June Goals Roundup

June 29, 2012 6 Comments

Can someone please explain to me how July is just a day away? Nuts! The month of June flew by waaay to fast. Slow down summer, I want to savor you, not go back to school!

At the beginning of June I set some goals for myself, and I want to go back through them and see how I did, before I set myself new goals for July.

  1. Run at least 3 times a week. I didn’t succeed in this goal, but I did run at least twice a week, each week, which isn’t half bad if you ask me. I also feel that I am getting better at running though. I am able to run a whole 5k without stopping, which is an amazing feat for me since I wasn’t able to run a single lap last summer. I’m halfway to 10k!
  2. Cook at least 3 times a week. S-U-C-C-E-S-S! I have been back in the kitchen and loving it. I’ve experimented with pancakes, muffins, quioa, chili and a ton of other things. I love cooking, I just need to find the time to do it!
  3. Strength train at least twice a week. This didn’t happen every week, but Tommy and I signed up for Cross Fit so July should be filled with a lot more strength training! Can’t wait to start!
  4. Eat out no more than twice a week.  Another success on the food front. With cooking more, comes eating out less. I’ve also resisted pushing my lunch to the back of the work fridge and ordering out when everyone else was, which I am very proud of!
  5. Read more and finish at least one book. Done and done! I finished Unorthodox (which was a very interesting read) and am in the process of reading three books at once!
  6. Go on a bike adventure. Another success. Munchkin and I have been out of a bike a few times and the last time we did almost 5 miles around our neighborhood. I always had to literally push the push up a huge hill because I couldn’t make it up!
  7. Drink at least 72 oz of water a day. When it’s super hot out, I think I need even more water than this. I found myself very thirsty on one of my last runs even though I had drank a good amount of water during the day. I think this goal is going to be upped for July.

****I’m thinking about starting a monthly link-up, where we can all share our monthly goals. If you’d like to participate, let me knos. I want to get some feedback before I start it up!****

EDIT: Monthly Goals Monday is going live this Monday [7/2]. Hope to see your monthly goal posts!

Did you set any goals for June? How did you do?

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Playlist Thursday: Running Beats

June 28, 2012 6 Comments

Music can make or break a run for me. On a recent run, my Pandora app wouldn’t start up, and my mind started to race about how I would not be able to complete my run without my beats. There are songs that make me run harder and faster and put a smile on my face and I thought I’d join Pavement Runner and share some of my fav songs. Disclaimer: I listen to literally every type of music, so songs that may seem strange for some people to run to, rev me up!

Here are the categories:

Something Old:
These will be songs that are at least 5 years old. I know that isn’t too long to be considered old, but music turnover happens quickly.
Something Current: These will be songs that have been released within the past year. I know, but you have to give me some leeway here.
Something to Consider: These will be songs that are not typically heard on the radio and may be by artists you’ve never heard of or considered running to. This is the wild card category, can be old or current.

Something Old:


Artist: Green Day
Title: Good Riddance
Side Note: I took up guitar to learn this song. Sadly, my guitar career didn’t get much farther than this song.
Quotable: “So make the best of this test and don’t ask why. It’s not a question, but a lesson learned in time

Something Current:

Artist: Ellie Goulding
Title: Lights
Side Note: This song may only have like two lyrics, but the beat is like a Super Mario Star for me when I’m running.
Quotable: “And so I tell myself that I’ll be strong, And dreaming when they’re gone”

Something to Consider:

Artist: Brand New
Title: I Will Play My Game Beneath the Spin Light
Side Note: This is one of my favorite bands ever. They never made it very big, but they’re songs are amazing.
Quotable: “If looks could really kill, then my profession would staring.”

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What are your old, current and something to consider songs?

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The Week’s Favorite Eats WIAW

June 27, 2012 8 Comments

Why is it that every time I wake up early to write a blog post, I spend an hour trying to fix our Internet. I’m talking to you Time Warner..I think it may be time to look into some alternatives!

Okay, enough ranting! It’s Wednesday and the lovely Jen at Peas and Crayons is hosting the best part on the interwebs today..WIAW! After my Lame-o WIAW lat week, I promised that I would change it up a bit for this week and make it a bit more interesting, so instead of showing what I ate yesterday (if you’ve seen one dippy egg, you’ve seen em all) I’m going to share some fun things I’ve made or eaten in the past week.


Since June’s theme is Sensible Snacking, I’m going to start with my snacks. First up, Greek yogurt fruit popsicles.

Munchkin is a nut for all things ice cream. I’m pretty sure I could freeze some broccoli into popsicle form and it would go down no problem.

All I did was mix a container of plain Chobani but a bit of honey with cherries, strawberries, grapes and a peach. I let it freeze overnight, and I got myself a sensible snack for both young and old.

Another sensible snack that I’ve been enjoying this week is the Strawberry Banana Muffins that I made on Monday. I took a recipe that I found on the recipe cards at the supermarket and tweaked it to make it a bit healthier. Munchkin can down these muffins like they’re going out of style, so when they’re a bit on the healthier side, I don’t feel so bad when he asks for a second or a third.

Another thing that I love in the summer is grilled corn on the cob.

While some people peel the corn and wrap in it tip foil with butter, salt and all sorts of other stuff, I just throw the whole ear on the grill and wet the sweetest, most flavorful corn, no extra salts and fats needed.

The last item I am sharing was made by my lovely boyfriend over the weekend. Some guys that he works with were talking about spaghetti al guitarra, and he decided to make it for us.

The dish is spaghetti tossed with grilled shrimp, sauteed cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and fresh chunks of mozzarella which get stringy when tossed in with the hot ingredients giving the dish its name.

It is so.so.so.so.good!

Have a tasty Wednesday!

What’s your favorite thing off the grill? What’s the best thing you ate this week?

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A Healthier Alternative: Strawberry Banana Muffins

June 26, 2012 8 Comments

Over the weekend, I grabbed a bunch of recipes from our local supermarket in the Poconos. One of the recipes was for Raspberry Swirl muffins and as soon as I saw it, I got the baking itch. When I got home from work yesterday, I went straight to the kitchen and these babies happened.

I used the supermarket recipe as inspiration and came up with Strawberry Banana Muffins. They are good, and pretty good for you – whole wheat flour, no added fats and packed with fresh fruits!

Strawberry Banana Muffins [makes 12 muffins]

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/3 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 large)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup applesauce
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped strawberries

Preheat over to 375 degrees and line a pan with muffin cups (I used leftover cars cups. Munchkin loved it!) In a large bowl combine flours, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. In a separate bowl, mix together bananas, eggs, applesauce, honey and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the strawberry chunks. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups until 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

I love how the fresh berries gave the muffins a marbled look on top…it makes them that much more mouthwatering, if you ask me!

What inspires you in the kitchen? What’s your favorite thing to bake?

 

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Little Boy’s Dream

June 25, 2012 21 Comments

This weekend was a little boy’s dream. We spent the weekend in the Poconos and the wonderful weather combined with good company and Munchkin had a blast.

Drivin’

Climbin’

Sprinklerin’

Explorin’

Drivin’ some more

Flyin’

Today’s children spend way too much time indoors and in front of the TV or computer screen. The average kid only spends less than 10 minutes of unstructured playtime outdoors, which I find to be first of all crazy(!) and second of all, really sad. There is nothing like running around, free as a bird and exploring the world around you.

Hope your weekend was just as great!

What did you do this weekend?

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Apple Pancakes

June 22, 2012 9 Comments

Today’s breakfast was too good for words, but that won’t stop me from writing about it.

Apple pancakes are a food that brings me back to childhood breakfasts, sitting around a huge table with all my cousins in Poland. My aunt and uncle’s house in Poland was a magnet for the whole family’s kids so sometimes there was 11 different little mouths to feed in the morning. In the late summer, once the apple trees started producing fruit, apple pancakes were a favorite.

These pancakes are a bit different than the ones my aunt used to make, Polish pancakes are much thinner and more crepe-like, but they are amazing nonetheless.

Apple Pancakes

  • 2/3 cup buttermilk (or combine 2/3 cup milk and 2 tablespoons vinegar and let stand to make buttermilk)
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • 1 large apple, peeled and sliced thinly

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda  in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together egg, buttermilk and oil. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Put down apple slices into the skillet and pour large spoonfuls of batter over the slices. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

Happy eating!

What was your favorite childhood breakfast?

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First Day of Summer

June 21, 2012 16 Comments

Instead of complaining about the scorching temps around here yesterday, Munchkin and I found ways to stay cool and still have fun. You can’t sit cooped up inside on the first day of summer, right?

When I got home from work he changed into our bathing suits and hit the pool. Yes, it’s a baby pool, but fun nonetheless!

I brought out the water guns that my dad had stored away in the garage from when I was a kid and, needless to say, Munchkin was all over them! What little boy wouldn’t love spraying his mom on a hot summer day.

After pool time, we dried off and headed out for dinner. Tommy was in the mood for Greek, so we went to a little place in Astoria. I got a really good falafel and he had a gyro, and we split a spinach pie.

After dinner,  Munchkin and I were not ready to go home, so we took a trip to the beach. The beach that is closest to us, isn’t the prettiest or cleanest, but it does the job for an evening walk on the beach.

We took our shoes off and dipped out feet into the cold water, but Munchkin preferred to run away from the water instead.

Enjoy your second day of summer and stay cool!

Did you do anything to celebrate the first day of summer?

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Lame-o WIAW

June 20, 2012 13 Comments

I have to admit that my WIAW is a little lame this week. It wasn’t until I went to my camera to upload my pictures that I realized I don’t have all that much to share. Once the temps start rising, my appetite tends to fall. I also tend to eat less when I cook, probably because I tend to snack while cooking, which might be the case with yesterday’s eats. Let’s go to the photos!

Breakfast came together rather quickly because I got a little caught up in writing yesterday’s post to realize that I have a half hour to shower, get dressed, eat and feed the Munchkin. Enter eggs in a basket.

Two eggs in Sesame Ezekiel toast with a side of apple slices. Eggs in a basket is one of my fav quick and easy breakfasts. Hit the spot!

These two came to work with my for lunch, but only the granola got eaten while at work. I did end up eating the Chobani as a post run snack in the evening.  A cold Chobani always hits the spot after a sweaty workout!

Post-work/pre-dinner snack = banana with Justin’s chocolate Almond Butter. Can I take a moment to rave about how amazing the Almond Butter tastes. I have heard rumors that there is a Vanilla Almond Butter floating around Whole Foods that tastes like frosting. After eating the chocolate one today, I am itching to get my hands on the vanilla!

Dinner was a random but delicious. Tommy bought a box of orzo last week and had been asking me to make something that he could take for lunch and eat cold the next day. I overcooked up the orzo, added in some grilled chicken, corn, bell peppers and tomatoes and tossed with some Italian dressing. It was delish, and would’ve been even better had the orzo not been so chewy…the joys of cooking with a toddler!

That’s all I got! Drinks went unpictured, but all I had was two cups of coffee and a fluid ton of water..how boring am I? I promise that next week’s WIAW will be a bit more exciting. I need to bring some baking back into my life!

What’s the best thing you ate yesterday?

 

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Summer Reading

June 19, 2012 10 Comments

Being in law school usually leaves me with zero time for reading for pleasure. During the school year, I gather book titles that I want to read during the summer and as soon as finals are done, I pull out the iPad and get to reading. I am currently reading three books at once – I have trouble sticking to one book at a time, but when you have to wait months to read, you want to get into as many books as you can at once.

The Ultimate Beginner’s Running Guide is a very straightforward book which shares what you need to get started with running (very little) and even provides running plans you can follow and ways to track your mileage. It also goes through the proper running for and gives tips about how prevent common injuries which keep beginners from sticking to it.

 

The New Rules of Lifting for Women is an amazing book which dispells all the myths surrounding lifting weights for women. Most women stray away from weights out of fear that they will get “bulky” and women’s magazines are full of workouts for “long and lean” muscles, but there is no way to lengthen your muscles and using light weight only builds endurance, but doesn’t build muscle so you won’t see any real results. I’m only on the second chapter of this book, but I already feel that I’ve learned a ton!

 

Eat Food. Not too Much. Mostly Plants…and food doesn’t mean something that came out of a package either. This book shows how our diets have changed, mostly for the worst, over hundreds of years and how we can dispel all the myths surrounding nutrition to create a healthy diet for ourselves.

 

My mom read this book while she was on vacation and when she came back she told me and Tommy that we both have to read it. The book basically states that it sill teach you secrets of how to make your money work for you. Tommy is reading it first, and he says that he is finding it really interesting so far.

 

Last but not least is the 50 Shades of Grey Trilogy. I am honestly a little scared to read these book after all the reviews that I’ve heard of them, but at the same time I feel like I need to read them to see what all the hype is about.

What’s on your summer reading list?

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The High Line

June 18, 2012 14 Comments

On Friday, Tommy and I met up with some friends for dinner and drinks. We had originally planned on going to a bar afterwards and having some fun, but that plan fell through and Tommy and I headed to the High Line instead. The High Line is a city park that is built on old elevated railroad tracks that runs from the Meatpacking District all the way up to the West Side Yard.

We got to the High Line in time to catch the last glimpse of the sunset.

It was our first time visiting the park and I was beyond amused by the fact that there were exposed railroad tracks that you could walk on without worrying about incoming trains.

I was more than happy to pose for a photo, especially since I had been telling Tommy that I want to go to the LIRR tracks near our house to take pictures just a day earlier. He told me that I’m crazy BTW. I have a strange fascination with train tracks, I guess.

As we wandered along the the park, we came upon a few food carts and since we didn’t have dessert, we decided to get some ices from People’s Pops.

Tommy had the Blueberry Peach pop, which was amazing, but I opted for a Rhubarb shaved ice.

And to my surprise, there was a huge block of ice which was actually shaved in front of us to make my ice. Pretty awesome!

We didn’t have a chance to walk all the way to the other end of the High Line, but I made Tommy promise me that we would come back soon before we got on the steps to go down. I can totally see us picnicking there on a sunny afternoon!

What did you do this weekend? Are there any unconventional parks in your city?

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