Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

It is snowing!!!!!! I love the holiday season and don't mind a little bit of snow. In Indianapolis we have a much milder winter than where I am originally from in Northern Indiana. I used to live right off of Lake Michigan so we almost always got a good amount of lake effect snow. Just a week or so ago my mom said that they got like 6 inches up there! eek.

For lunch I tried a new creation: Pumpkin Pasta!

I used whole wheat pasta and mixed it with pumpkin sauce! To make the sauce I first cooked 1 clove of garlic minced in about a 1 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil. I then added a giant scoop of canned pumpkin and a ladle full of the starchy water I was cooking my pasta in to thin the pumpkin. I cooked for a while longer to warm and then tossed the pasta with the sauce. I really loved the pumpkin flavor in combination with some olive oil and garlic, but I think next time I will try making it using chicken stock instead of water to add even more flavor!


On the side I had a small salad with carrot chips and some light ranch. On my way to work I ate a chocolate chip z-bar as dessert! I didn't really eat any bars on vacation so I have been missing them like crazy!!

While I was at the grocery store this AM I found STEVIA! After reading about it in the blogging world I had been looking for it in a few different stores and found this kind made by Sugar in the Raw that wasn't too expensive. I brought along a few packets to use when I have coffee at work which I am planning to do this afternoon since it is FREEZING in the library!

Hope everyone has a wonderful afternoon/evening!!

Monday, Monday...

Last night I didn't really ever end up eating anything else. My stomach kind of felt icky so I only had a glass of tea with a splash of milk and some honey. Isn't this cup cute? My parents got it for me when they went on vacation to New Orleans.  

Since I didn't really eat last night I woke up STARVING! I ate a whole wheat english muffin. 1 side had peanut butter on it and on the other I put pecan pumpkin butter. I also had a cut up banana along with it and a small glass of milk. 

Guac rocks!

It is nice to spend the afternoon relaxing and catching up on e-mails and blogs! Around mid afternoon fiance and I made tacos! I made ground turkey with taco seasoning. They were served on whole wheat tortillas with lettuce some cheddar cheese and some spanish rice. On the side I had some premade guacamole. I remember reading about it in a magazine and thought it would be a good time to try it. 

It is called wholly guacamole and is made of all natural ingredients. I tried the pico de gallo style kind and it was REALLY good for packaged. It tasted really fresh and had great flavor. It also only has about 40 calories for for a 2 tbsp. serving. 

I just ate a snack of a spoonful of peanut butter and a cup of milk. 

Since I had a larger late lunch I will probably have just have a small dinner later while watching the Bears game tonight! Have a great evening bloggers! :)

Back to the cold!!

Fiance and I just got home from Fl today. It was beautiful and warm there. I didn't take pictures of food and drinks as I just wanted to relax and enjoy my entire mini vacation!!! 

I definitely ate more than regular, but luckily we did a good amount of walking and went swimming on both Friday and Saturday. 

It is nice to be home, but it is COLD! 

'Blog for your health!'

Mid morning I had a snack of a GIANT apple. A coworker even commented on its massive size. However, I forgot to put my memory card back in my camera so no picture!

I had a simple and light lunch consisting of a ham and cheese sammy on wheat with some green pepper slices and a blueberry yogurt.

In my Self magazine 'monthly news and tips' e-mail they had a section on the benefits of blogging! They said:
"Keeping a Web diary—even one that's for your eyes only—is good for you! Writing about your feelings can help you relax and get a good night's sleep. Expressive blogging may also encourage growth of white blood cells, which fight off infection, and lower blood pressure and heart rate."

I can already see improvements in myself since I have started blogging. I am more focused on the health goals I want to achieve and have learned great nutrition tips from other bloggers!!

Well I hope everyone has a good afternoon and blogs away to improve their health! :)

Wednesday = Friday!

Morning! Sorry for no post last night I was too exhausted!! I am SUPER pumped that today is my last work day before the holiday. :)

Yesterday at work for a snack I ate a Clif Bar. I also had a few walnuts, but no picture of them.

For dinner fiance and I got a Brooklyn style pizza. It had HUGE pepperonis and a really thin crust. I had two slices along with a salad topped with green pepper.

This morning I had a whole wheat english muffin with pb and some pineapple chunks. When I got to work I made myself a cup of coffee. My office has free coffee available ALL day long! It is nice on really cold mornings or days when I am really tired and need a pick me up.

Today after work I have to run home finish packing and am then meeting my family for dinner!! My mom, dad and younger brother live in northern IN and are coming to Indianapolis to have Thanksgiving at my sister and brother-in-laws house (They also live in Indy). Since I will be gone with fiance's family for turkey day we will be going out to eat tonight. I'm really excited to get to see them!! I am super close with my family and love spending time with them :)

Well I hope everyone has a fabulous 'friday'!

busy day.

Good afternoon! Today has been a busy day and it's only 12:30! I woke up pretty early this morning got in a short workout then ran some more errands, did laundry and got mot of my packing done. I just got to work a while ago and am here until 9!
AND NOW FOR THE EATS:
For breakfast I had a bowl of crispix



For lunch I was trying to use up some leftovers in the fridge. I made the last of my mini asparagus along with a chicken wrap. My wrap included:
Whole wheat wrap
leftover chicken
mozz. cheese
some fajita seasoning
black beans
lettuce

I also had a side of my homemade cranberry applesauce.

TASTY!

Chili round 2.

Good Evening! By the time I got home from work I was STARVING! I needed food FAST so I just warmed up some leftover chili for a repeat topped with cheese and with 1/2 a whole wheat english muffin .

After that I was craving something sweet so I had a small handful of Special K chocolaty delight cereal and a tiny glass of wine. 
Now I am going to head to bed. Tomorrow I am planning on hitting the gym early and then finishing packing and getting organized for Florida! GOOD NIGHT!

Pumpkin oats

So recently I have been seeing bloggers everywhere eating pumpkin oats! As pumpkin is one of my FAVS I just had to try some for a breakfasty lunch today. Mine consisted of:

1/2 cup of oats
1 GIANT scoop of pumpkin
1 banana
1 cup water
splash of milk
cinnamon and pumpkin pie seasoning to taste

AND a cup of pumpkin flavored coffee....YUM!
The oats were pretty good, but I think next time I will use less water and more milk for a creamier taste.

I just ate some snacks here at work. I don't have pictures since I forgot to bring my camera down to the staff/faculty lounge and was too hungry to trek back up to the library before eating! I had my FIRST EVER Oikos. I tried the blueberry and was VERY impressed. It was so creamy and I loved the actual little blueberries in the bottom. I will def. be eating more of these! Along with my yogurt I had 2 ryvita crackers with some laughing cow cheese spread on them.

Work has been slightly boring! Since I came in on Saturday it seems I have gotten most of my stuff done for this week. The one main thing I was working was ordering some new books, but my boss said he wants me to hold off until December. So I will just be inching along through the next two work days dreaming about sunny and warm FL!

:)

Egg Sammy.

Good morning! For some reason I am just dragging this am. For b-fast I made an egg sammy. I made 1 egg over easy and topped it with a slice of cheddar cheese and 2 pieces of ham lunch meat. On the side I had some pineapple chunks.

I also had a glass of berry blend V8 splash. 

YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was a perfect breakfast to energize me on a Monday morning. I know I should go to the gym, but I have TONS of errands to run before I leave for FL on Thursday morning. What to do?!?!