I had time to take a quick 30 minute walk before work. I only put on a light jacket because it was sunny outside. Um, I quickly regretted that decision – it was cold! But after a few minutes I warmed up so I just sucked it up.
And Lisa, this picture is for you! Lisa was reading my blog for a while before she realized I live in the same town she grew up in. The ski jump is in the next town over, but you can see it from our side of the river.
When I got back I realized how cold it was – 48 degrees!
I had packed up most of my stuff the night before so a quick shower and I was out the door. I had a new almond poppy seed muffin for the drive to work (recipe to follow later this week) and my to go cup of coffee.
One of the cookbooks I got over the weekend was Cooking Light’s mix and match low-calorie cookbook (on sale at Barnes & Noble for only $3.85!) Their premise is having a 300 calorie breakfast, 400 calorie lunch and 500 calorie dinner, with snacks to total 1500 calories.
I have decided that it makes sense and is more cost efficient if I make a breakfast casserole or quiche for my breakfasts – it’s 4 servings, so I only need to add one more breakfast for the week. They had a sausage cheddar breakfast casserole that ended up being only 284 calories per serving – sold!
I ended up halving the recipe, and baking it in a pie pan. I didn’t have white bread so I used pita bread (reduced to 4 ounces). I also used Banquet turkey sausage for the sausage. My stats ended up being: 284 calories, 9 fat, 24 carbs, 2.1 fiber and 26 protein.
I hope to take a better side view of this because its delicious. I didn’t read the complete directions either that said to soak it overnight, but it’s fluffy and delicious. The only bad marks it got was high in sodium because of the turkey sausage and cheese.
Yesterday was the first day of my 12 week strength training program. This is what I did:
Wide Pushup (standard or on knees): 3 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell or Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 12 reps – 10 pound dumb bell
Flat Bench Cable Flyes: 3 sets of 12 reps – 15 pounds
Narrow Pushup (standard or on knees): 3 sets of 12 reps
Overhead Triceps Dumbbell Extension: 3 sets of 12 reps – 10 pounds
Triceps Pushdowns: 3 sets of 12 reps – 30 pounds
It took me 25 minutes to do that set, then I finished it off with a 15 minute walk at 8.5 incline.
I really felt my muscles on this piece of equipment – the tricep pushdown machine – I’ve never used it before. Ha. I just noticed myself in the mirror!
And, I also never knew that you could have dumb bells in 110 pound weights – crazeballs!
I am just a tiny bit sore this morning, but I did the stretching after Insanity last night so I think that helped.
It never fails that I buy a bunch of broccoli, and then end up not using it. I had a bunch to use up and in Gwyneth Paltrow’s “my father’s daughter” cookbook, she had a recipe for broccoli soup.
I adapted it a bit for what I had on hand, and of course, left out the stinky onions.
Broccoli & Spinach Cheese Soup
- 4 servings: 115 calories, 5 fat, 10 carbs, 3.1 fiber and 8.5 protein
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 head of broccoli
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 6 cups chicken broth (I didn’t add any additional salt, the broth was plenty)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup strong cheese of choice
Heat the oil in a large stock pot. Add broccoli and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in remaining ingredients except the cheese and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender enough to puree. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.
Her recipe called for adding in arugula or watercress. I accidentally put my spinach in the back of the fridge so it was partially frozen, but was perfect to use in this soup.
I bought this cheese at my store – they routinely sell “cheese ends.” This one was imported cheese ends – not sure what kind it was but I tried to have Tony try it over the weekend and he wanted to wash his mouth out with soap he hated it so much. So that makes me think its in the goat cheese family.
I took the above picture over the weekend. My lunch was the soup and a turkey, cheese and baby spinach wrap with a banana.
Tony was joking with me over the weekend asking since I was so Bizzy in my Kitchen where his chocolate cake was. I told him I didn’t make him any cake. So yesterday, I told him I would bake him a cake last night and he said “don’t tease me woman!” It was then that he realized I already had all the ingredients at home to make it the day before – ha!
I don’t bake that often, so I was a bit nervous. I ended up doubling this recipe so that it would fit in my cake pan. It could not have been easier – I literally had the batter made and the cake in the oven before my water boiled for our dinner.
Over the weekend I made a batch of Cincinnati Chili and had mine 3 ways – pasta, chili beans and cheese.
Kyle came for dinner too – he kept pushing Mo the chipmunk off the table though – so sad – what a bully!
So while the cake cooked and cooled I went to get my powdered sugar to make a frosting, and what I thought was powdered sugar was . . . corn starch. Um, not the same thing – thank God I tasted it before I tried to use it!
So I found a recipe that didn’t need powered sugar. I cooked the frosting, then beat it with my mixer for 3 minutes. It looked thick enough to frost the cake, but since it was hot, I stuck in the fridge.
Then I got my Insanity on. Since I am doing my strength at lunch, I’ve decided to only do the 40 minute Insanity workouts at night – but I gave it my all and kicked Shaun T’s butt.
I finish and go to get the frosting out the fridge and it’s almost a fudge consistency. Rats! No worries, I just put it in the microwave for 10 seconds and then it was smooth enough to frost the cake. Only one layer, I have no skillz cutting a cake in half!
I actually have no problem having that cake around. I didn’t even take a bite of the slice I gave to Tony. Now, if that was a bag of pretzels or chips, I couldn’t keep my hands off of it! #lovesaltyshit
Stats for the Day:
- 30 minute walk before work
- 25 minute strength/15 minute walk at lunch
- 40 minute Insanity after work
- 1846 calories (not pictured Chobani and 1 oz. peanuts)
- 204 carbs, 126 protein, 61 fat and a whopping 44 grams of fiber
- 26% of calories from fat, 26% of calories from protein and 43% from carbs
Alright, time to jump in the shower – make it a great day!
We must be opposites when it comes to indulging. I haven’t had a potato chip in years. Yuck. But sweets?! There’s no way I could have had that cake in front of my face and not tried it!! 🙂
Aw that was so nice of you to bake a cake just for Tony! And put some food on the ground for poor Mo – I feel so sorry for him now and like Kyle less. Poopy head spoiled Kyle! lol I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who detests goat cheese. I recently bought yet another kind in hopes I can learn to love it (so many people do, I’m convinced something is wrong with me) but no, it’s not happening. 🙁
I think goat cheese is like cilantro for some people, either you love it or you hate it! Don’t worry, that will leave more goat cheese for me!
Great workouts! I did a strength workout yesterday since a while and it had lunges in it, man do I feel my upper legs today 🙂
The chocolate cake looks delicious. I love baking but I don’t do it that much because (unlike you) I do eat from it 🙂
Hope you are feeling better Fran!
KYLE!!!!!!!! I’d take chips or nut over chocolate any day. I’d take cheese over my husband some days! HA! Have a great day Vat.
OMG, I just spit out my coffee at the comment about you’d take cheese over Dennis some days – another cheese whore, which is why I like you so much Roz!
I really want to try this soup. I love Gwyneth!
Julie worked really late last night( actually until 4:30am this morning). I wasn’t too hungry so I scrambled an egg with the same turkey sausage. I got the patties though at the 99 cents only store. Next time Tony wants a choc. cake, please try Hershey’s black magic cake. Its amazing and so easy to make. Its going to be the base of one of my wedding cakes. You are so lucky that you don’t like sweets, they are my downfall. I’m having 10 different cakes at our wedding.
Wow, 10 different cakes! Well, for the occasion, I would try some! I’ll check out the black magic cake.
That chocolate cake looks rather good…I might just try a bite, just to see if it was good enough…BUT….a bag of chips could take priority in no time!!! Sunday morning consist of going to church, then to the corner store for the paper and a bag of Frito Lay chips to eat on the way home….naturally the husb and I share. I know, I know, bad habit, but it is what we do. Then I check to see what Festival has for sales that week and what we will be eating. Hum….guess I am hungry after church, always thinking about food!!!
I always think about food too Louise – no worries!
I want to face plant in that chocolate cake! Chocolate is my weakness!
Yea for chocolate cake!!! There is nothing better with a cold glass of milk.
Your broccoli soup looks soooooo good for fall! I bet Beckett would love it.
Have a great day! This comment is coming from up in the clouds – on our way to CA! I’m in shock that wifi works up here. I just don’t get it, lol!
Wee!!! Have fun and enjoy your first getaway without the kiddos!
I can’t resist the salty, crunchy stuff either. Sweets are usually not a problem unless, of course, I’m just eating for no reason – then anything is fair game:( Your cake looks good, though – I think I would have tried it! Hope your day is great 🙂
Yep, when eating for no reason, all bets are off! 😀 Have a great day Lynne!
I made egg muffins last week and had trouble with storage; they got watery and gross by Thursday and I had to throw them out. I am so picky about my eggs that now I don’t want any. Like, at all. 🙁 Your quiche looks good but I don’t think I could eat one right now…
I’m going to try that broccoli soup – extra onions! 😉
Did you use liquid egg whites? They leach water the longer they sit – I either have to freeze mine right away, or keep the egg whites separate, heat that up and then pat the eggs with a paper towel before making the mcmuffins.
I’m a sweet and salty girl myself. Give me a bowl of popcorn with some snowcaps mixed in…YUM! I can’t seem to get past the green thing. I bet the soup is super wonderful but the color just turns my tummy. The same thing with your green monsters. One day I will be brave and try one.
Believe me, I never thought I would eat green anything, but now I love it!
So proud of you for getting up for a walk before work today! I’m having trouble getting up in the morning with how dark it is!
Your onion is my broccoli. Blech!~
Your cake looks great and so do those muffins – I do think you are baker after all! I like both salty and sweet – is it any wonder I battle extra weight?
I know, right Tami! 😀
Love the pictures from home – thanks for sharing! Have a terrific Tuesday 🙂
We have the same taste in food–I can resist sweets, no problem. But salt? No way.
YES! Salty >sugar for me :). I can’t believe it was so chilly yesterday morning! Way to stick it through the cold. The soup looks so yummy. I’m a huge fan of green soups. Hope you have a great day
WOW – your strength workout looks intense!! I was going to ask if you were sore then I saw that you weren’t too bad – nice!!
I’m like you – cake doesn’t tempt me too much but chips…
Well, one more day and it caught up with me Kim – today I am sore, but I think its because I am not used to using back muscles!