The past 24 hours have been all about…eating!

Starting with Christmas Eve dinner!

We started with some goat cheese, crackers, olives, and chips and guac.

I started with a glass of champagne and moved to red wine for dinner.

Sissy was all ready for Christmas, sitting by the poinsettia.

Mom and I wore matching outfits.

It took us about 20 takes to get the red shoes and our entire heads in this picture, but I think it came out well!

Finally we sat down to some dinner with lovely flowers and guests. Upon my plate was a delicious array of foods.

Turkey, brussels and sweet potato mash…hmm looks a lot like Thanksgiving! I love my sprouts cooked with fennel!

Dessert was definitely a special treat form my mom’s friend Lauren cooked delicious poached pears with homemade mascarpone and raspberry sauce.  There was a lot more to it, but I can’t remember!  I believe vanilla and tripplesec were involved?

And Christmas would not be complete without party hats and toys!

Mom really liked her whistle!

Fast forward to Christmas morning!

Stocking time with my official antlers that I wore all day long!

Marzipan and peppermint bark that were both consumed by the end of the day.  Mid way through presents we had a round of bloodies!

And finally around 11:30 (we take out time) we say down to brunch!

Eggs Benedict on a Portobello mushroom with a side of fruit salad.

This fruit salad was delicious! Kiwi, cantaloupe, papaya, and apple.

After brunch mom and I decided to do some yoga with our Christmas hats on and Sissy just wanted to play!

After yoga I had a very mini snack of brussel sprouts and we watched In Her Shoes as a family.

When the movie was over it was time to get ready for Christmas dinner!

We lit the fire with what wood we had.

And we had some cocktail shrimp while the food cooked.  I suggested we have a vegetarian Christmas next year because we can never remember how long to cook the meat for!

Then dinner was served!

Roast with mashed cauliflower and rutabaga, and asparagus.

We also had an amazing salad that my mom put together!

Mixed green, POM seeds, gorgonzola. pears, and clementines.

For dessert my mom and I split a gingerbread triple layer cake from Whole Foods and I also snagged the chocolate gnache from my grandmothers chocolate cake.

I was so stuffed after this day of eating!  I am meeting my 1/2 sisters and their families this afternoon with my dad and it will be great to see them.

Sissy is getting into something.  Got to Go!

Again, Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Eve!!!!!

It is so nice to be home and Sissy is here, but avoiding my mom’s cat like the plague!

We had a long car ride up here (2 hours extra) but she did great for her first time in the car!

 Before I could hit the road I had to get through a few hours of work…they were really hard and frustrating…at times I wanted to cry, but I just wanted to get out of there!

Mid morning I had an apple.

 It was a good things I had this because I was on the phone with my boss for an hour after aka my lunch time!

Lunch was such a mishmash of things that I had sitting in the fridge.

Leftover polenta, pineapple chobani with pom arils, hummus and bread. Pom and pineapple go really well together!!!!

I left work a few hours early after getting early dismissal!

I thought I was in great shape leaving early, but I guess everyone else in the world did too!

I finally got home and had a simple dinner with the family. Chicken, green beans and acorn squash.  Simple deliciousness with a glass of vino.

After dinner we were all pooped from driving for so many hours (my grandparents hit traffic also) so we all hit the hay pretty early.  Plus I had to get up early with Mom to get to Whole Foods!

Before heading into the madness I had a lovely bowl of oats!

In my messy bowl I had 1 packet of Tjs blueberry oatmeal, Bear Naked granola and a dollop of plain Greek and Almond butter.  We also had gingerbread coffee on the side.

Mom and I got to Whole Foods with everyone else, but made it out alive.  We also went to J.Crew where I got a few things for Nick, really cheap!

Lunch was made about 2min after we walked in the door.

Vegan Curry Apple Pumpkin soup and toast with non-vegan amazing Cabot cheddar cheese on top!

After lunch I went on an awesome 6.5 mile run.  I was so nice to have the sun shining and my legs felt awesome!   I could have run longer, but I told the family I would be back in an hour, and I didn’t want to worry them.

When I came back I wrapped up a few more presents and put them under the tree.  Now Sissy and I are going to take a shower and then head downstairs for hors d’oeuvres and cocktail time!

I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday time with friends and family!

Merry Merry!

So how cute is the g-mail team?

I wrote this yesterday for y’all to make up for my lack in posting!

Hello and sorry for the delay in posting!

I was up at 4:15AM this morning to hit my gym for an extra early morning session.  I really like getting my workout out of the way and on with my day, but I don’t think I could do 4:15 every day.  I was feeling pretty good throughout the day and went to bed at 9pm so I might use it as a switch up option in the future.

On my way out the door I had a slice of sprouted grain and Cinnamon Raisin Swirl.

I was on the t-mill and going a little before 5.  Only downside?  I forgot my headphones! Nick had gotten me really nice headphone for my birthday last year ($25!) I need ones that don’t fall out of my ears while I am running, and they started to last week.  I finally threw them away yesterday and forgot to grab Nick’s this morning.  Try running 1:20 without headphones or tvs with subtitles.  What is a girl to do?  I did my usual mix up with a little more mix.  20min regular easy run, 20min hill climb while flipping through people (I have a really hard time reading and exercising), 3 mile neg splits, 10min hill climb.  I always feel so good when I am done with my run!

I rewarded myself with a grande non-fat one pump of each mocha and peppermint latte.

Strangely I wasn’t very hungry after my workout so I waited a bit to eat my breakfast at work.

I made up some overnight oats to take in this morning.

Chocolate banana protein oats!

Chobani leftovers, almond milk, banana, chocolate protein powder and a little TJs Fruit and Fiber Medley for a crunchy top.  I wish there had been a little more milk in there…it was a little chewy for my liking, but still yummy!

I was done with breakfast around 8:30 and didn’t feel the need to shovel my lunch…interesting concept!

I had leftover frittata, an orange and a cheese stick.

I also had an un-pictured truffle to round out my meal.  Funny how something so fake tasting can taste so good!

I had a little bit larger than usual PM snack because I was heading straight home after work and when I do this I usually head right for food!

Chobani peach with my leftover cereal from breakfast this morning.

I think I got enough yogurt in today!

Speaking of yogurt…Oikos just announced they are making a chocolate and caramel flavor Greek yogurt, um heaven!!!!!!

Nick and I had our Christmas when I got home and he got me a bunch of great stuff for delicious food making and another great book about food politics.  I will be reading it over vacation!  Thanks love!

We had to eat and run tonight because we were meeting up for a surprise birthday part in the city…Nick wanted Chipotle, and I was curious how healthy I could make it.

I really like there tortillas so I knew that would be my carb portion (I really wish they had WW tortillas! Or at least 1/2 and 1/2?).  I do love how the place is moving quickly to sustainable and organic.

I got a vegetarian burrito with black beans, pinto beans, peppers and onions (yuck the onions were raw!), pico, corn, cheese (only thing I would take out because I couldn’t taste it), lettuce and guac.

Huge!  I used to get such a different burrito there!

The party was a great success and it was actually really nice to see everyone before the holidays and catch up!

We came home I packed and little and hit the hay…I actually did really well for being up at 4:15AM!

This morning I wanted something warm to eat!

Oatbran, Tjs fruit and nut medley, Kashi H2H, banana, flax, POM arils, PB.

I love POM!  I wish they were not such a pain to get out of their husk!

OK I need to get moving so I can get into work and then back here to pick up Sissy and hit the road!!!!!

I am not sure how blogging will go at home…we do not have wireless, but I might do drive bys at the Starbucks just to get the live writer to post

Happy Holidays Everyone!

So if you thought last night was fast get ready for this.  Pictures with few words.  I am getting up at 4:15AM to get in what I need to do for the day…yes I am crazy, but I am in training and I have no idea when I will be able to get in a few miles over the holidays.

Morning “snack” peppermint tea and 2 3 truffles.

Crackers with an LC wedge and leftover quinoa casserol taken out for the freezer…this did not fill me up, and I may have had another truffle

Afternoon snack was not more truffles, thank God.

Another cup of tea and an apple and pb.

I did the usual Monday workout with 25min elliptical, and PodyPump.  I will bump up my weights next time!

Nick had extra sweet potato cranberry rice from work today so I brought that to dinner with some eggs, spinach, mushrooms, parm and milk.

Enter Frittata

Not the prettiest looking dinner, but it tasted pretty good!  I could have crisped the rice a little before hand, but that would have involved another pan.

I had a couple sugar cookie stars to round out the night, and now I am heading to bed!

Good Night Moon!

Good Morning and Happy First Day of Winter!

At least winter is living up to its name and giving us 28 degree temps this morning.  I am a little worried about the ice out there, so I am going to try and leave a little early this morning in a low gear.  We officially got 20in on Saturday and broke a ton of records!  As long as the weather is clear for Wednesday night, it can snow as long as it wants.  I always enjoy a white Christmas.

This morning I finally got to make something that has been brewing in my head for a very long time…

BANANA ALMOND CRUNCH OAT BRAN AKA the closest thing to marzipan you can have for breakfast!

• 1/3 cup oat bran
• 1/3 h2o, 1/3 cup skim
• 1 banana, 1/2 mixed in, 1/2 on top
• 1 big splash of almond extract (KEY!)
• 1 tbs of Kashi 7 grain nuggets
• almond butter
• a few raw almonds

When this came out of the mirco I could just smell the fruit shaped candies that I love so dear!

Perfect with a cup of gingerbread coffee!

Almond close up!

OK I need to finish my magical bowl and then get on the icy roads…not need to rush into work today, there will hardly be anyone there!

Happy Monday Everyone!

This may seemed a bit rushed…I just finished all of my cleaning and wrapping and want to be in bed in 15min.  Ready, Go!

The sun was out this morning and melting the snow!  It was actually a really nice day minus the wind.

I made a random mish-mash for breakfast before heading out to tackle the snow.

Easy cheese omlet with one egg and one egg white, the other half of my Great Harvest muffin and a banana with a trio of nut butters

  I really liked the muffin toasted.  It was all crunchy like grape nuts!

After breakfast, and Nick finally waking up we headed out into the white wonderland.  I think I ever got a little sun burn from the sun glare off of my car.

My car with snow frosting!

Chopping it down, about 20min or so?  I really wanted to go running within the snow, but the sidewalks were not quiet ready for runners so I opted to head to the gym after a little lunch.

Sissy joined me for lunch in the sun.

Brie and jelly toasted sanwich, green beans and pita chips for dipping in a salsa/yogurt combo, and some pickles.

Pita chip, green bean and salsa-yog bite.

After lunch I finally headed out to the gym.  Sunday are my long run days (OH YEAH i AM RUNNING THE DC 1/2 MARATHON ON MARCH 20 AND TRAINING STARTS TOMORROW!), but being inside I had to switch it up a bit.  30min hill climb run (level 6, 6.5mph), 20min incline walk (10.5 incline, 3.8mph), 4 mile negative splits. Core work and pushups to round it all out.  Then I was off to do my last Christmas shopping and head home for the Raven’s game!

The Raven’s won, but so did the Stealers in a crazy game!  At least we still have a shot at the playoffs!

Once I returned I set to making a cranberry rice dish for Nick’s holiday party tomorrow and I used the sauce as an inspiration for my dinner!

I used a pack of tofu noodles, which smell like death, but taste like whatever you put on them.

I went with a sauce of cranberries, cranberry juice, spinach, thyme and S&P.  I also added some leftover green onions.

Along with my noodles I had two pieces of 7 grain and a glass of cranberry juice.  I mean I have to bottle, and well I love cranberry juice.

These noodles were ok.  Kind of tasted like air.  I think they would be better with a bolder sauce like peanut or something spicy.  They also only have 40 calories for the whole bag, and not long after dinner I was hittin the Christmas cookies.

2 almond sugar cookie stars, 1 ginger bite and 1 pecan ball.

So, how did I do on time?  15min over, drat.  I do have a movie on, that keeps grabbing my attention.

Hittin the Hay hard!

Night All!  Yay for 3 days of craziness and then home with Sissy!  I hope she likes CT…and my mom’s cat, yikes!

Well hello from the north pole!  We are passing 17in around these parts.

This afternoon’s photo of the lamp post.  So Lion Witch and the Wardrobeish.

I spent most of the day baking cookies and listening to Christmas hymns.  For some reason Christmas hymns remind me more of the holidays then the cheesy carols on the radio.  I think it is because I was part of the church choir as a child and we always did so much around the holiday.  I miss it in a way.

I broke for lunch after keeping my cookie consumption down around 1pm. Amy’s tomato soup and cheese bread.

Baby swiss, needed some mustard.

I also broke into my Winter Warmer aka gingerbread cookie beer.

After lunch I finished off a batch of pecan balls and had to try one out!

Yum! AND half the butter   Don’t tell my grandmother, and lets hope they don’t read this.

I then set out to make gingerbread cutout cookies, but my dough turned out kind of dry so I made gingerbread bites.  I had to have one right out of the oven!

In total I made about 10dz cookies today and I still need to make mini loafs and candied almonds tomorrow.  Thank God those are much less time intensive.  In total I probably had about 6 cookies today, not bad if I do say so.  I also made sugar cookie stars that are unpictured but the same ones that I made last week for the Raven’s game with the almond royal icing.

I needed to untwist after all that cookie baking so I did 30min of yoga sculpt and felt 10x better!  I love all of the yoga pushups in that one!

I was lacking some servings of veggies today so that is what I made up for another triple veggie plate.

Brussels with chili powder, rutabaga with S&P and kale chips.  I also had 2 more pieces of my organic 7 seed and grain bread (I love a good bread!).  In addition I also enjoyed another Winter Warmer.

I am hoping to play SceneIt! on the XBox with Nick, but he seems to be napping.  I will leave you will some outside shots of the winter wonderland.

About 4in of snow on top of our railing.

My lap post from the outside this time…yes that is a snow plow under snow…ironic?

See you on the other side of the drift!

Update:  Blizzard warming and this is out radar!

Woohoo bring it on!

Hello from a winter wonderland!!!

It had been snowing since about 11pm last night and it will continue for most of the day.  I least I am cooped up with my love and I have plenty of cleaning and cookie baking to do!

Before the snow came I had the rest of a festive Friday!

My morning snack came in a pumpkin butter jar!  The muffin oats actually held me over really well!  I just had some shredded wheat and a clem.  The last clementine actually.  It took Nick an I at least 2 weeks to get through them.

And then it was time to party!  Well as much as we can at MDE.

spinach pie, greek salad x2, sausage, turkey roll up x2, green beans, wheat thins.

And then there was dessert!

Fruit cake, chocolate strawberry and the most amazing chocolate mint cake (x3 ).

All of my chocolate cake pieces lasted me until a dinner date with my love.

Japanese steak houses are so much fun!  Nick and I got a coupon in the ValPack, which we actually forgot to use…whoops!   It was still fun and we haven’t been out to dinner in ages!

We got the usual soup and salad.

And then it was time for the main course!

Sauteed mushrooms, veggies, shrimp, scallops and steamed rice instead of fried rice.

Nick and I skipped out on the dessert menu and I created a little something when we got home.

yougurt, honey grahams, and chocolate chips.  I also had an Irish coffee!  Nick and I picked up some Jameson and Baileys on the way home and it was the perfect drink for a snowy night!

This was at 1AM.

And this is what is looks like this morning, same shot. And it continues to fall!

I wanted yummy pancakes for breakfast!  I really want to make snowflake cakes, but the one I made did not turn out so good   So I switched to “snow men”.

Naked men playing in the snow.

All dressed up and covered from making snow angles.

Coated in vanilla pb, unsweetened coconut and pom arils.

Yummy!!!

I need to get some motivation to move and clean the kitchen before baking, baking and more baking!

At least I am snowed in with this guy!

Stay safe eastern seaboarders!

So I said that we stopped by a special place yesterday in Annapolis.  What was that place?  Well…

Great Harvest of Kath fame!  I was so excited when we pulled into the parking lot and really hopped they were making the Dakota bread of fame, but alas they were not making it yesterday.  It was actually a good thing see is how I have about an entire loaf of organic 12 seed that I still need to consume.

I sampled a blueberry lemon muffin and a chocolate mint chip cookie and settled in an fruit and oat muffin to bring home and save for this morning!

Check out all the fruit in there!

I really contemplating eating the whole thing toasted for breakfast, but I wanted to make it last.  I opted for putting half of it over my oat bran this morning.

1/4 cup oat bran, 1/4 cup h2o, 1/4 cup almond milk, 1/2 naner, handful granola, 1/2 Great Harvest muffin, drizzle of vanilla cranberry pb.  I like how drippy this pb is, perfect for the drizzle.  I really enjoyed the muffin topped oat bran.  The fruit seemed to be soaked in honey?  I think I might buy a couple muffins as oats topping next time I am around a good one.

This is actually a little smaller than my usual breakfast and I meant to add flax or some yogurt, but I packed a larger than normal snack to combat all , of the holiday food at the party today, so I will just break into that before.

Hooray for Friday!  I am just hoping I don’t have to get too much work done before the festivities begin…stupid stimulus…I mean I love it!  Job security, just repeating that.

It’s date night tonight!  So exited!

See you after that!