Changing Things UP

Good Morning and Happy “Day Before Easter” Day! 

And yes, I totally celebrate the day before Easter.  Especially when it’s 80 degrees and sunny outside!

I wanted a chilled morning meal so I went with a yogurt mess!

• 6-oz. plain, fat-free yogurt
• 1 T. crushed flax
• 1.5 c. Kashi Heart to Heart
• 1/2 banana
• 2 T. walnuts
• sprinkle of coconut

Favorite way to eat cold cereal–no contest!

Nicole and I had made plans for a brisk morning walk and we ended up chatting our way through 5-miles.  It was such a great way to stretch those tight morning muscles.  Speaking of which, I was especially tight this morning.  I’m thinking it has something to do with yesterday’s bike ride.  Let’s just say that the foam roller is getting plenty of use these last couple of days.

Pre-walk, I snacked on some mixed nuts and an orange.

We also had plans to visit the Christmas Tree Shop and a Home Goods store which I was pretty excited about.  Dishes, pillows, mirrors, candles and more.  I came close to buying a couple of things but practiced some serious willpower.  I’m still saving every penny possible for a mid-April shopping trip.  As cute as the polka dot plates were, I know I’m more in need for some new summer clothes vs. new dishes.  Sad but true.

Lunch was eaten on the road and was totally yummy!  I piled high some lean turkey breast onto two slices of Trader Joe’s whole-wheat sourdough with a slice of American cheese, some sliced tomatoes & lettuce.  The best part which made this sandwich was the guacamole.  It was saturated–absolutely saturated–with garlic.  I also spritzed in some fresh lemon and a bit of salt & pepper.

I also packed along some raw veggie sticks to crunch on.

Misto Experience #2:

This is the second time in two weeks that my misto order at Starbucks has come back wrong…haha.  At least today the barista was really nice and the iced coffee was still delicious (at least they remembered to add the sugar-free vanilla and soy!) 

Nicole and I split a fruit cup from home too.

Afternoon Snacks:

I wish these pictures could capture all of the sounds and earthy smells of the woods mixed with pine trees.  When I walked far enough on the trail, there was nothing but the sounds of the wind blowing leaves across my path, with the occasional chickadee chirping softly.  My time spent in the woods this afternoon was positively one of the most relaxing experiences I’ve had all week.  Makes me happy just ‘re-thinking’ about it.

An early promise of apple tree leaves!

There’s also something peaceful about eating outdoors.  I swear my food tasted ten times better than it even does normally.

• Salad topped with white beans, carrot, cucumbers, red onions, tomato, sauteed asparagus and balsamic vinegar.  The sauteed asparagus was made with a bit of olive oil, sea salt, pepper and fresh lemon juice.  So fresh and delicious!
• Kashi Crackers and the last of the Irish Whiskey Cheddar
• Kalamata Olives

So.  Much.  Flavor.

Dad cleaned up the fire pit area today.

And now I’m snacking on a pineapple chobani with a handful of Galaxy Granola while sitting by the fire.

I think I could stay out all night–so peaceful!

Hope you’re all enjoying your weekend!!!!

Question: Favorite thing about Easter?  I love how relaxing it is.  Kind of like Thanksgiving in a way.  It’s all about the family, friends and good food.

Changing Things UP!

So I’ve been contemplating how I want to go about doing this lately and I finally decided to change things up a bit.  Nothing major.  But instead of posting everything I eat, I’ll be posting highlights, thoughts, ideas, recipes, opinions and the occasional nutrition/fitness article.  In other words, it will be a lot like how my old “weekend posts” used to be.  Filled with all of my favorite things vs. every single thing.   That’s kind of the direction I had wanted the blog to take in the very beginning but now I’m ready to make it official.  I’m really excited because it’s going to give me more chance to read your blogs and will hopefully spark some new creativity within myself.