Just call me Rudolph!

Hi everyone. I hope you are doing well! How am I doing you ask? I'm feeling a bit better. Just a smidgen better though. The throat feels okay but the eyes are still itchy and watery, I'm still sneezing and my nose is still running away from me every chance it gets. Stupid nose!! I look like Rudolph, with my nose so bright. I bet I could guide a sleigh tonight! HA!


I'm so SICK of being SICK! BLEH! AGHHHH!


I tried to once again cheer myself up with a tasty and warm breakfast. I shall call it a "cozy cocoa concoction".

• 1/2 cup Irish oats
• 1 1/2 cups water
• dash salt
• dash cinnamon
• 1 tbs unsweetened cocoa
• 1 banana, sliced
• 2 tbs sweetened coconut flakes

I'm almost out of my Irish Oats at home. Good thing I'm going to the store tomorrow. I'm HOOKED!

After my first breakfast I had my second breakfast. OH, YUMMY! :(


Lunch on the other hand was MUCH more delicious! I brought in the leftover eggplant from last nights dinner and turned it into a huge salad. I used sweet butter lettuce, tomato, spray butter, the eggplant of course and a tore up LaTortilla brand tortilla for "croutons". SO GOOD! I devoured this plate!


To get out of the office for a bit today Ann and I ventured to Old Navy. Ann was hoping to get some more Christmas shopping done but the place had been PICKED CLEAN. WOW! So instead we walked over to Mustard Seed Market. This is a dangerous place. Why? Because they are OVERPRICED and because they carry a lot of things I love that I can't find ANYWHERE else. Hey Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. Why don't you show some love for Akron, OH and come build a store close to me already? HUH? IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR? I would spend my sweet, sweet cash on both of you all the time, I swear it! And look, just LOOK at what I found at Mustard Seed. CELESTIAL SEASONINGS HOLIDAY TEAS! OMG! I thought this day would never come! Now I get to taste liquid Christmas in a cup too. I DO. I DO!


Oddly enough I entered a giveaway for these tasty teas just earlier today on the lovely blog by RhodeyGirl. HA! What are the odds right?

I also found a packet of the same pesto mix that the lovely Janetha B used very recently. I immediately snatched one up to try. Only 40 calories? CAN'T BEAT IT! I never have pesto because it's WAY too high in calories and fat. Thanks for the recomendation Janetha!! YEAH!


When we got back to work I indulged in a second cup of coffee. I wanted something warm. It's COLD out there today. (I hate it) My afternoon snack was a typical yogurt mess. Oikos mixed with splenda and cinnamon. I was going to crumble in a Kashi cherry dark chocolate granola bar but I wasn't all that hungry. So instead a stole a bit of Ann's Shredded Spoonfuls to add a bit of crunch. I love cinnamon smothered Oikos. Yum-Yum!


After work it was off to the gym. I suffered (with snot dripping and watery eyes itching, pardon the graphic visual!) through another cardio session and a bit of an arm workout (finally).

Elliptical
22 minutes, level 3, Interval training, 268 calories
Barbell Curls
20lb x 20
25lb x 18
30lb x 15
35lb x 10
Triceps Pulldpown (cable)
50lb x 20
60lb x 18
70lb x 12
Dumbbell Hammer Curls
10lb x 20
12.5lb x 15
15lb x 7
Barbell Preacher Curls
20lb x 15
20lb x 15

I rushed home after the gym because I had a LOT of things to get done tonight. It was already nearing 7:30. AGHHHHH! Here is a checklist for those of you (like me) who LOVE a good list!

1. Bath
2. Pack breakfast for tomorrow
3. Make healthy pumpkin bites for work X'mas party tomorrow (more on this below)
4. Put together present for coworker & make it all pretty & festive & what not
5. Cook dinner (more on this below as well)
6. Blog about my day (ta-daaaa)
7. Get to bed early (this will probably NOT happen)

Okay, moving on... when I got home I found myself jumping around with exitement like a lunatic. WHY? Because I received this in the mail today. Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Cookbook.


I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS BOOK! Which might I add, was sent to me for free by these lovely people! The recipes are clean, easy and full of good for you, wholesome ingredients. I can't wait to try some of these dishes! Thank you for sending me this book Tosca! THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I'm super exited to give my thoughts on these recipes!


Once I finally settled down a bit, I crossed #1 and #2 off of the list above with a quickness. YEAH! Now on to my healthy pumpkin bites for tomorrow.

I purchased some mini Phyllo shells from the freezer section last week just for this occasion. Yes, I'm pulling a SEMI homemade maneuver here. They just needed to thaw at room temperature for 10 minutes. Easy enough.


While they were thawing I made the pumpkin filling. Here is what went into my little decadent (yet completely healthy) mix.

• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 2 packets instant, sugar free vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze
• 1 packet fat free cream cheese
• 1 tbs vanilla
• dash salt
• 2 packets splenda
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon

I blended this until smooth and stuffed the mixture into a large Ziploc bag. Then I cut a small hole in one corner of the bag like so. Look at me, being all fancy. Whoah!


I squeezed the pumpkin mixture into the thawed phillo shells.


Ta-Daaaaa!


The next step was adding some walnuts, which I already toasted on top of the stove. I crushed them, mixed in a bit of splenda and cinnamon and sprinkled them on top. You know, to give them a bit of crunch and PIZAZZ! I also put them in these somewhat over sized cupcake liners. POLKA DOTS! I LOVE POLKA DOTS!


Awe, looky, so pretty. :)


Next on the list was dinner. I was HUNGRY! I decided to try that pesto mix I picked up at lunch. Sounded easy enough. While the pasta was boiling away, I pan fried some boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I seasoned them with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning mix. I cooked the chicken for maybe 10-15 minutes, cut them into bite size pieces and set them aside. I mixed the pesto packet with a 1/2 cup of water as directed, but instead of the 1/4 cup of oil it called for, I just added a splash of olive oil. I brought it to a boil and it was done in a matter of minutes. I poured it over the pasta, tossed in the chicken and gave it a good stir. SO EASY! To get my veggies in for the day I also cooked up some green beans and seasoned them with spray butter, sea salt and pepper. For a bit of crunch I also tossed some soy nuts on top of the beans and the pasta. And of course, I sprinkled a bit of parmesan cheese over the pasta as well. Dinner was so delicious! I don't have pasta very much so I cherish these moments. HA!


And finally, I put the present together for my coworker. It sort of looks crazy with all of the tissue paper shoved inside the basket but I wanted to make sure that nothing broke. Voila...


Wow, what a busy night. I'm tired, and my nose is raw! UGH! Goodnight. Tomorrow is Friday... YAY!