Monday, May 3, 2010

Your Love is My Drug


A new love that is quickly becoming my drug. 


How do I love thee, let me count the ways.  Almond Butter = Love. Dark Chocolate = Love. All Natural MaraNatha = Love! 

This stuff reminds me of nutella only better. 

Of course it was my mission to use it in breakfast this morning.  

And I succeeded!

Chocolate Raspberry Overnight Oats


Let me just say, these were hands down some of the best overnight oats I have ever made.  Here is the breakdown: 

Last Night: 
  • 1/4 Cup Oats + 2TBL Oat Bran
  • Strawberry Chobani (would have used raspberry if I had it) 
  • Flax and Chia
  • 1 tsp Dark Choc. Coco Powder
  • 1/2 ripe mashed banana
This Morning:
  • Splash Almond Milk
  • Raspberry Jam
  • Dark Choc. Almond Butter
  • Dark Chocolate Granola 

If eating chocolate for breakfast is wrong, I certainly don't ever want or care to be right!  Couldn't think of a better way to start a Monday. 

Well, my 7 mile run this morning helped too. 

Actually, it didn't start off so hot.  I was really really tired when I woke up. ( I think Saturday night caught up with me)  And it was down pouring and storming outside.  But, here is the thing.  I woke up to pee, and I knew that if I went back to bed, I would regret it.  So, I talked myself into going and starting a run. I always bargain with myself that if I run the first 3 miles and still feel awful, I should stop.  

Today, I ran 3, felt pretty crappy still, but pushed to 4 and then finally felt good.  It took awhile for my endorphins to kick in but once they did, I didn't want to stop.  Time refrained me at 7, which is probably good because I'm still trying to slowly work back up my miles.  

For a Monday, work flew by.  I was busy all morning at the office and then out all afternoon doing presentations.  In between these two thing, I ate lunch. 

Leftover pizza (from last night) with a boat load of veggies and dip.  The best dip too!  Salsa and Hummus!  Addicting I swear. 

Just so you all know, I do eat more than this.  At some point during appointments, I chowed down an apple in the car and then when I got home, I ate a handful of grapes and a granola bar before heading to the gym.  

It was an upper body night.  

Warm up 5 min on bike
should press
bench press
lat pull down
low row 
bicep curls 
Cool down 5 min on bike

The end.  Well not really.  A 20 min walk with Sammy was what finished it all off.  

Tonight's dinner was incredible!!!  I actually made Toly get off the couch to come see my stir fry because I didn't think the camera could capture it's beauty well enough. 


Spicy Orange Tempeh with Broccoli 
I sauteed a block of tempeh with peppers and garlic.  Then I added chopped broccoli and steamed everything for a minute or two.  Lastly, I added the sauce which was equal parts of TJ's General Tso's and Mango Orange Tropicana Juice with a few dashed of Soy.  

I served this over TJ's Multigrain Pilaf with juicy pineapple 

All in a bowl of course! 


And since Toly isn't much into the whole fermented soy thing, he had Spicy Orange Chicken with Fried Rice. 

Sammy somehow manages to make every single table picture.  Can you spot him here? 

Sneaky little guy!  He does sit with us at the dinner table every night.  I know this sounds weird or gross, but Sammy isn't your ordinary dog.  We think he's part human.  He sits at the table on his own chair like a little man.  It's not that he even begs for food so much as he just wants to feel included and like a part of the family.  


That's it for now.  Hope your Monday was great! :) 


Photobucket

14 comments:

  1. I have not tried that flavor of maranatha...but I so need to. Sounds heavenly- what a fabulous bfast bowl...and an equally fabulous dinner bowl. Love that you added pineapple. Your baby is such a cutie. Enjoy the rest of the week!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I haven't seen that almond butter yet, but i'm thinking that it might not be allowed in our house...at least as long as we have spoons in the house too!

    Have a wonderful night!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kristin @ Iowa Girl EatsMay 3, 2010 at 8:31 PM

    Oooo! I was this.close. to buying that dark chocolate almond butter this weekend, but I didn't pull the triggar - dah! Next time... ;)

    Kudos on the 7 miler - that is just fantastic! I wish/hope I can make my way back up to some higher mileage one of these days.

    And I'm so curious about tempeh. I've seen it around for the past year or so, but haven't had the nerve to try it. What's it like?

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is too freaking cute about Sammy! Matilda is the same way :D Sammy the little man--AWW!!!!

    That stir-fry looks and sounds amazing.

    I'm so glad that you are on the road to getting better. I totally know what you mean about the endorphins kicking in. One time when I was running I bumped into a friend and I kept going, then later he texted me and he said he got his endorphins for the day from me and that it was amazing to sense all that positive energy coming from me. I was like.. damn straight! hehe it's such an awesome high!

    XOXOXO to the moon and back.. then around all over again!

    p.s. it's actually against the law to NOT have chocolate at breakfast ;) It's seriously such a great way to start the day. I've been loving me some chocolate hazelnut butter, chocolate pecan butter, AND also chocolate almond butter ;) We are twins hehehe.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I just got some Maranatha almond butter this weekend but now I wish I would have seen that! haha :) YUUUM!

    ReplyDelete
  6. So you don't add any water to your overnight oats the night before? Do you leave them on the counter or in the refrigerator? I have yet to successfully make overnight oats. Any tips would be appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I wanted to buy that the other day but when i looked more closely i realized it was the peanut kind, not the almond! such a bummer! looks absolutely amazing though...your breakfast bowls are always so full of fruit and yummy! Glad the run turned out well, have a great Tuesday love!! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  8. dark chocolate almond butter? yum! That sounds amazing.

    great job on your run :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. that is the EXACT SAME WAY i feel about running. it always takes me at least a couple miles to warm up! yesterday, hitting 7 miles i felt awesome and felt like i could keep going until i reached the half-marathon point!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm pretty sure that Dark Chocolate Almond would disappear from our cupboards in about 30 seconds. Dangerous!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Good idea to bargain with yourself about the run. Sometimes when I don't feel like working out, I tell myself to start for just 10 minutes, and if I really don't want to continue after that, I can quit. But usually after 10 minutes I want to keep going!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I need to get that AB! I have some at home that I love, and I love Maranatha anything, so I know it'd be delish!

    Good for you for turning a crap run around! It's not always easy to do, and it takes strength not to just turn around. Go you!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I keep resisting the Dark Chocolate Almond Butter but I'm going to give in one of these days, it just looks too good!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love that Dark Chocolate Almond Butter! It's so yummy! Great job on the 7 miles! Looks like you are back into your running full force!! Question- I know you said before you do your morning runs on the treadmill (I think) so how do you keep yourself occupied for 7 miles? I tend to do better watching TV than just listening to music so I'm curious what others do to beat treadmill boredom :)

    ReplyDelete