Remember back on May 2nd when I said my Game Face was going on? Me either. May ended with a wimper and my 100 mile goal challenge never came to fruition. And I was horrible and keeping up the ten of you who wanted to join the challenge for a chance to win my salsa.
I apologize to Peggy, Rachel, Aimee, Roxy (Losing the Rolls), Katelyn, Erin, Mary, Louise, Veronica and Diana Grace for not being a better cheerleader this month. I ended up putting all your names in a hat for the winner. And the winner is. . .
PEGGY!
Send me an email or leave a message in the comments section on your heat level of the salsa.
Knowing I was going to have tacos for lunch I had a super simple breakfast parfait.
The forecast called for possible thunder storms, so that’s why I decided not to grill at work. I ended up making crock pot ground beef tacos, cilantro lime rice and my salsa with all the fixings. I knew you guys wanted to see my office horse wallpaper again. You’re welcome.
But it ended up just being overcast so we ended up eating outside. It’s a nice break at the end of the week to eat together. The attorney I work out with photo bombed me!
Insulin and tacos go really well together – ha!
Since we had pizza the night before, I didn’t really know what to make for dinner. By the time I get to Friday with meal planning, I almost always leave that night open. As I was driving home I knew I had pasta. I had about 1/2 a pound of sausage. I had some canned marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese. Pasta!
I adapted my recipe from this one:
Penne in Cream Sauce with Sausage Bon Appétit | February 1997
by Landini Brothers Restaurant
Alexandria, Virginia
Yield: Serves 3 (I thought this would serve two of us, but it was enough for 3 servings)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced peeled tomatoes with juices half a cup of marinara sauce
1 cup whipping cream 1/2 cup of half and half
6 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley Tony isn’t a fan of parsley
1 1/2 pound penne pasta
1 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until golden brown and tender, about 7 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 7 minutes. Drain any excess drippings from skillet. Add wine to skillet and boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices and simmer
3 minutes. Add cream and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in 4 tablespoons parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. (Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta; transfer to large bowl.
Bring sauce to simmer. Pour sauce over pasta. Add 3/4 cup cheese and toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons parsley.
I served mine over baby spinach. I really really liked this. It was creamy, but tasted light. Just enough sausage and I did add crushed red pepper flakes to mine. 
June Goals
I have to say that I am the queen of saying I am going to do something and not following through. Enough is enough. So when my friend Helen asked me if I wanted to join her Diet Bet group, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. The premise is simple. You pay $25 in. You weigh yourself full body on a scale, take a picture of your weight with a verification word and send it into the moderators. You have to lose 4% of your weight by June 29 and everyone who reaches their goal splits the pot. The pot is $325! I have to lose 7 pounds.
When I was in Austin, my step-son burned me a copy of the Insanity tapes. He and his wife did it for 30 days in a row. I found the calendar on Pinterest.
So today is the Fit Test. I haven’t decided what time of day I am going to do it though. I am not one to get up and go full out, plus I like my hour and a half morning to blog, read blogs and get ready for the day. So I may declare my workout time from 8:00 to 9:00 at night. Joe said that most of the workouts are between 35-45 minutes. I still plan to do my lunch workout to get away from my desk, but it will be easy stuff like walking on the treadmill or swimming.
I have other goals, but for now – 30 days of Insanity. Tony – you need to help kick my butt to get this done! He’s an awesome motivator by the way. And you know what? He loves me for how I look now – isn’t that awesome?! 
What are your June goals? Have you ever done Insanity or P90X before? I am kind of nervous! Off to clean out the fridge and freezer and get my meal plan together. Have a great weekend!
I know I’m late to the party, but internship is finishing up and I’ve been way too busy to read blog posts. But I’ve loved seeing your sweaty face pics on instagram every time you finish an insanity workout. Makes me want to give it another go – I have never made it through the whole program. Perhaps it can be one of my summer goals!
The gym that I go to one of the instructors is a certified insanity instructor. I took it as a series last session (it’s 6 weeks, but once a week) I liked it. It was a little repetitive for me but I liked seeing how much stronger I was at the end than the beginning… For my goal? We have a different challenge each month and this is “mean abs June” so that’s what I’ll be doing 🙂 (the other owner found it on Pinterest)
I just found your blog. I have a Motivation Monday link up and we all get together with weight loss tips and progress. Will you join us today?
http://www.dailydoseofdelsignore.com/2013/06/motivation-monday-4.html#.UayZOEAskYk
I have a lot of Beachbody workouts: P90X, P90X plus, Insanity, Chalean Extreme and Turbofire. I don’t like doing a full program because most workouts are repeated 2 or more times in a week and I get bored easily. I mix up all my workout DVD’s. I have done 1 Insanity workout so far and it’s tough but I liked it. I have done more P90X workouts and I love them. You can adjust almost every exercise to your own capability. I do that all the time.
Good luck, you can do it!
Congratulations to Peggy! I’m jealous. I actually did a total of 112 miles in May, 80 of which were running. The rest were stationary bike or elliptical miles. I was shooting to do all 100 running but maybe this month. You know Biz we do the best we can and sometimes despite our best intentions life takes over and changes our plans. I will cheer you on this month. I’ve done some P90X. I actually do the plyometrics weekly. It is challenging but doable. I am able to do much more now than when I started.
I hope you had a nice weekend. Have a wonderful Monday!
I like how you healthified that pasta recipe, Biz. And you go, girl, with that plan for June! When things are crazy, it’s good to have a plan…
I can’t wait to eat solid food again . . . those tacos look SO GOOD. It will be interesting to hear what you think about Insanity. I’ve never done it myself, but it does look pretty crazy. But kinda fun, too!
I can’t wait to hear how you like insanity—once I tried it with my ex and got through oh 3 days, he got through at least 30 though, I was just lazy. ha I know you’ll rock it! Those tacos look delicious, now I’m working where the heck my boyfriend is with our lunch!
Those tacos look good. Tacos are one of the things I can make for dinner that I know nobody will look at at go “Ew.” I have never done Insanity (the clips I’ve seen scare me) or P90X, but I love TurboFire. I’m curious to hear what you think of Insanity. If you like it, I might give it a try.
I’m not sure which I love more…your wallpaper or your novolog pen in the picture 😛 The beef tacos look killer, too! Here to a fabulous June, Biz!!!
Insanity is NUTS and literally INSANE but man, it is a GREAT workout and you will get amazing results! I’ve done the cycle twice through and want to start it again! I have the dvd’s and everything….except for a stable floor to do it on. lol. (my current living conditions are kind of rickety…hehe)
Good luck with your challenge – I hope you end June with a lighter bod but a heavier wallet!
Taco day? Oh my gosh I want to work with you! Fabulous. Go girl! Rock that workout hardcore. My goal for June is to stretch every day and work towards doing a split again :). I’m getting closer (I started two weeks ago)
Now that I am on summer break, my goal is to get to the gym 3x/week. MAK works nights most of the time, so I can go during the day when he is home. I haven’t done Insanity or P90X, but at this point, I have been away from the gym for so long. I know I have lost muscle tone and gained a lot of fat, so I know starting is going to be the hardest part! 🙂
Good luck on your insanity workout…..will be rooting for you. I think for my challenge this June is to try and lose 2-3 lbs, hopefully I will be more active and working in the garden more. Smoothies every day, ride my bike, walk the dog everyday. Not sure I can add another item to my already full plate. Cheers!!!
my goodness that’s impressive. I can’t imagine being able to do something like that, major props to you! I will be watching your progress and cheering you on!
Great pasta by the way 🙂
I love P90X, it’s hard though. I hear that insanity is worse, particularly on my joints. My aging joints can’t take it so I’m going to pass.
My goal for June? Eh, I’m about ready to give up :(. Not go crazy, maybe lose a few pounds.
Good luck with Insanity!! I’ve done it 2x (and both P90X programs) – you can do it!!! Remember, when you get tired just focus on Shaun T!!! (he usually has his shirt off)
I can’t wait to hear what you think after you get started with it!!
AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! I normally don’t win anything WHOOP WHOOP!!!!!!!
No June Goals 🙁 I despise videos, I wish I didn’t. I want bike once a week and run twice a week. That’s it, my sad goals-BUT I think I won’t end the month too discouraged with this one! 😀
We are headed to the lake for the afternoon, with our 21 DSD snacks, tomorrows the last day for that officially, but I think we may be trying to stick with many of the principals.
I’m excited to find about those carrots, have a fab weekend Biz!!!!! (And Tony too :D)
That pasta looks delicious! I know you can lose the 7 pounds, and with that exercise routine it should be a cinch. 🙂 Since I am pregnant, my June goal is only to gain 2 pounds (what the doctor recommends) instead of the 4 pounds I put on in the last two weeks! I also want to walk at least 6 days/week. I got up at 6 this morning to walk before the heat hit, now I am ready for a nap. 🙂 Enjoy your weekend!
Insanity sounds like insanity but I am sure you will have awesome results! I’ve never done Insanity of P90X. I kind of did the 30 day shred once but I only had the first video so I just did the first video for the whole month. I still saw results though! Good luck with your challenge!