Yesterday morning was so cool – I had the windows open in our back room where the computer is and even after shutting the windows I had a throw blanket on my lap – I love that kind of weather!

Sadly when I gave Hannah $20 bucks to pick up coffee and coffee filters on her way home from work yesterday, I told her “get whatever you want, just not any Foldgers or Hills Bros.” (i.e. crappy coffee!)  She brought home Starbucks – nice!  Starbucks vanilla flavor (not so nice).

I used to love flavored coffees, but now I just like stronger coffee with my coffee cream.  It’s only a small bag, so I can ride it out.  šŸ˜€ Can you do flavored coffee?

Breakfast was a 3.5 ounce bagel with egg white and zucchini and cheese – 11 delicious points and this will be my only bagel of the week.

I was busy with work right off the bat, the morning went by super fast.  The weather at noon was exactly 75 degrees, puffy white clouds and a slight breeze.  I thought I would have an awesome run, but it was slow going.  I had to stop probably four times and walk in the first mile.  The second mile was equally difficult, but then my last 1.1 miles was so easy.

I wish every mile could be like that!  So even with two shitty miles, my time for the 5k was 34:40!  It didn’t seem possible, but I think a sub 30 minute 5k may be my next goal. šŸ˜€

I had planned on making spinach and cheese tortellini soup for me and my SIL, but didn’t realize my stock of chicken broth was empty.  So I went on tastespotting, put in cheese tortellini, and stumbled upon a tikka masala tortellini soup.  What?!!  It sounded amazing!  Oh – and for the record – my SIL pays me to make her lunches – its a win win situation!

Tortellini Tikka Masala (by Gastrophoria) – my changes in bold

Serves 6
1 package Barilla Three Cheese Tortellini (9 oz. package)
Tikka Masala
2 tb canola oil (I used 1 tablespoon + Pam)
1 small onion, diced (around 1 1/2 cups)(no way!)
2 tsp ginger, minced (fresh)
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 pinch pepper flakes (or to taste)
2 tsp garam masala (or curry powder if you can’t find it)(used 1 tsp. garam masala and 1 tsp. curry powder)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 jar Classico marinara pasta sauce (any brand is fine)(I used 2 cups of my homemade tomato sauce)
1 cup of chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream (I used 1 cup of fat free half and half)
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
Garnish
1/4 cup silvered almonds, toasted
1 tb lemon zest
Cilantro sprigs (I only used cilantro)
Olive oil
1. Prepare the tortellinis according to package directions. It should take around the same amount of time as the sauce.
2. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, add oil, onion, ginger and garlic and cook until the onions essentially melt. Around 10 minutes. This is the flavor foundation on which the sauce builds upon so don’t skimp on the time spent here!
3. Add the pepper flakes, garam masala, paprika and cumin to the onion mixture and stir for a few minutes to let the flavors meld and bloom in the oil.
4. Add the sauce and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes. Once that’s finished, turn off the heat, stir in the cream, cilantro and salt to taste.
 Love, love, love the flavors going on here – she’s right, take your time with the ginger/garlic (onion) part because the flavors that developed were amazing.  I accidentally started my pan too hot the first time around and burned the garlic, so I had to start over.
I had a few more torellini in mine, so I am calling my bowl of soup 8 points plus.
I had so much laundry piled up, so I knew I wanted to make a quick dinner.  Looking through my archives I remembered how good this salisbury steak with asiago cheese bread was, I quickly put it on the menu.  You can find the recipe here.  However, when I got home Tony wasn’t feeling well.  So dinner was all about me.  What?  You say there is leftover food from the Mexican fiesta on Sunday?
Yep – I had 3 beef and tri colored pepper tacos – 3 corn shells, 2 ounces of flank steak, 1/2 cup of cooked peppers and an ounce of cheese split between the tacos, with 1/3 cup cilantro rice on the side.  Dinner comes in at a delicious 11 points.
So my mini goal this week is to get my laundry/closet/dresser drawers in some kind of order.  So I am pledging to spend 30 minutes a day to that task, so that by the weekend I’ll have a totally clean laundry/dressing area. šŸ˜€  Until I hit the lottery and then I can either buy new clothes every day and donate them to good will so I never have to do laundry again!
Hannah had the day off from school yesterday and went to the Shedd Aquarium – I was trying to remember the last time I went and I think it was when Hannah was in 3rd grade -so sad!  Chicago is basically in my back yard and I hardly ever go downtown anymore.
I wanted to share some of my favorite pictures she took – they had a jelly fish exhibit going on that she said was pretty cool.
Stats for Monday:
  • 33 points (includes an ounce of tortilla chips and hot sauce as an afternoon snack)
  • 45 minutes walk/run at lunch, included 34:40 5k
  • 100 sit ups
  • 50 push-ups
  • average blood sugar 166 (damn bagel!)

Hope you have a great Tuesday!  Happy Birthday to my SIL Jody!! Keep up the great work on WW!