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Sweet Potato Falafel Rings

July 3, 2012 by Lindsay 19 Comments

Hi Friends!

Just popping in to share my new favorite summer salad topper! Remember back in February when I posted a recipe for Sweet Potato Falafel? (CLICK HERE to check it out!) Well, last night I whipped up another batch, with a few minor changes. I was out of pepitas, so I mixed an ounce or two of goat cheese into the batter…and instead of just baking them free-form, I sliced up a couple red peppers into rings and pressed the batter into the pepper rings!

To get the recipe from my original post, click here. The first time I made these I mentioned they were a tad dry. Adding the goat cheese this time was an awesome fix for that!

Since summer = salad in my book, I used the falafel rings to top our spinach, goat cheese and raspberry salads!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Part 2: Maui

July 2, 2012 by Lindsay 46 Comments

Hi Friends!

We’re back on the mainland. We got home Friday and actually landed just 1/2 an hour before the power went out at the airport because we got some major storms here in Ohio. The power was out at the vet but luckily we were still able to pick up the dogs and then we hunkered down for the evening and were some of the lucky ones that didn’t lose power!

Anyways, we’re still kinda in vacation mode around here because hubby took off work through the 4th, so I’ll leave you with some pictures of Maui. We headed to Maui on Friday after meeting up with my parents for a couple days in Kauai. We met my sister and her friend at the airport and all stayed together at a condo in Wailea. We LOVED it 🙂

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

June Foodie Penpals Reveal Day

June 30, 2012 by Lindsay 38 Comments

Hi Friends!

It’s that time of the month again…Foodie Penpals reveal day!

This month I really lucked out and got to receive my package from on of my blogging besties Maddy. She totally spoiled me and was even sweet enough to make sure I received my package before I left on my trip!
Let’s check out what I got:

She wrapped everything up so nicely in pretty tissue paper.
i LOVED opening it 🙂

Inside, I found all sorts of goodies!

I loved that Maddy sent me some of her favorite things.
There was salsa that she likes to eat with her eggs,
apple butter that she likes on her toast,
fruit leathers and luna bars to stick in my purse for on the go snacks
and a few chocolate nut butter samples in a flavor I haven’t tried yet!
And since no package is complete without some treats,
she sent me some cookies and dark chocolate…YUM!
There was also some flavored sparkling water and spicy kale chips.
Even baby Em sent me one of her favorite cookies!

My favorite part was the red pepper pasta from her local farmer’s market!!
I used it that night to make a pasta salad and it was DELICIOUS!

Huge thanks to Maddy for all my delicious treats!!

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I sent my box this month to Jenny, who doesn’t have a blog..but she wrote up a little guest post for me to share with you guys about what she received:

I considered myself pretty lucky when I found out I was paired with the blogger who was running this whole foodie trade. And let me tell you, Lindsay delivered a great box! My box came and I was very excited to open it. When I picked it up, I noticed how heavy it was. The first thing I tried was the Love Grown Granola. This granola was so delicious, crunchy, filling, and it was nice with a few roasted almonds. I paired the granola all week on my Chobani yogurt for a quick work breakfast. The next goodie I noticed was homemade gluten-free banana muffins. I thought it was a great idea that Lindsay added a home baked item. I will admit I was a little leery about the idea of gluten free and chick pea flour, but they were so flavorful and the texture was really great. I really enjoyed them and it was nice to know they were healthy and I would never know they were made with chick pea flour. The little packets of Justin’s butter was a great snack; I added the almond butter to the loose bag of dry ingredients to make granola bars. They were so yummy. I always thought that making granola bars would be difficult, but these were so easy and very filling.

Lindsay also gave me a few different LU Bars and a mint Cliff Bar. They were great snacks, and I really enjoyed the Banana Foster flavor. The other snack that I brought all week to work was the Nature Peanut butter cookies. Lindsay said that one of her past pen pals gave them to her and that she loved them, and I agree! The last two items was the Jar of Frog Grass Salsa made in Ohio and the bag of Glazed pecans. The salsa was so chunky and had a great spice to it, and the pecans were so great just the right amount of salty and sweet. Lindsay also gave me 5 popular food magazines that I have been reading by the pool. 🙂 This box was a great combo of sweet, salty, spicy, and healthy. I cannot wait to participate again and continue to get to know more readers and bloggers. Thanks again Lindsay for my box and creating this fun little trade.

I was so happy to hear she enjoyed everything!!!

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And now it’s time for some details about Foodie Penpals. In case you’re a new reader, here’s a reminder of what the program is all about:

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.

If you’re interested in participating for July, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions.

You must submit your information by July 4th as pairings will be emailed on July 5th!

*If you’re from somewhere besides the US, Canada or Europe and want to participate, send me an email and I’ll see if we get enough interest this month!

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Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Fitness Friday: Pyramids & Intervals

June 29, 2012 by Lindsay 12 Comments

Hi Friends!

Well, as you’re reading this we’re on our way back from Hawaii. Sad 🙁 But while i’m busy feeling sorry for myself on the plane rides home, my friend Amy is here to share some great workouts for you on this Fitness Friday. I’ve been reading Amy’s blog for a long time. She has this awesome workout generator on her site that I use all the time to come up with exercises when I put together my workouts! I also got to meet her at Blend since she’s a Colorado local!

A few things about Amy:

She’s a momma-to-be and a totally adorable pregnant lady!
She’s always smiling and you can tell just by talking to her that fitness and nutrition are her true passions.
She shares my love of sarcasm and we have the same sense of humor.
She’s a personal trainer herself but still enjoys doing the workouts I put together!

So adorable, right?!

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Hey guys! I’m Amy and I blog over at Healthy, Hungry, Happy. I’m so excited to share some (hopefully) killer workouts with you all! I think they’ll be right up your alley if you’re reader’s of Lindsay’s blog-she posts some serious workouts. Lindsay-I expect you to do these everyday while you’re on vacation by the way :).

I came up with two workouts: one pyramid and one cardio interval style. Some of these exercises do involve gym equipment like a medicine ball or swiss ball, but I’ll give you some substitution ideas if you wanted to complete these at home. I actually just joined a gym here in my town so before that, I was making due with home workouts-which can definitely be hard. I think the key to home workouts is actually doing them…at least for me!

First up is a full body pyramid workout! I’ll give you the workout, then go over each move and some substitutions you can do if you’d like.

Full Body Pyramid Workout

10 Judo Pushups
20 Surfer Jumps
30 Burpess with a Medicine Ball (if you don’t have a medicine ball, just don’t use one. To make these harder, you can always add a pushup!).
40 Pushups on Medicine Ball (If you don’t have a MB, place your feet on top of a chair so they’re elevated-that will make it harder).
50 Wall Balls using Medicine Ball (No MB? You can throw any ball into the air or just omit that part and perform squats..squat jumps perhaps?).
60 seconds of Plank on Medicine Ball (No MB? Try lifting one leg up at a time while in plank position).
50 Wall Balls with Medicine Ball
40 Pushups on Medicine Ball
30 Burpees with Medicine Ball
20 Surfer Jumps
10 Judo Pushups
60 seconds of Plank on Medicine Ball

You can go through this workout 1-3 times-however many times you’d like! Here’s a breakdown of the exercises:

Judo Pushups– These are also called Dive Bombers (you BodyRocker’s are probably familiar with them). I find these extremely difficult! You basically start in sort of a downward dog position then lower yourself down bringing your head and chest towards the ground, through your arms, then push up to straighten your upper body up. That probably made no sense so here’s a picture:

Once your at the end position, push yourself back down through your arms so you end in the starting position. 10 of these is plenty for me!

Surfer Jumps-Start standing up facing either the right or left side. For this example, let’s say we’re starting towards the right. Squat down in a position that’s similar to how surfer’s stand on a surf board so your left leg is in front of your right, arms up…like a surfer! Squat down then jump up and turn to the left landing with your right leg in front of your left.

Burpees with Medicine Ball– You’re probably all familiar with burpees especially since you read Lindsay’s blog (she’s hardcore). This is slightly different then your typical burpee…hopefully a little harder. You’ll be holding a medicine ball the entire time while you perform a burpee. Starting in the standing position, come down to the ground and place the ball on the floor. Shoot your legs out behind you so you’re in pushup position, then bring your legs back up and explode off the ground into the air. So, when you’re on the floor in pushup position, your hands are resting on the medicine ball so it should be much harder to balance. I know you’ll love it :).

Pushups on Medicine Ball– For this exercise, you’ll start in pushup position with the medicine ball under 1 hand so you’re a bit uneven. Perform a pushup in that position, then roll the ball over to your other hand and perform a pushup. If these get too challenging you can always bring your knees to the ground or get rid of the medicine ball.

(source)

Wall Balls with Medicine Ball– Hold the medicine ball in between both hands basically out in front of your chest, arms bent. With legs hip distance apart, squat down then thrust up throwing the ball into the air (either against a wall or just in the air) then catch it and come back down into a squat and continue to repeat. This is a good ol’ CrossFit move.

Plank on Medicine Ball– Last one! For this exercise, place the ball on the ground and rest both hands on top of the medicine ball with legs straight out in back of you so you’re in pushup position. Hold that for 60 seconds!

Don’t forget to count back down once you hit 60! I add the plank on there again at the end just so you make sure to do it twice like all the other exercises.

Now onto workout #2! This one could still be considered a full body workout although there is definitely an emphasis on legs. Your legs should be on fire after this! It starts with a cardio move followed by a strength exercise, then cardio, strength, etc.

Cardio Interval Burn

Star Jumps– 30 seconds
Duck Walks– 1 minute (ouch)
Jump Squats– 30 seconds
Inchworm to Pushup– 1 minute
Lunge Jumps– 30 seconds
Side Lunges– 1 minute
Skaters– 30 seconds
Mountain Climbers on Swiss Ball (or medicine ball or the floor) 1 minute
1 Legged Burpee– 30 seconds (switch legs at 15 seconds)
Swiss Ball Pass– 1 minute

Star Jumps– Uhh these are terrible..I apologize in advance. You start crouched down towards the ground then explode up into the air throwing your arms and legs out so you look like a star, then land back in the starting position. The lower you start, the harder it will be. These are super fun I swear (ha).

Duck Walks– This was probably really mean of me to put these after star jumps…but you’re going to get a great workout I promise! Bring your hands behind your head and squat down keeping your back straight. Stay in that position and start walking. So you’re squatting the entire time-never coming up. These burn bad.

(source)

Jump Squats– Oh man legs are burning by this point! Start in the standing position, then squat down into a normal squat then jump up in the air and land back down softly into a squat.

Inchworm to Pushup– Hopefully this exercise will allow your legs to recover. I think it looks a lot easier than it actually is…especially after a minute! Start standing up then bend over bringing your hands to the floor (keeping your legs relatively straight). Walk your hands out until you’re in a pushup position, perform a pushup, then walk yourself back up trying to keep your legs straight.

Lunge Jumps– Lunge jumps never get old do they? Start in a lunge position then jump up and switch legs in the air so you land back into a lunge position with the opposite leg forward.

Side Lunges– Start standing up then lunge your right leg out towards the right (so your left leg is straight), then power off that right foot back into starting position. Switch legs.

Skaters– Start standing up with left leg behind your right and bring your arms up towards your right side. Jump off the right foot to the left and land on your left leg so your right leg is now behind your left. Continue “skating” back and forth as fast as you can. Feel free to get super low too!

Mountain Climbers on a Swiss Ball– You can always do these on a medicine ball or even just the floor. If you’re using a swiss ball, place both hands on the ball and straighten your legs out so you’re in a pushup position. Then bring one knee towards your chest and keep switching legs back and forth as fast as you can. It’s much harder to stabilize with the swiss ball so just do what you can! You can always roll the ball into a corner so it’s against a wall if you feel like you’re going to fall over.

1 Legged Burpees– So this is slightly different than a standard burpee. The main difference: it’s all on one leg! Start standing on the right leg and from there, perform a regular burpee. At 15 seconds, switch legs. If this is too hard you can always do regular burpees!

Swiss Ball Overhead Pass– Grab a swiss ball and lay down on the ground. Straighten your legs out in front of you and bring the ball overhead with arms straight. From there, crunch your abs bringing your arms and legs together and pass the ball from your hands to between your legs, then slowly lower. Pass back and forth .

That’s it!!

I hope you guys liked the workouts. If you have any questions about any of the moves, feel free to contact me over at HealthyHungryHappy.com! Hope you’re all having an awesome summer!

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So there you have it! I’ll be using these two workouts to get back into the workout routine after vacation!!

Have a great weekend!
–Lindsay–

Salad in a Jar

June 25, 2012 by Lindsay 29 Comments

Looking for a quick lunch option? Spend 20 minutes prepping and you can have lunches ready and waiting in the fridge all week long. Try these 3 flavor combos or create your own!

Hi Friends!

It’s Monday and even though I’m still on vacation, I know most of you are kicking off another work week. Sorry about that 🙂 To try to ease your pain, I have my friend Lauren here today to share a fun lunch idea with you guys!

A few things about Lauren:

She’s now a super busy lawyer. Despite being intimidated by the gym and workout classes, she started to really make an effort to make time in her schedule to work out while she was a law student. I’m SO proud of her and love reading about her workouts on her blog.
I’m not sure when she finds the time, but she also whips up delicious eats in the kitchen. I want her to cook me dinner.
Her photography skills are amazing!
She’s excellent at remaining positive, even in stressful and difficult situations.
She has a beautiful smile 🙂

Looking for a quick lunch option? Spend 20 minutes prepping and you can have lunches ready and waiting in the fridge all week long. Try these 3 flavor combos or create your own!

Hey there green beans! I’m so happy to have the privilege of writing a post on Lindsay’s wonderful blog! Hers is one of my favorites and so I was thrilled that she asked me to guest post. My name is Lauren and I blog over at A Dash of Soul.

I’m a lawyer who loves my family and loves my food. My husband Jason was in law school with me, and he’s my permanent life partner, study buddy, and taste tester.

Between his already high cholesterol and some health problems I’ve been having, it’s become increasingly important to me that we both eat the foods to nourish our bodies the right way so that we can spend many more silly, happy years together.

Today I want to share with you my latest healthy food obsession!

Salad. In a jar! It’s super convenient, especially if you’re packing a lunch to take with you to work or school. With this method, you get your greens, your delicious toppings, and your dressing all in ONE easy container. I recently put my three favorite salads into jar form and couldn’t be more thrilled with how they came out. First up (and my very favorite) is Cobb salad.

The layers in this one are (from bottom to top): blue cheese dressing, carrots, hard-boiled egg, tomato, corn, ham, bacon, and a romaine lettuce blend. A bit indulgent for a salad but SO delicious! I made the blue cheese dressing myself by combining 2 T. greek yogurt, 2 T. olive oil mayo, 2 t. apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 T. crumbled blue cheese, a splash of olive oil, and a little garlic salt and pepper. So tasty and way better for you than the stuff in the bottle. Remember to load those veggies in!

Next up is an Asian chicken salad!

The layers in this one are sesame vinaigrette, red bell pepper, snow peas, carrots, green onions, shredded Napa cabbage, roasted chicken, and shredded green cabbage. I made this dressing by combining about 2 t. sesame oil, T t. olive oil, 1 T. rice wine vinegar, 2 t. soy sauce, and a nice big squirt of honey. Again, squeeze as many veggies in as you can!

And last but not least… chicken Caesar salad. This one has a Caesar vinaigrette, tomatoes (I know that’s not traditional in Caesar but I love them), parmesan cheese, hearts of romaine, whole wheat croutons, and roasted chicken.

I didn’t make this dressing myself but I did make the croutons! Just cut a piece of whole wheat bread into chunks, tossed it in olive oil, sprinkled with garlic salt…

…and then put them right into a 375 degree oven for a few minutes (they burn easily so you have to watch them closely!). It’s a quick and easy way to up the nutrition by using these instead of white croutons. And they’re just as tasty.

When you’re ready to enjoy your salad, just give the jar a good shake and dump it out into a bowl. You could eat it straight out of the jar, but I am not coordinated enough for that. Into the bowl it goes.

The possibilities with jarred salads are endless. Use whatever greens, toppings, and dressing you like. As long as the dressing is at the bottom and not touching your greens, the jar will stay fresh in the fridge for several days. For a nice, big serving I recommend these quart jars, which can fit enough salad for a whole meal.

Some of you have probably already been using this idea in your own kitchens, but for those of you who don’t already, I hope you give it a try!

Thanks so much for reading and thank you Lindsay for having such an awesome blog and for letting me chat with your readers!

-Lauren, from A Dash of Soul

[clickToTweet tweet=”Need a quick lunch option? Try these salads in a jar from @leangrnbeanblog & @adashofsoul!” quote=”Need a quick lunch option? Try these salads in a jar from @leangrnbeanblog & @adashofsoul!”]

I’ve been reading about salads in a jar forever but have never actually made one myself. This was just the motivation I needed to try it out when I get home! Plus, who doesn’t love mason jars?!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay

These salads would make a great addition to your food prep session. Great to have on hand for quick lunches! If you liked this post, you’ll love my ebook – The Ultimate Guide To Food Prep. It dives into even more detail about how to food prep, troubleshoots common problems and provides tons of tips to make it easier! Click the image below for more details!

Part 1: Kauai

June 23, 2012 by Lindsay 25 Comments

I love Hawaii. That’s all.
Happy weekend 🙂

Lindsay

Coconut Banana Zucchini Muffins

June 21, 2012 by Lindsay 34 Comments

Hi Friends!

It’s recipe time. Today you’re in for a treat from one of my favorite foodies! Laura & I connected online several months ago through our blogs and we were finally able to meet in person at Blend last month!

A few things about Laura:

She’s tiny, totally adorable and super ripped!
She is one of the most creative people I know in the kitchen.
She loves pushing through a butt-kicking workout as much as I do.
Her smile and laugh are infectious and I loved being around her!

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Hi! I’m Laura from Sprint 2 the Table!

Sprint 2 the Table is a collection of recipes, food adventures, races, strength training, and general pontification.

Why the name?

I live my life from meal to meal. Sometimes I think I’m just hustling through my daily activities so I can get to the next occasion for mastication. At bedtime some people count sheep, some people have lull-a-byes… I fall asleep at night thinking about what I’m going to eat for breakfast. It’s a sickness, I know. Oh, and I also run.

When Lindsay asked me to do a guest post, I immediately thought to create a healthy baked “treat” recipe for her that is packed full of nutrients but won’t weigh you down. This girl is a rockstar athlete, and I know that proper fuel is important for her.

Over the past year I have discovered coconut flour. It’s a great flour sub in baked goods because it is loaded with fiber, is naturally sweet, and is low on the glycemic index (GI ranks carbs by the effect they have on your blood sugar). It is also gluten-free!

Click here for more info on it’s benefits, and a recipe for Coconut Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Another plus for these Banana-Maple Zucchini Muffins is that they are nearly sugar-free, thanks to the power of bananas. I also included zucchini for the added moisture and chia seeds to make sure to include some healthy fat.

These guilt-free muffins are fantastic with a coffee in the morning, or with a glass of milk for a midnight snack. They also freeze well – I keep a batch in the freezer for a quick snack when I’m running late.

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Banana-Maple Zucchini Muffins (Gluten-Free, Vegan option)

1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 T NuNaturals fiber baking blend (Stevia)
1 T Xylitol
1 T chia seeds
Pinch of salt
2 eggs, whisked
3 T applesauce
1 T coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp maple extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 ripe mashed banana
1/2 large zucchini, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin sheet with coconut oil.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add remaining wet ingredients and mix.

In medium bowl mix dry ingredients. Add wet to dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in mashed banana and grated zucchini.

Bake for 20 mins, until golden on tops.

Makes 6 muffins.

Notes: You may use maple syrup in place of the maple extract and sugar substitutes. Other sweeteners can be subbed for the Stevia and Xylitol. To make vegan, sub the 2 eggs for 2 flax eggs.

Approximate Nutritionals: 113 calories, 5.8g fat, 63.3mg sodium, 13.3g carbohydrates, 4.1g fiber, 3.9g sugar, 3.9g protein.

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I hope you all enjoy this recipe! Please swing by my blog, Sprint 2 the Table, and say hello sometime. 🙂

Lindsay, thank you so much for allowing me to take over your blog today. I hope you are having a fabulous time!

xo,

Laura

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I’d say these are pretty much the perfect summer muffin….so get baking!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Booty Blasting Weekday Workout

June 20, 2012 by Lindsay 24 Comments

Hi Friends!

Well, the day is finally here! Hubby and I are on our way to Hawaii. I’ve only been waiting for this trip since I was about 10 years old. I’m so freakin’ excited!!!!! My plan is to pop in here and there with some pictures and recaps of our vacation days…but just in case I decide to swear off the computer, I didn’t want to totally abandon you guys! I have a series of guest posts lined up from some of my very best blogging friends. They are all amazing and I love them so much for taking the time to write posts that I can share with you guys! It should be a good mix of food and fitness to keep you guys entertained!

Today we’re kicking things off with a fitness post from Elle.

A few things about Elle:

She is a fellow future RD. She’s actually in the middle of her internship right now and she just finished up her master’s coursework. She’s SO CLOSE to being done and I’m so proud of her.
She is totally gorgeous.
She is recently engaged and thanks to her fiance’s job she gets to travel all over the world on all sorts of amazing trips.
She has a killer sense of style and I would like her to move here and tell me what to wear every day.
Oh and she also posts delicious recipes and amazing workouts so be sure to check out her blog!

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Hi Lean Green Bean lovers! Since Lindsay is the queen of efficiency, I thought I’d share one of my booty blasting weekday workouts with you. I’m currently finishing up grad school for nutrition but long gone are the days that I could sleep until 7, wor out, shower and eat breakfast before class at 10! I started my dietetic internship about 4 weeks ago and had to quickly adapt my morning workouts to be able to get to the hospital by 7:30am. It’s tough getting out of bed in the morning but I’ve never regretted a sweaty start to my day! Factor in just 40 minutes for everything – including a warm up, cool down and time for stretching.

Here’s a quick description of the moves if you’re not already familiar:

Squats with side kick: squat down, kick leg out to the side as you stand up; alternate kicking leg with each squat
Renegade row pushup: grab some weights ( I use 5-10 pounders), complete a pushup while holding weights, row one arm back and repeat with the other arm
Tricep dip with leg extension: your usual tricep dip using a chair only when you push yourself up, lift one leg out straight as you squeeze your glutes
Squat thrusters: holding weights at shoulder height, squat down and while returning to standing position, push arms up overhead (a.k.a. the shoulder press); bring arms back down to shoulder level as you squat down
Back lunge bicep curls: holding weights, stand with arms at 90 degrees; as you lunge backwards, lower arms until straight and complete a full bicep curl as you return to standing

Don’t forget to warm up and cool down. A quick 5 minute walk/jog will actually help control your breathing early on – you likely won’t feel like you’re gasping for air from the get go! That will come about 4 minutes later. 😉

If you’re a fan of this booty blasting weekday workout, feel free to stop by my blog, nutritionella.com for other sweaty workouts and healthy recipes, too!

Have a great one!

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You better believe i’ll be trying this workout when I get home!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

A Life Update Before Vacation

June 19, 2012 by Lindsay 42 Comments

Hi Friends!

Just popping in for my last update before we leave for vacation.

So yesterday, this happened:

(Warning…these first pictures are a little gross so if you’re squeamish, scroll down a ways….)

To be more exact, that happened yesterday night. About an hour before the vet closed. A mere 36 hours before we leave for vacation. It didn’t look that bad when it first happened. It didn’t really bleed that much…but we knew we needed to have a better look at it. So we got out the clippers and hubby buzzed the hair all around it so we could see what was really going on. Then we stuck Abner in the bath tub and cleaned it out. Then we had an extensive debate about whether we should take him to the vet. In the end, we ended up going. We’re not exactly sure how this happened, but our guess is that he scraped his side on a board or nail trying to chase something under the deck. We decided that even if he didn’t need stitches, he might need antibiotics so we piled in the car and headed over. Luckily we only live 5 minutes from our vet and they could see us right away.

15 minutes, 5 staples and $100 later we were on our way.

Abner was a champ and just stood there while the vet stapled him so we lucked out and didn’t have to pay to have him sedated. They gave him a cone and told us he had to wear it the whole time he’s at the kennel.

That didn’t go over well. He’s never worn one before and when we put it on, he basically just stood there with his head down and refused to move or walk. Luckily, my in-laws have a donut collar for their golden when he get’s hot spots and I ran over to borrow that from them. So far it’s working much better. You can tell Abner is much more comfortable in it and the wound is close enough to his shoulder that he can’t reach it.

Soooooo i’m crossing my fingers and spending the morning watching him to see how he does…and then this afternooon the boys are off to camp. He’s walking around fine with this on so hopefully he’ll do alright at the kennel with it. I’m super stressed and really hoping the people at the kennel will keep a close eye on him and make sure the staples stay in and don’t get infected.

But what can you do? Sometimes life is just out of your control.

In other news….

I got my nails done yesterday.

My foodie penpals box came!

I used the pasta that my penpal sent me to make a big pasta salad,
which we ate for dinner with black bean burgers.

I went on my first CONSISTENT three mile run in a long time.
I ran all three miles at a 9:10-9:15 min/mile pace.
Usually I start out way to fast…but I’m working on it!

I started packing healthy snacks for the plane.
Fruit, nuts, seeds, granola/protein bars…
Since it IS vacation, I treated us to some snacks we love but don’t usually buy:
Quaker Oat Squares, Chex Mix and goldfish!
They’re all still relatively healthy so I can feel good about eating them…
But since we don’t usually buy them, they’re a nice treat!

I started packing last night. It looks like my closet threw-up on my floor.
Usually I’m a last-minute packer but I’m glad I started early for this trip.

I will probably cry when I drop these two off later.

Oh well, like I said…some things in life are just out of your control.

Oh, and tomorrow?

Yeah….I’ll be here 🙂

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Scenes From The Weekend

June 18, 2012 by Lindsay 28 Comments

Hi Friends!

So the next two days are going to be a bit of a whirlwind as we get ready to go on vacation! Our food situation will probably start to get interesting and quite creative as we try to use up the food we have left before we leave.

We spent the weekend tracking down some things we needed for our trip like water shoes, neck pillows and plane reading material. Let’s review shall we?

Friday I ate the last of my frozen yogurt granola bites! Time to restock.
I ate a leftover pancake for lunch, along with some frui, hummus & veggies.
I walked the dogs a couple miles..but we’re getting to the point where it’s almost too hot to walk them during the day…so I walked with them for two miles and then dropped them off in the AC.
Then I headed back out to do two more miles on my own!!
I met hubby and one of his coworkers for a happy hour drink.
Afterwards, the hubby and I set out to track down water shoes- check!
And get some half price mysteries for me to read on the plane!
We also went in to one of the discount stores just for fun.
Hubby expressed his feelings about Miracle Whip 🙂

Saturday I got up and enjoyed some blueberries in my cereal.
Summer is officially here!
And I treated myself to some foamy milk in my coffee 🙂
Then hubby & I headed out to do some shopping.
Neither of us go shopping very often so we treated ourselves.
Both of us picked up some stuff we can take on vacation.
While we were out we tried out a new Greek restaurant on a whim.
It was awesome. We shared the hummus & the veggie pita. So big & so cheap!
The owner also recommended some greek beer for each of us to try.

Hubby ended up getting more stuff on our shopping trip on Saturday…but I did find a shirt, a tank top, a dress and some shoes at Marshall’s (bottom picture). I also found a kettlebell, which I’ve been looking for, and a jump rope!

On Sunday I headed out by myself to do some shopping while hubby did some projects around the house. I found a bag on sale at Gap that I’m going to use as my carry-on but can also double as a beach bag while we’re there. I ended up finding two other dresses that I liked better so I’m returning the green one. It just doesn’t fit me quite right…but i’ll be on the lookout for one in a similar pattern. I also found a couple more tank tops and a pair of white shorts. I feel like I’m the last person in the world to buy a pair of white shorts or pants. I also found a new sports bra and another pair of sandals on sale. But the best deal of the weekend was that orange dress. It’s BCBG, originally $140. I found it on the sale rack at Macy’s and I also had a coupon, so I picked it up for $17!

I made us some eggs & toast for breakfast on Sunday…
along w/ fresh fruit and some Chobani & granola.
I also caught Marcus and Abner laying unusually close to each other,
so of course I had to capture it!
We stopped by my in-laws to drop off a father’s day present
(a beer bottle cap remover..very cool!)
And I made Sweet & Spicy Shrimp with Soba Noodles for dinner.

Today I’m getting my nail done. I’m SO excited. I haven’t had them done forever because I was working at an assisted living facility and we weren’t allowed to for sanitation reasons. So, today I’m getting a shellac french manicure. I love them because they last forever and you don’t have to deal with fake nails breaking! I love french manicures because they look fancy but it’s not as obvious when they start growing out!

Tonight we’re getting a head start on our packing so we’re not doing everything last minute and soaking up time with the pups before I have to drop them off at doggy camp tomorrow 🙁

How was your weekend?! Do anything fun?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Photo-A-Day June: Part 1

June 16, 2012 by Lindsay 9 Comments

1. a morning treat
2. an empty trauma room
3. fish tacos
4. close-up of a flower
5. a sign at the home improvement store
6. Tucker in a hat
7. A happy hour drink with hubby
8. Some deck time at 6pm
9. My view at the concert of a local band

10. Best bit of my weekend- Saturday night relaxation
11. A door you should always look for
12. The fan from a low angle
13. Some art in our kitchen
14. Time spent on the deck
15. On of my favorite yellow t shirts
16-18. Some bonus animal cuteness for you 🙂

Happy Saturday!
–Lindsay–

PS. contrary to what this post may lead you to believe, I do, in fact, do other things in the summer besides sit on the deck with my feet up!
That just happens to be a favorite activity 🙂

Fitness Friday 25

June 15, 2012 by Lindsay 74 Comments

Hi Friends!

It’s Friday again already!

I have a few fun workouts to share with you this week so let’s jump right in!

Friday: I wanted to do an outdoor workout so I headed to the park with every intention of just running…except it would be on a different path and provide a nice change of scenery. But when I got there, there was a bunch of empty soccer fields. For those of you that don’t know, I used to be pretty good at soccer. I played in a premier league in middle school and early high school before I gave it up to focus on volleyball. HOWEVER, I probably haven’t been on a soccer field in at least 10 years. But I reached back into my memory bank and tried to put together some sort of workout with some of the stuff I remembered doing at practices.

Here’s what it ended up looking like:

For the suicides, I started at one goal line, ran to the top of the penalty box and back, to mid-field and back, to the top of the other penalty box and back and then to the opposite goal line and back.

If you notice the pained expression on my face behind that fake smile, it’s because I spent the entire workout thinking one of the following:
a) Holy shit soccer fields are A LOT bigger than I remember.
b) I can’t believe I was ever in good enough shape to run around one of these fields for 90 minutes
c) I’m gonna die.

So there you have it. When I played we’d do something like this for our warmup. And then practice for 3 hours. CRAZY.

I also snuck in a couple of walks and did my first 3 minute plank in forever!

Saturday & Sunday: Rest days. We did some yard work on Sunday and played an awesome game of sand volleyball. Oh, and in case you didn’t know, I’m pretty much incapable of wearing matching clothes to do yardwork. Here’s my most recent attire. Light purple, hot pink, three shades of blue, some black…you get the idea 🙂

Monday: I was in the mood to run but it was raining for most of the day and my treadmill is currently broken. Just as I was about to give up, I noticed that the rain had let up so I headed out to squeeze in a couple miles. I ran two 9 minute miles and then walked a mile to cool down. Just as I was finishing up, it started raining again so I headed inside, set my timer for 10 minutes and walked up and down my staircase. I wasn’t running up and down…I was just walking up and down at a steady pace for 10 minutes straight to see how many times I could go up and down. My goal was 40. I got to 43!

Tuesday: I needed to mail my Foodie Penpals package so I decided to walk the 1 mile to the post office instead of driving. After I mailed the box, I took the super long way home to make it a 4 mile walk and then did a few planks.

Wednesday: I decided to give my legs a break and I headed to the basement to do a weights workout. I picked exercises that focuses on shoulders and back. Here’s what it looked like:

#PROOF

Thursday: I didn’t feel like running but wanted to do something that would get my heart rate up. So I headed out to the front steps and did this workout:

Everything that says staggered is done with one foot up on the step and the other on the ground.

#PROOF

You could easily do this workout using a box, a park bench,
a weight bench or even a curb!
Also, please excuse my crazy hair in the photo above.

I didn’t have a big block of time yesterday to take my regular 3-4 mile walk to help me get my 10,000 steps…but I did manage to find 3 shorter 15 minute blocks of time to walk!
I challenged myself to go a little further during each 15 minute walk:

So there you have it! My week of workouts. I also guest posted for Laura this week and shared another fun workout:

It is KILLER. Laura and I both shared our #PROOF pictures in the post and we are sweaty messes 🙂 CLICK HERE to check it out.

A couple other things of note:

I got bloodwork done for the first time in a few years because I had to get a physical for my internship and let me just say, I’m pretty darn proud of my results:

I’m most proud of my HDL cholesterol actually. Last time I got it checked it was in the 30’s and one of my goals when I started exercising regularly was to increase that number. In case you don’t know, HDL is the good cholesterol because it clears excess cholesterol from your blood and returns it to your liver, thus preventing it from forming plaque in your arteries! Aerobic exercise is one of the best ways to improve your HDL.

I’ll leave you with this picture that my fitfluential friends shared on their page this week as part of their motivation campaign:

More important than the photo is the message I posted with it when I shared it on instagram, facebook and twitter:

Sometimes I eat ice cream after dinner. I’m not afraid to eat carbs and I don’t count calories.

BUT, I also workout 4-5 days a week. I eat lots of fruits and vegetables. I lift weights. I choose lean sources of protein, eat healthy fats and drink lots of water.

Strive for balance, embrace moderation and work hard to make YOURSELF proud. The rest will work itself out.

Have a great weekend!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Burrito Salad

June 14, 2012 by Lindsay 56 Comments

Hi Friends!

Let’s talk about my new favorite salad:

Like I mentioned yesterday, last weekend I went on a little streak where I ate the same meal several times in a row. And you know what? It was delicious all three times.

It started on Saturday. Hubby and I went to a festival downtown where there were a lot of food trucks and some local bands playing. I decided to eat at The Burrito Bus:

I chose the burrito bowl and it was great! It was a bit pricy, but I loved that the black beans were rinsed, instead of swimming in sauce, plus the onions were raw and crunchy, the jalapenos were fresh and the salsa was super spicy!

It was so good that I found myself craving something similar for a late dinner when we got home. So I made one. But I turned mine into more of a salad by adding a large lettuce base. I really enjoy the fillings in most burritos but I’m not always crazy about eating a giant burrito. Putting the fillings on a bed of lettuce is the perfect solution for me! Then I can eat some as a salad and also scoop some up with tortilla chips!

For my dinner burrito salad I started with Farmer’s Market lettuce. I added brown rice and black beans. I also roasted some sweet potatoes and added those. I chopped up some red peppers, tomatoes and onions and added those…and to top everything off I added grilled pineapple and some homemade guac!

This is definitely quickly becoming one of my favorite summer dinners. It’s light and fresh but also packed with nutrients!

Sunday night I had a lot of leftovers so I pulled them all out to make a quick dinner for hubby and I:

Hubby got his version in a tortilla as an actual burrito. Turns out that was a mistake. He made it quite clear that he would have rather had the salad version like me. Whoops! Live and learn 🙂

Mine looked pretty much the same as Saturday night’s version:

So pretty. Annnnnnnnnnd now all this talk has me craving another one!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

My Go-To Meal: Egg Sandwiches

June 12, 2012 by Lindsay 58 Comments

Hi friends!

Just popping in to share another go-to meal with you guys. This one is seriously too easy to require a recipe…but it’s one of my favs so I wanted to share it with you!

These sandwiches are so easy to pair with some veggies and fries for a quick, healthy meal!

Here’s my favorite way to make them:

Start by “frying” the eggs. Slice some homemade bread. (I suppose store bought will do…but homemade is better!) Slather on some hummus. Add the eggs. Top with a slice of cheese, red pepper strips and avocado slices. Spread a little butter on the bread and put it on a panini press/George Foreman grill. When it’s golden brown, take it out and eat it!

Side note- if you eat meat, you MUST TRY THIS: Make the same sandwich, minus the hummus, but add pulled pork. I’m telling you. BEST.SANDWICH,EVER. Seriously. Try it. They make that sandwich at one of the sandwich shops downtown and it is my favorite sandwich of all time.

If you don’t eat meat, try just adding a little bbq sauce to your next egg sandwich. Deeeeeelish!

Best thing about these sandwiches?
They’re perfect for breakfast, lunch OR dinner!

So tell me, what’s your all-time favorite sandwich?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Spicy Feta Dip

June 11, 2012 by Lindsay 65 Comments

Hi Friends!

Happy Monday! Hope all of you had a great weekend. We had some beautiful (hot) weather here and we definitely spent some time outside enjoying it. Today I’ve got a fun new recipe to share with you guys. If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you may have seen me raving about the feta dip I made last week.

When we go to our favorite restaurant and get the hummus, it comes with a little dish of spicy feta dip. I love to spread hummus on a piece of pita and then add a thin layer of the feta dip on top of the hummus! I have no idea what’s in the dip at the restaurant…but that didn’t stop me from trying to recreate it at home.

All I really had to go on was the fact that the dip is a light orangish color…so I guessed that there might be a red pepper in there that would turn the dip orange when mixed with the white feta.

So, I roasted a red pepper and a bulb of garlic (because who doesn’t love roasted garlic) and threw it in the food processor. I added some greek yogurt and gave it a few spins. Right away I could tell it wasn’t going to be thick enough to make a dip so I pulled some canellini beans out of the freezer, defrosted them and added those.

*Side note about the beans- After I cooked an entire bag of them and put them in the freezer to use in future dishes, hubby informed me that he doesn’t like white beans. SO, i’ve been looking for ways to use them up so that he doesn’t have to eat them in their plain, white bean form. He saw me putting them in the dip and said “ewwww…why are you putting those in there?” I assured him that he wouldn’t even taste them…and I was right. I also added a bunch of cayenne pepper to kick things up a notch. At the very end I added the feta! Voila!

The first night we ate it cold with some homemade tortilla chips. The next night, I toasted some pieces of homemade bread, spread some dip on each piece and stuck them in the oven until everything was warm. Good news is this dip is great either hot or cold!

Spicy Feta Dip

by Lindsay L

Ingredients

1 red pepper, roasted and peeled
1 bulb of garlic, roasted
1/2 c plain Greek yogurt
1 cup canellini beans
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup crumbled feta

Instructions

Place the red pepper and cloves of roasted garlic in a food processor and pulse several times.

Add the yogurt, beans and cayenne pepper and process to desired consistency.

Add the crumbled feta and pulse several times until mixed well.

Serve warm or cold.

This dip is super simple, healthy and tastes great!

Don’t worry if it still looks a little watery after the food processor.
It will thicken up after it’s been in the fridge.

Just in case you’ve never made homemade tortilla chips before, I just spray whole wheat tortillas lightly with cooking spray, cut into triangles and bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, flipping once.

I tried to decide whether I like it hot or cold better and I can’t pick a favorite 🙂

In hubby’s words, this feta dip is “the business”…so you know it’s good 😉

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Fitness Friday 24

June 8, 2012 by Lindsay 52 Comments

Hi Friends!

Happy Friday 🙂 I have a couple new workouts to share with you…but before we recap my week of workouts, I want to share something else with you guys.

On April 6th, I got my Fitbit (To see the post I wrote about why I love it, CLICK HERE). I charged it up and on April 7th I wore it around. I didn’t workout and I didn’t put any extra effort into getting steps. It was a Saturday I think so we were out running errands. I walked 5,800 steps. That night I decided that from then on I wanted to get 10,000 steps every day. Today is June 8th. That means that every day for the past 2 months, I’ve walked at least 10,000 steps! Pretty cool, right?

Here are the Fitbit charts from all but this past week:

When I was working, it was easy. I’d easily get 6,000-7,000 steps in a 3 hour shift. But there were days when I wasn’t working. When I had my treadmill laptop stand, it was easy. I could get 6,000 steps while checking my email and reading blogs in the morning. But currently my treadmill is broken 🙁

What I’m saying is, it hasn’t been easy every day. And some days I only clear 10,000 by about 10 steps….but it doesn’t matter. I’m still getting to 10,000. I’m making the extra effort to move more, be more active, walk when I’d rather nap…

I thought I’d share a few things that have helped me get my 10,000 steps each day.

Let’s break it down:

Leave Early: When you have somewhere to go, and you have a little extra time, leave early. I would leave for class about 30 minutes earlier than I needed to and spend that extra time walking around campus to get some extra steps in. Prior to getting my fitbit I would have just sat on the couch, or in the classroom and waited for class to start.
Walk Daily: If you have a dog, take them for a walk every day. If you have a spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend/child/friend/coworker- go for a walk with them! It doesn’t have to be long. Squeeze in a 15 minute walk here or there and it’ll get you about 2,000 steps. My dogs have had more walks in the past 2 months than they previously had in a whole year.
Take the Stairs: It’s a no brainer, friends. Any time you find yourself getting ready to take the elevator or escalator, find the stairs and take them instead. Every step counts.
Be Indirect: I almost never take a straight path to wherever I need to end up. Use a zigzag pattern to walk across a store, walk around the perimeter instead of straight up the middle, park on the opposite side of the parking lot from the department you need to go to, walk up and down those extra aisles in between where you are and where you need to go instead of just passing them by.
Walk and Talk: If you’re on the phone, walk around. I understand this might not be possible at work, but if you’re at home talking to your mom, or at your kid’s soccer game talking to a friend, walk around. There’s no reason you need to sit still to talk on the phone.
Set a Goal: There’s no way I would be walking 10,000 steps every day if I hadn’t made it a goal for myself. If 10,000 is too many steps for you at first, aim for 7,500. You need something to strive for each day or you probably won’t be motivated to get all those steps.
Take a Lap, Not a Nap: Next time you feel like laying down for a nap, go for a quick walk instead. Tell yourself you’ll walk one mile and then if you’re still tired after that, you’ll lay down. I bet, a lot of the time, after you walk, your energy will be restored and you won’t need that quick nap. And if it’s not, then hey- at least you got some steps in before you rested!
Set the Timer: If having to walk x number of miles each day seems daunting to you, break it down into blocks of time. Whenever you have a small chunk of free time, set a timer and walk. It doesn’t matter if it’s 5 min, 15 min or an hour. Walk around your house, walk up and down the stairs, walk outside…just set the timer and go! And don’t stop until it goes off. Repeat throughout the day.
Develop a Routine: After trying to reach your goal steps for so many days in a row, you’ll find you develop some routines to help you get there. You learn when it’s easiest for you to fit in a walk. You learn which walking route to take depending on how many steps you need. You start doing everyday tasks a certain way in order to maximize the number of steps it takes you to do them. Then, on days when you’re really struggling…stick with what you know works to get you to that 10,000 mark.
Have No Shame: There is no shame in heading to the basement at 11:45pm to pace around and run in place in order to get those last 500 steps in. There’s no shame in going to the bathroom every time you have the slightest urge to pee, even when you really could hold it, just to get some extra steps….No shame, friends. Do whatever it takes to get those steps!

So there you have it. I don’t set a lot of goals, but this is one that I actually like accomplishing each day!

Let’s review this past week, shall we?

Friday – Sunday: I pretty much took the weekend off. We had our college reunion and were gone for part of the weekend and to be honest, I was just tired. I didn’t want to work out. So I didn’t. Sunday night I did some planks and we played volleyball.

Monday: I did a new 100 workout that worked both my arms and legs. It was ROUGH. I was sore for 3 days…especially my legs. Holy Moly.

I used 12# dumbbells and a 10# med ball.

#PROOF

When Hubby came home, we headed out on a 12 mile bike ride. I stalked a heron, trying to get a good picture and we rode enjoyed the view at the dam.

Tuesday: I was so sore I could barely walk so I stuck to just abs and walking the dogs.

Wednesday: It was National Running Day. My legs were still sore but I forced myself outside to do the following:

The third 10 minutes of running was miserable. I didn’t think I was gonna make it. But I did it!! Also note how red my face it. When I run, my face gets RED. It doesn’t matter if it’s just for 5 minutes, or for the entirety of an hour long soccer game. My coaches used to bench me because they thought I was overheating…but no, my face just likes to get red 🙂

There you go! Some new workouts and tips for walking.

So tell me… Do you have a goal for daily steps? What’s your favorite way to sneak in some extra steps throughout the day?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Whole Wheat Banana Crunch Pancakes

June 7, 2012 by Lindsay 68 Comments

Hi Friends!

As promised, I’m back today to give you the recipe for the banana crunch pancakes I made for lunch on Monday…oh, and again for lunch yesterday!

I’ve been teasing you on instagram & facebook with pictures like this:

That wasn’t nice, was it?!

Well have no fear…I’m here to share today. But first, let’s talk about a few things:

I made these pancakes as kind of my own version of my all-time favorite Banana Crunch Pancakes from a restaurant we eat breakfast at sometimes called First Watch.
I’ve tried to replicate these before using banana slices like they do and failed miserably…the banana slices were always sticking to the pan, or burning, or creating pockets so the batter right around them didn’t cook. I decided to see if I could solve this problem by just mashing the banana up to begin with to give them the banana flavor without having to deal with the slices. Success!
Their version uses sliced almonds…I used chopped pecans a)because I had them and b) because chopping is a lot easier than slicing when it comes to nuts.

Oh, and the most important thing. If you make these and expect them to be light, airy and bisquick-like you are going to be VERY disappointed. You’ll probably cry. These are not light, airy pancakes. They’re dense, and chewy, and packed with protein, healthy fats and whole grains! They’re actually quite similar to my all-time favorite Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes but with a few changes of course.

Are you ready for the recipe?

Whole Wheat Banana Crunch Pancakes

by Lindsay L

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Keywords: stovetop breakfast healthy vegetarian agave greek yogurt oats banana

Ingredients (8-10 pancakes)

2/3 c mashed banana (2 medium)
1/4 c Skim milk
1/4 c Chobani non-fat greek yogurt
1 egg
1 Tbsp agave nectar
3/4 c white whole wheat flour
1/2 c oats
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 – 1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1/4 – 1/2 c chopped nuts
1/4 – 1/2 c Love Grown Foods Simply Oats Granola

Instructions

1. Combine the wet ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Stir in the dry ingredients until just mixed.
3. Let sit while griddle heats up.
4. Ladle onto a hot, greased griddle.
5. Top with chopped nuts and granola and press lightly down into batter with your fingers.
6. Flip when bubbles form and cook through.

Note: These pancakes will be moist, especially from the banana so I leave them on the griddle for a while, and press down on them with the spatula to help them cook.

I definitely suggest topping these pancakes with yogurt (read: more chobani!!) and sliced fruit. SO GOOD!

When I made them for lunch yesterday, I topped them with peach Chobani and a fresh peach. AMAZING. I really liked the peach/banana combo.

Either way, you really can’t go wrong 🙂

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Dessert Hummus: Three Ways

June 5, 2012 by Lindsay 58 Comments

Hi Friends!

I was a busy little bee in the kitchen yesterday doing a few experiments and lucky for me (and you guys!) I was quite successful! As you guys know, last week I took my last final and graduated with my second bachelor’s degree. Yesterday our grades were posted for our final exam and I confirmed that I graduated with a 4.0! In my book, that calls for a celebration!

You may remember how we got some free pints of ice cream at EarthFare a few weekends ago…and I’ve been thinking about making some cookie ice cream sandwiches ever since. Over the weekend, I decided that I was too lazy to bake cookies, so I planned to make some vegan cookie dough and just use that to make my ice cream sandwiches!

After I started looking a recipes, I started thinking about how I’ve also been wanting to make some dessert hummus and haven’t gotten around to it yet! Have you guys heard of this? It’s essentially a sweet hummus that tastes like cookie dough. Plus, it’s vegan! And generally healthier than cookie dough. Boom! Problem solved.

There are tons of different recipes out there but as usual, I just decided to wing it.

I rinsed a can of chickpeas and threw it in the food processor. I added some peanut butter and some agave nectar and a splash of water and mixed it all up. Then I took a quick taste, and voila! SO GOOD. I realized later that I forgot to add vanilla extract, but that’s ok..you guys can add it for me!

Once I tasted it, I realized there were quite a few ways I could enjoy this delicious treat! I’ll introduce you guys to three ways today. First, just eat it as a dip. Graham crackers would be especially good for dipping. Second, use it to make the sandwich part of an ice cream sandwich. Third, add some oats, form into balls and freeze for a quick summer snack.

Dessert Hummus

by Lindsay L

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Keywords: food processor appetizer dessert snack vegetarian chocolate peanut butter chickpeas agave

Ingredients

1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
3 – 4 Tbsp peanut butter (or desired nut butter)
3 – 4 Tbsp agave nectar (or honey)
1/3 c chocolate chips
1-3 Tbsp water (or milk)

For Dip

Graham Crackers for dipping

For Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ice Cream

For Snack Balls

1/4 c Oats

Instructions

For the Dip

Combing chickpeas, peanut butter and agave in a food processor and process until smooth.
Add water (or milk) as necessary until desired consistency is reached.
Stir in chocolate chips.

For Ice Cream Sandwiches

Line a pan with foil.
Spread half the dip on the bottom.
Top with slightly softened ice cream and freeze until set.
Spread remaining dip on top and freeze until set.
Cut into pieces.

For the Snack Balls

Stir in oats.
Form into balls.
Freeze and enjoy.

I used 3 Tbsp peanut butter, 3 Tbsp agave and 2 Tbsp water. I would’ve added some vanilla too if I hadn’t forgotten. If you want a stronger peanut butter flavor, add an extra Tbsp or two. If you want it sweeter, add more agave! My advice would just be to start with less, taste and then add more! For my ice cream sandwiches I used mint chocolate chip ice cream 🙂 Those are definitely my favorite. The dip is delish on it’s own as well. For the snack balls, I added the oats to thicken it up a bit…but it’d probably be fine just forming into balls and freezing without the oats if you didn’t want them!

So tell me, which way looks best to you?!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

SRC: Tortilla Bowls

June 4, 2012 by Lindsay 55 Comments

Hi Friends!

Happy Monday 🙂 It’s time for Secret Recipe Club.

This month I had Rache’s blog, Rachel Cooks. I was so excited because I’ve followed her on Twitter forever and she always makes the most delicious recipes! I had a great time browsing her site. I have quite a few bookmarked to try later, but I kept coming back to this recipe for Southwestern Salad Bowls. Probably because we LOVE Mexican food and eat it several times a week 🙂

Although I didn’t follow her salad recipe exactly, I did totally steal the idea for the tortilla bowls. They’re so fun…and the perfect way to make leftovers more exciting in my house! A couple weeks ago, I made some black bean and goat cheese quesadillas to eat with my Sweet & Spicy Strawberry Peach Guacamole. I always make extra filling when we have Mexican so we can use it throughout the week. This time though, instead of just putting in a plain old tortilla, I followed Rachel’s directions to spice up our lunches the next day.

Just spray both sides of a tortilla with cooking spray, flip over a muffin tin and press the tortilla down between the tins to give it a flat bottom. Bake at 425 degrees for about 8 minutes.

Once your tortilla bowls are ready, fill them with your favorites and dig in! I warmed up the leftover quesadilla filling and scooped it into the shells…topped with some leftover guac and voila, lunch is served!

Thanks for the great idea Rachel!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

#PhotoADayMay: Part 2

June 2, 2012 by Lindsay 16 Comments

Hi Friends!

Time for the second half of #photoadaymay!

Here are the prompts:

Annnnnd here we go:

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Sweet Potato Falafel Rings

Part 2: Maui

June Foodie Penpals Reveal Day

Fitness Friday: Pyramids & Intervals

Salad in a Jar

Part 1: Kauai

Coconut Banana Zucchini Muffins

Booty Blasting Weekday Workout

A Life Update Before Vacation

Scenes From The Weekend

Photo-A-Day June: Part 1

Fitness Friday 25

Burrito Salad

My Go-To Meal: Egg Sandwiches

Spicy Feta Dip

Fitness Friday 24

Whole Wheat Banana Crunch Pancakes

Dessert Hummus: Three Ways

SRC: Tortilla Bowls

#PhotoADayMay: Part 2

Recipes

Kids

Resources

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