yay! pictures!

Last night before heading to bed I put the contents of my version of the Dough Boy Smoothie from the blog KathEats. My only real modification was that I added chocolate whey protein powder to kick up the smoothie.  The recipe follows. Mix together with spoon and leave in blender overnight. Blend into smoothie in the morning, adding a splash of milk to desired consistency.

Chocolate Overnight Oats Smoothie

1/2 cup lowfat milk 

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 

1/2 scoop Designer Whey Protein (chocolate) 

1/2 banana

Sprinkle cinnamon 

The smoothie was tasty and since I woke up late for Spinning, it was quick to make and travelled well.  Went to 9:45 spinning with a new instructor. The only problem with spin classes is that you are subjected to whatever music the instructor chooses. Sometimes the music is perfect but other times it doesn't seem right for the pace or, even worse, it's just bad taste in music. Luckily, today the music was great! The theme was cover songs so they were all familiar but with a spin. No pun intended. 

After working my butt off at spinning, it was an on the go snack of a small, organic granny smith apple and 2 tbsp of TJ Cinnamon Almonds. These almonds are just sweet enough and so tasty! They also have only three ingredients- cinnamon, sugar, and almonds- which fits right in with eating real, unprocessed foods. Then it was off to buy things to start an herb garden and an arts and crafts project, which will come later! 

I put a good effort into making lunch today since I had the time.

I had friend okra when I was out in Colorado visiting my cousin and have wanted to make a healthier version ever since, so that's exactly what I did.  I had the okra with a big salad and seltzer with POM juice. So satisfying. Recipes (and pictures!) follow.  

"Fried" Okra 

1) Clean, dry, and slice okra into bite-sized pieces. 

2) Dip in egg/milk mixture. 

3) Toss in cornmeal, salt, pepper, and paprika. 

4) Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes, turning once.
note: I've also done this with fresh onions to make healthier onion rings

Spinach and Bleu with an Egg 

Organic baby spinach 

Fried egg
Sliced strawberries 

Wheatberries 

Toasted sunflower seeds 

Sliced English cucumbers

Crumbles of raw, whole milk bleu cheese 

Chunks of organic WF french baguette

Balsamic vinegar and EVOO

I used my family's camera today, which will suffice until I decide on a camera to invest in. I figure my pictures will improve as I take more. Off for an afternoon run with Annie before more cooking to get ready for the week. Making the most of this day off!