a mother-load of a weekend!

Busy weekend! Saturday started with running to and from Girls on the Run. Breakfast was a quick Kashi blueberry waffle with peanut butter, strawberries, and a fried egg. It was the perfect energizer for my run. Total run was just under 4 miles, plus I ran up 2/3 of the super steep hill I usually walk! My calves hated me for it, but otherwise it felt great. Will have to stretch better and do more leg strength training because I can feel the start of shin splints. :(

After that, Meredith came up from Baltimore. I made us the Asian-Inspired Chicken Sausage with baby bok choy and peanut sauce that I had yesterday. Got approval on the sauce being yummy, so check yesterday's post for the recipe! After that we headed to Candice's lax playoff game with a nice win. Mer and I also split a piece of pizza in the stands- who passes up hot pizza in the NY area? No one.

After the game it was frozen yogurt- tart w/ granola, mango, pineapple, and coconut. Lots of walking around Hoboken including checking out Candice's sweet apartment for next year. Then it was another cone of frozen yogurt (yes, I got fro-yo twice in about three hours), this time it was coffee and chocolate! I could live on frozen yogurt. Then it was more walking around and out for dinner- Magic Hat #9 and a burger with bleu cheese. Yes, I ate the bread basket too. At least I opted for salad instead of fries, right?!? All in all a fairly gluttonous day but that's why I'm active- so that days like that don't leave me feeling totally guilty. Plus, being gluttonous sans guilt is all part of being in your 20s!

As for today, Mer and I wanted to make an 8:30 spin class but hit snooze and headed to the 9:45. It was a smoothie and fried egg for breakfast for me. This smoothie was yummy but I used frozen spinach instead of fresh baby spinach and it was a bit too spinach-y. The recipe has less spinach than I put! Also, the little bits of spinach totally got in my teeth- this smoothie should not be eaten anywhere you won't have toothbrush access ASAP.

Popeye-Teeth Smoothie

1/2 cup organic frozen wild blueberries

1/2 cup organic frozen respberries

1/3 cup organic frozen spinach (or more to taste, but beware!)

1 cup pomegrante Kefir

  Put all ingredients in blender and whir to desired consistency!



there was a lot more spinach than the color let on..



Spinning was a new instructor who LOVED sprints. It kicked our butts... which we needed! I've decided that Katy Perry's song Firework was made for spinning. Almost every class uses it and it has a great beat to keep a fast cadence to. 

Post-spinning it was Mass for Mother's Day then another big cooking extrvaganza. Today I made Tabbouleh Transformed (taboulleh with some extraingredients to make it a meal) and Quinoa-Northern Bean Falafel. To keep today's entry short I'm just posting the Tabbouleh Transformed... you'll have to wait for the falafel until tomorrow! This tabbouleh is inspired by the traditional ingredients with some additions and swaps. I added chickpeas for protein and fiber, swapped out the bulgar for wheatberries (taste preference), and added feta and olives for taste. This is my work lunch for the next three nights!

Tabbouleh Transformed
(serves 3-4)

final product!

3/4 cup hard red winter wheat

1/2 cup dried chickpeas

1 cup fresh mint

1 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley

4 scallions (green and white parts) 

2 Lemons

1/4 cup EVOO

4 Campari tomatoes, chopped

4 oz Light Feta cheese, chopped (mine is from TJ's)

10 Kalamata olives- chopped  

Kosher salt and pepper

1) Rinse winter wheat. Cover with 3 inches of water. Heat to boil then turn down to simmer. Cook 45 minutes until soft and chewy, or longer to taste preference.

wheberries, chickpeas, and great norther beans simmering away

2) To rapid-soak chick peas: Cover chickpeas with 2 inches of water in pot. Boil 2-3 minutes. Drain.

    To cook chickpeas: Place rapid-soaked beans in pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and return to simmer. Simmer for about 2 hours until soft; judge using taste.



How pathetic do these look? The fridge was too cold and they wilted!



3) In food processor: Pulse scallions, mint, and parsley until well chopped. You can do this by hand, but I like my herbs very fine so this is much easier.



sad looking leaves romoved...



herb-y goodness



4) Allow beans and wheatberries to cool after cooking.

5) Mix juice of 2 lemons and EVOO together.



lemon + EVOO = easiest dressing ever



6) Combine beans, wheatberries, herb mix, olives, feta, and olives. Add dressing, salt, and pepper and toss gently until well mixed.



Tabbouleh Transformed - from side dish to main course!



7) Let sit in refrigerator for at least one hour before serving. Improves with time!

In addition to the tabbouleh, this week's lunch includes:

- Sliced cuke, baby carrots, and jicama w/ 2 T Ken's Light Bleu Cheese Dressing (I had to go pre-made on this dip- it was choosing between inventing a dip or sleep- sleep won)

- TJ Fresh Mozz string cheese

- Organic Pink Lady Apple

- Greek yogurt (various flavors) w/ 2T Kashi Berry Crisp cereal

- Organic straberries and sliced mango

- Diet Coke

For some reason I could not sleep today before work. Thinking it was the beautiful weather + allergies. Should be and interesting night at work.

Give your mom a hug and a kiss for Mother's Day. I wish I could have done more with my mom today but I had work- picked tongiht so that one less mom on my unit didn't have to work!