable, which I like.

I took a class in college called The Psychology of Obesity and Eating Disorders and it was very similar to this book. I love learning about how we eat and why. If I were to ever go back to school, this would be one area I would consider.

2) Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant

This book caught my attention not only because of the eggplant but because one of the essays is by M.F.K. Fisher, an author we studied in my Culinary Cultures class last semester. Also, I like to dine alone sometimes. I find it very peaceful and calming. I’m interested to read what these famous writers and foodies have to say about it.

3) Lastly, Promises to Keep, a book by Jane Green. I randomly saw this on the shelf. I’ve read a couple Jane Green books in the past. In fact, Jane Green was the author of my first chick lit novel. It may seem like the only non-food related book I got but I learned from reading the inside flap that one of the characters is a chef. I was sold.

***

I also paid a visit to Trader Joe’s today. I wasn’t going to show another photo of my groceries but I got a couple newbies.

First up, the power of marketing. I immediately grabbed this box of cereal when I saw these beautiful fall leaves.

Autumn? Tasty fall flavors? No further convincing needed.

Okay, the nutrition facts are pretty stellar as well–just 2 ingredients, and high in protein + fiber.

***

Also, TJ’s has it’s own brand of almond milk now! I saw a Whole Foods brand a couple weeks ago too. I guess they’re catching on.

Pretty similar nutrition facts as Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, which is the brand I typically buy.

I also got frozen organic spinach, frozen organic strawberries, Greek yogurt and dark chocolate.

I do love 2% Greek yogurt but it’s harder on my tummy than 0%.

I was having major chocolate cravings last night so chocolate was a must. These are nice because I can eat a couple discs and be satisfied.

***

The Kashi Autumn Harvest cereal is good–slightly sweet but not overly so. I had a plate with some chocolate discs. They remind me of Frosted Mini Wheats but without the frosting.

Yes, a plate of cereal.

Unlike Crack Cereal, these are much better with milk –> less mindless munching (hopefully!)

I’m off to the gym now to watch the US Open Men’s Tennis Final and then dinner at Peter’s Kitchen!

I found an awesome job opening today so I’m going to be working on my cover letter and tweaking my resume (once again) tonight. Woohoo.

***

Tell me: As a child, were you a player or a reader? Or both? What is your favorite  book genre?

I stumbled out of bed this morning and immediately thought of my main man, Mr. Quaker. I opened the pantry door and there he was staring down at me. While I think he’s pretty smokin’ (okay, maybe not), my eyes went straight to that spoon on the box….

I decided to skip the spoon though

Do these really need a ‘best before’ date?

I had ~1.5 cups straight up as a pre-workout snack. Except we all know 1.5 cups of Oatmeal Squares actually means 2 cups. I mean, come on let’s be real.

***

I haven’t gotten a chance to hit up Starbucks for a Pumpkin Spice Crack Latte yet so I decided to make one myself.

Pumpkin butter and a dash of pumpkin pie spice stirred right into my coffee.

[I add cinnamon/pumpkin pie spice directly to my coffee. I've experimented with mixing cinnamon/pumpkin pie spice into coffee grounds before brewing but I've found that it doesn't add as much flavor and takes a lot more spice.]

Plus almond milk for some creaminess.

I also ate a couple handfuls of whole grain tortilla chips before heading down to the gym.

***

Workout:

• 60 min. elliptical
• 20 min. full body strength training
• Ran up 15 flights of stairs
• 100 jumping jacks

I’d say I put those morning carbs to good use!

***

Post workout I made another Berry Protein Wheatgrass smoothie. I’ve been on a smoothie kick lately. I think it’s the combination of the heat and our fairly empty kitchen.

I wanted to blend in some spinach, but sadly we were all out. I used this Amazing Grass Berry Superfood packet instead along with some protein powder and fruit.

***

Fry Time!

The other day, my dad and I got a huge bag of okra from the $1 bargain bin at the store (yes, bargain loving runs in the family).

I had one thing in mind…okra fries!!

I also got some parsnips to make parsnip fries.

I didn’t know what to expect with this veggie. While I’m sure I’ve eaten it at a restaurant at some point, I’d never prepared parsnips myself before.

I peeled and cut the parsnips into fry-shapes.

Then I roasted the okra and parsnip slices for about 20-25 min. at 400* F in the toaster oven.

The parsnips tasted just like albino carrots–a tad sweet! They were more fibrous than carrots but had they been orange, I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference.

The okra fries weren’t as crunchy as I had imagined. I guess they needed some more time in the oven?

I also threw an Amy’s Veggie Burger in the oven for the last 10 min. or so.

Ketchup for dipping.

An off-centered bird’s eye view shot. This was taken blindly! The patio chairs are gone so I had nothing to stand on .

A Cold Giveaway

I brought this Thermos insulated BPA-free water bottle with me to the gym today. It was sent to me for free to review. While I am a room-temperature water girl (I know, I know, ew) I do enjoy cold water when I workout. The double wall vacuum insulation is supposed to keep water cold for 12 hours. I didn’t get to test the full time span but it sure kept me cool during my workout.

I love that it has a one-touch pop open cap and a straw! It makes for easy slurping while working out.

Thermos is offering LLE readers a chance to win their very own Thermos water bottle. Just leave a comment on this post. I will randomly choose a winner tomorrow night.

So much to ketch up on! My mom ran away with my half-written post on her laptop today, hence the delayed post. My laptop just turned 4 years old (which means 80 years old in generation Y/blogger speak) so it’s somewhat dilapidated. Blogging on my mom’s new Macbook Pro is so much easier, especially because it has a built-in camera card reader. That being said, my laptop better last another 80 years because this gal has no pennies to spare!

***

Yesterday was another active day. I started with 60 min. on the elliptical while watching the latest Top Chef DC episode (Go Kelly!!). Later, I played tennis with my dad. I refueled in between workouts with plenty of carbs and protein so I had enough energy to play. If I don’t fuel enough, playing tennis can get very frustrating, very quickly.

Today, I completed another 60 min. on the elliptical and 15 min. of incline walking on the treadmill. I was feeling a bit sore, so I decided to hold off on any strength training.

***

Now for the highlights and lowlights from this past weekend….

Along with Banana S’mores, I had a tasty wrap and some chips.

Leftover Feta Chickpea Tomato Salad with spring mix in a whole grain wrap.

Side of whole grain tortilla chips. The highlight of this meal.

My dad got these from Target and they are fabulous. The ingredients are quite impressive for chips! Quinoa? Brown rice flour? Sunflower seeds?

I also walked over to Target just to browse and of course came back with food…in the form of more carbs!

I got Quaker Oatmeal Squares and Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel English Muffins. It’s been far too long since I last had these. They are about $1 cheaper from Target than Whole Foods….cha-ching.

I gave myself a pat on the back for getting this cereal. This is my absolute favorite cereal in the whole wide world and to be honest, I’m kinda scared of it. However, it was on sale so I figured what the hey. I don’t like to be scared of food. I don’t want to deprive myself of anything, especially if it’s something I love so dearly. The only way to get over my fear is to embrace it.

It sounds like I’m talking about major life goals…nope, still talking about cereal .

High to the frickin’ light.

Proof that we buy more than just carbs in a box…

I also got this SoBe lifewater from Target. I was drinking it on my walk home when something fell from the bottle into my mouth.

Ummm come again!?!!

THIS!!!!

IN MY MOUTH!!!!

WHAT….IS….THIS!?

Oh my oh my oh my. It was slimy and muddy. Ahhhhh!!! @*($&*@#^&@%#!

Not okay!!!

It came out in one round piece AFTER I finished the whole bottle. I tore it into 2 pieces just to try and figure out what it was…no idea!! Obviously, that was a major lowlight from the weekend. Blegh.

***

Another lowlight? I used up the last of my wheatgrass powder.

No wheatgrass goes to waste over here.

Berry Banana Wheatgrass Protein Smoothie

Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel English Muffin w/ pumpkin butter. Highlight.

Guava!! My favorite fruit is back–a highlight for sure.

We got 3 bargain guava and 3 regular priced guava yesterday at the store.

3 bargain=$1

3 ‘on sale’ for $1.99/lb=$4.48

Yikes.

My camera’s highlight…

I snapped this photo from our balcony. You can see the Appalachian Mountains in the distance.

So pertyful.

Tell me: What were the highlights from your weekend? I hope you didn’t have any nasty-slimy-discs-in-your-bottle lowlights!