Driving to work in the pitch black darkness was interesting this morning. Around 10 am I still hadn’t felt like I had woken up yet. The silver lining, however, is that there will still be sunshine for at least an hour or two when I get home from work now which, among many other things, equals TENNIS!! I really honestly like working out, but I haven’t been very good at it since I started working at Hostess. Its just so hard to get motivated to go to the gym after an hour and a half commute home in gridlocked traffic. I hope that since the sun is out longer, I will start doing more outside activities that are comparable to going to the gym, i.e. jogging, tennis, gardening- yes I think gardening counts because you squat up and down and pull and plow, etc : )
I was looking forward to today for two reasons: 1-lunch with an old friend and 2-dinner with a best friend! Unfortunately my lunch had to be rescheduled to Friday, which means I was left without food. I usually don’t like to buy my lunch during the week because I spend enough on groceries to get me through, and, I don’t like to lose my parking spot : ) Since all I brought with me today was Fage Yogurt* (the BEST yogurt on the planet), I decided to make a haul to Pei Wei. I only go to Pei Wei because their online ordering is so easy and its relatively inexpensive and only a mile from my office. (www.peiwei.com)
I tried to order the healthiest thing on the menu, which isn’t saying much. I ordered the Mongolian Vegetable and Tofu with brown rice and one vegetable spring roll. I always think that their veggie spring rolls are fresh, but alas, they are fried. I have the MOST fantastic recipe for homemade spring rolls which I will hopefully make in the next couple of days so I can share it with everyone . According to myfitnesspal, my lunch had 920 Calories, 38 g of Fat, 111g of Carbs, and 36g of Protein…YIKES! I am allotting myself (loosely since this fast isn’t necessarily for weight loss) 1700 Calories/day. Luckily I have 405 calories remaining for my day, so sushi tonight will fit in perfectly. Like I said in an earlier post, I’d rather take in that many calories at noon than at 8 pm, so really, I don’t feel too guilty.*Note on Fage Yogurt and why I am obsessed:
Fage Yogurt is a naturally Greek yogurt that has wonderful health benefits and, in my opinion, tastes delicious. One of my best friends, LNS, introduced me to fage after her trip to Greece, and since then, I have been a believer. They have Total Fage, 2% Fage, and 0% Fage in plain flavor, and now they have introduced a line with fruit attached to mix in, as well as honey. I always eat the 0% fage because it is fat free and relatively low in carbs (when eaten plain). However, a tablespoon of honey gives it just the right amount of sweetness. You can also use the plain fage to replace sour cream in many different recipes, therefore cutting back completely on fat (if you use 0%), while still giving your recipe great flavor and creaminess! It’s a big expensive (about $2 for a little container weighing 170g), but its totally worth it. Their site gives you its history, nutrition and health benefits, and a complete list of all the products. If you haven’t tried Fage, you must. http://www.fageusa.com/the-fage-story/
The majority of my Monday has been spent researching Hydrated Monoglycerides, so I am definitely ready to get off and celebrate my bestie, JLH. If anyone else is having a case of the Mondays, this game is so addicting and its actually pretty fun. Best part, it’s a vegetarian game, HA! Its like bedazzled, but with fruit. http://freeonlinegames.com/game/fruzzle.html
Antipasta Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
1/4 medium red onion, minced
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
4 jarred roasted sweet red peppers, chopped (about 3&4 cup)
2 cups baby arugula
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted (about 2 ounces)
1/2 to 1 cup freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
Dressing:
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
For the salad: To mellow the minced onion, soak it in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain well, pat dry, and put in a serving bowl.
For the Dressing: Smash the garlic clove, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and, with the side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. Put the paste in a bowl and add the orange zest, vinegar, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper, to taste. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream to make a smooth, slightly thick dressing.
Using a handheld mandoline or a knife, cut the fennel lengthwise into long, thin slices. Add to the onion and toss with the chickpeas, peppers, artichoke hearts, arugula, parsley, and dressing. Scatter the olives and shave the Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top.
*Nutrition Facts*
Per 6 oz Serving: Calories – 240, Fat – 11g, Sat Fat – 3g, Cholesterol – 10mg, Sodium – 400mg, Carbs – 25g, Fiber – 7g, Sugars – 5g, Protein – 12g, Vit A – 20%, Vit C – 80%, Ca – 25%, Fe – 10%
“The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment*
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