Although it didn’t feel like it when I left for my walk before work:
The river looked really pretty, love when it’s still like this. Too bad we couldn’t have afforded a house on the river, but I am glad that we are close enough to it so we don’t have to hear the noise of boats and jet skis – it can get really loud in the summer time.
My Mom texted me before she came over to my house for Easter with a picture of a multi-pack of Flatout wraps and asked if I wanted any. Um, yes please!
Now that I am doing my 30 day 30 grams per meal of protein challenge, these fit the bill – 9 grams of protein and only 90 calories! I decided to make a breakfast panini with one of the wraps. I wasn’t sure this would work in my panini maker, but it made it nice and crunchy – nice! I had egg white, spinach, ham and Cabot cheese pepper jack cheese with fresh fruit on the side. This meal comes in at 406 calories, 17 fat, 30 carbs, 11.7 fiber and 36 grams of protein.
Work was actually super busy. So busy in fact I finally pulled myself away from my desk at 2:00 to get out and walk – so I ate that breakfast at around 9 a.m. and I didn’t need any food for fuel before my walk – that extra protein really stuck with me! I did a quick 40 minute walk around my office building.
As I was walking back into my office building, I noticed daffodils starting to bloom! Spring can’t be too far away, right?!
For lunch I had lasagna soup with spinach and cheese tortellini, a side of new to me yogurt, without the topping (I’ll save the nuts for a parfait later in the week) and I got this new immersion water bottle – it has a little contraption on the lid where you can add fresh fruit or veggies to flavor your water – I ended up using English cucumbers and fresh mint – so refreshing! This meal comes in at 500 calories, 48 carbs, 20 fat, 2.7 fiber and 31 grams of protein.
I ended up working a bit late, and when I looked down and realized I had already gotten almost 14,000 steps for the day, I decided not to hit the gym after work. I will tonight as it’s a strength day for me. Jacob was working late and I knew I was going to cook myself a steak for dinner. Knowing Hannah wouldn’t touch that with a 10-foot pole, I made mac n cheese with Cabot’s smoky bacon cheese with broccoli. She always asks me to use shells or shaped pasta because it has more flavor than elbow macaroni – 
I cooked once, but will eat twice. I ate half the steak, had half a cup of the macaroni and green beans. I flavored the steak with a new seasoning I got at Spice & Tea – Cinnabar Smoke! OMG, so good! It has garlic, chipotle pepper, (onion!), smoked black pepper, hot paprika, Worcestershire powder, cinnamon, marjoram and parsley. Such an interesting blend of flavors with a bit of heat!
So even without my after work workout, I got in some serious steps!
I think it helps that I start off my day with a walk, even if it’s only 20 minutes, it adds between 1500 and 2000 steps before I even leave for work – nice! This morning I have the results of my MRI – I have to say yesterday my knee felt pretty good, but this morning after my knee has “rested” overnight, it hurts to get it going. Fingers crossed it’s nothing too bad.
Did your week start off on the right foot? If not, today is a new day. I have to say that the best thing about having grown children is there is no Easter basket candy to loot! Those marshmallow peeps always call my name!
Make it a great day!
The daffodils season is almost over here. But other plants/trees are starting to bloom now, I love Spring!
Hope your knee is okay.
Oh yessss….feeling like spring everyday. That is neat that you can walk along a river and get your steps in. I found that yogurt at the store, but wanted the planters nut one you had, they did not have it. Everything else but.
I used a couple of your Key West pictures…..the pelican flying and the sun set and boat passing by….hope you do not mind….I’ll take them down if you do. Just let me know.
You can use any of my pictures Louise – you don’t have to ask, I love it. The pelican flying was one of my favorites! Hugs!
I drink lots of water but still would enjoy one of those cool water bottles – especially with summer coming up!! Love that the balance of carbs/protein/fat you are eating helps you stay full longer – I should pay more attention to that type of thing.
I’ve been really happy with upping my protein – I feel so satisfied I don’t find myself looking for stuff to eat in between meals. 😀
I can’t believe you have daffodils blooming! I *just* saw the tips of my tulips poking out of the ground yesterday LOL! We have a long time before any blooms.
It was just three by our building, it is a bit early for us too!
Hope you get good MRI news!
You often mention your panini maker. What brand is it, please?
That immersion bottle looks awesome!
No surgery so that’s good – only an “old knee!” I bought my panini maker at a garage sale, it’s Giada DeLaurentis brand that you could buy at Target, but I see it’s no longer available. This one however got good reviews and its $25 – nice!
Your mac and cheese with shells looks so tasty. The way the cheese melts into the crevices is why Hannah says it tastes better, she is right! Today is my first day using that immersion bottle for my water. I am loving it. Just lemon today but will get some mint in there tomorrow and cucumber! Also, I thought that pineapple would be yummy! Did you broil your steak? It looks good even though I am not a meat eater either!
Doesn’t it make drinking water so much more refreshing with fruit and herbs?! I pan seared the steak – still have to replace my gas grill and I didn’t want to light up the Weber for one steak. If I could have steak for every meal I would – I love beef! I even had my daughter try a bite and she said she liked it, but not enough to eat a 3 oz. serving of it 😛
I just bought those wraps yesterday, they were on the reduced rack for 99 cents. Going to make a panini for lunch today. When I was at the Key West spice store, I felt so rushed( we were there on a cruise stop). I wanted to take a catalog with me and go back, but they didnt have one. That blend looks great. I got the Tuscan blend too.
I think I bought five blends – one for burgers, a Thai spice I haven’t tried yet, Greek seasoning, the Tuscany and then the Cinnabar – love the ones I’ve tried so far. I didn’t realize it was a franchise store! They have one in San Francisco if you guys ever drive there – I don’t know how far that is from where you live though 😀
I hope you get good news about your knee and MRI today. I’ve heard that breaking up your walks during the day is good for you. I used to walk 30 minutes in the morning, afternoon, and evening. The weight came off easier back then. But then I got an ulcer on a toe and was told not to walk anymore – now my ankle is tight and stiff and is painful when walking. Long story short I eventually had to have an amputation on all my toes on that foot – so…. keep walking. You’re an excellent inspiration for all of us!
Rats, so sorry about your amputation – just know that when I am walking, I am walking for both of us! Hugs!
I swear I am going to have to try that Flat-out. I keep reading about it. I’ve been doing 21-day fix for awhile, and it’s very popular on those boards for making a veggie-filled pizza. I kind of miss pizza.
I’ll have to find a week when I can work it into my budget. I’m starting to freak out looking in the fridge because we are out of eggs, I don’t have cottage cheese, and we have enough cooked chicken for tonight’s dinner. That means I’m going to be short proteins for the rest of the week (I can only stand so much canned tuna or salmon).
Or it means I have to cook something in the crockpot this week. Or shop. I’m trying to do more protein these days and it’s a challenge!
I love that you walk in the mornings. I’ve been out of my walking habit. Yesterday I didn’t do it, and today it’s raining (yay!) and I have a dentist’s appt anyway.
My Mom bought it at an outlet bakery – the mutli-pack was $3 for 18 wraps! So far I am doing really well at meeting or exceeding 30 grams of protein a meal, and I have to say, it’s helped me stay fuller longer so I don’t even remotely think of eating snacks, which helps me take less insulin since I am only eating 3 meals a day. This morning it was drizzling, but I walked for 20 minutes anyway, it was refreshing, even though it was 39 degrees!
That water bottle thingy is cool! Where did you get it? Happy Spring!
I bought it at my local thrift store – it was brand new with the tags on it and it looks like it was a giveaway at “Swing Fest 2013” – a golf event I didn’t attend, but I got the loot! 😀
You can buy one off eBay though for $14 bucks – check it out!