Climb for Air

Official results: Ran 68 flights of stairs in 9 mins 36 seconds!

Much better than I originally thought :)

Rain Rain Go Away...

I am trying to look on the positive side with all this rain that we will have beautiful flowers soon but enough is enough!  It seems like more and more days are full of pouring rain.  Which makes me very sleepy on Monday after a busy weekend! 
Does the weather affect your mood?

I made a crockpot meal today Low and Slow Sloppy Joes and to go with it, ONION RINGS.  Like I have told you before, I LOVE any sort of greasy food, like french fries and onion rings so I love when I find a new recipe to try that gives me a chance to eat them!  Plus, a fake-out fatty food brightens my mood.

This recipe is adapted from WW Hit The Spot Cookbook...2 points per serving

Love this cookbook!  Each chapter is based on a craving like Sweet and Savory and Salty and Crunchy

Start by slicing two large onions crosswise.  Separate them into rings.

Put 1/3 cup of flour in a large ziploc bag, Place 1 cup buttermilk and some salt and pepper in a shallow bowl or dredging tray.  Place 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs and 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning into a second bowl or tray.

I use Panko Breadcrumbs because I love the texture!  I recently found a 4C version that is the cheapest I've found!

Take 3 to 4 rings at a time and shake them in flour bag.

Coat in buttermilk mixture.

Finish off with breadcrumbs.  Place on a baking sheet.  When all done, cook for 20 minutes at 450.

TIP for buttermilk:  Instead of spending extra money on buttermilk, use a few splashes of white vinegar per cup of milk.  Works the same and much less expensive!

All I can say is YUM!  What do you prefer? Onion Rings or French Fries?

Climb for Air

About a month and a half ago, I signed up to participate in a Climb for Clean Air, which is a race put on by the American Lung Association.  The race consists of running up 68 flights (34 floors) of stairs.

How the race works is people start up the stairs in 20 second intervals.  As I stood in line waiting I began to get nervous.  I had never done with sort of race before.  Then, I was reminded why I was doing it.

This is a write-up on my Nonno, who passed away from lung cancer 11 years ago.  The fact that it was next to me in the hallway right as I was having doubt was a sign to me...I could do it!!

My time for the 68 flights of stairs was about 13 minutes.  I was gasping for air and dizzy by then end, but it felt great by the end!  My official time will come in tomorrow.

The wedding we attended last night was amazing.  SO much food.  I was a bad blogger and didn't take pictures but I had some delicious stuffed shrimp and Personal Trainer Josh enjoyed filet mignon.  I will leave you with a pic of us from the wedding.

Running around...literally

Sorry for the lack of posting!  I am running in Climb for Life this morning!  I will be attempting to run up 68 flights of stairs!  However, I ended up getting home at 1 am this morning due to babysitting one of my favorite little guys, so more walking than I thought may be involved!

I will try to take pics and I will fill you in my times!

After the race I have a wedding to attend!  It is my first wedding where I am not in the party, so I am very excited to enjoy the ceremony and party afterwards!  Congratulations to Dave and Amy!

Of course weddings means lots food and drink.  I already have a plan to not pig out!  Prior to leaving I am giong to make black bean burgers and sweet potato wedges for lunch.  This will fill me up!  Then, at the wedding, I will eat my entree and not snack on anything else! I will take a piece of cake but will have a couple bites then put it down.  And, I will limit myself to one glass of wine.  I can enjoy and not splurge :)

Hope everyone else has a great weekend!!

Feta Chicken

There's nothing like spending much needed time with family to calm and relax any stresses away.  I had the pleasure of babysitting my 13 month old niece today, and we had so much fun dancing and giggling!  Then I was able to have a nice convo with my sister in law which is very hard-working mom!  A nod to all you moms out there---I appreciate how hard it is!

Anyway I wanted something quick for dinner tonight I decided to broil some chicken.  This recipe comes from WW (of course :))

Place 1 cup of low fat yogurt, 1 TB lemon juice, and a dash of oregano, rosemary and pepper into a large ziploc bag. Mix together then add chicken.  I used 20 ounces of chicken, about 1.5 lbs.

It doesn't look pretty now, but it already smelled delicious at this point!
Marinate for a half hour.

Meanwhile preheat broiler and spray pan with nonstick spray.
Remove chicken from bag and broil for 7 minutes.

Then, add cheese and reserved marinade atop chicken, and broil 7 minutes longer.

I ate this chicken with some sugar snap peas,but you can pair it with anything you like!

One of my faves!

Today has been a good, productive day!  I did a half hour workout, mailed out teaching applications, did laundry and done dinner ready and finished by 7! (usually much later!) 

I have a confession....I LOVE fattening foods.  I am not ashamed to admit that!  Occasionally I do indulge something that is probably 20 weight watchers points.  Of course, that is very seldom so I get through my cravings with substitutes.  Tonight I made a weight watchers Philly Cheesesteak and Hungry Girl Butternut squash fries with the fixings.  SOOOO delicious and not terrible for me so I don't have to feel badly after a hard workout this Personal Trainer Josh earlier.


Philly Cheesesteak--WW 5 points

1. Heat 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet.  Add 1 1/2 cups chopped onion and cook for about ten minutes.  Then, add 1 1/2 cups chopped pepper and cook about 4 minutes more.  Add black pepper to taste.

2. Preheat broiler and spray 4 slices of bread (any kind you like) with cooking spray.  Place on baking sheet and top with 2 oz thinly sliced roast beef, 1 slice of swiss cheese and 1/4 of the onion mixture.

I think it helps to pre-score the mixture with my spoon so I know how much to put on each bread.

3. Broil 2 minuetes and you are done!

Butternut Squash Fries- 4 points but soooo worth it

1. Mix 1/3 cup fat-free sour cream and 1/2 TB ranch dressing mix in a bowl and refrigerate until the rest is ready

2. Cut a 2 lb squash and peel it.  I went the lazy way and bought the already peeled kind.  Cut it into fry shaped sticks then lay on paper towels to absorb moisture.  Sprinkle with salt

3. Preheat oven to 425. Bake 20 minutes on each side.

4. Meanwhile, crisp up 4 slices of turkey bacon then break apart.

5. When fries are done, mix with bacon.  Top with ranch topping and scallions if you'd like.

Heaven on a plate!

Soup and Salad

My soup for this week is a spin on an old favorite..and it sounded so delicious I couldn't resist...Spinach-Chicken Noodle Soup.  Spinach is always a great add-in because it is full of vitamins and iron! (why do you think Popeye loved it!?)

This recipe is taken from Weight Watchers (by the way--I made 10% goal on Saturday!!)  I have less than 20 pounds now until I am at my final goal :)  Great feeling

Back to the soup...Spinach-Chicken Noodle Soup

1. Combine 6-7 cups of low sodium chicken broth, 1 cup chopped onion, and 1 cup sliced carrot in a soup pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes to soften the veggies.

2. Add 2 cans of condensed reduced-fat cream of chicken soup, 10 oz frozen spinach (thaw and drain it first), 4 cups cooked chopped chicken, 2 cups whole wheat noodles, and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Bring to a boil again, simmer uncovered 15 minutes until the noodles are softened.

1 1/2 cups is 5 points

I served this soup with a salad with two of my favorite veggies: asparagus and radishes!

A quick way to cook asparagus is to throw it in a microwave safe bowl with some water and microwave 7-8 minutes.

it has:
6 oz cooked asparaus
3 cups salad freens
3 radishes, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tb fat-free red wine vinaigrette
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tb feta cheese


1. Combine asparagus, greens and radishes in large bowl.  Combine vinagrette and mustard in small bowl and stir well.  Add viniagrette mixture and feta to salad.

**eating asparagus and spinach together give you iron and vitamin C.  vitamin C is needed to help absorb iron

A wondeful vegetable full dinner! 

What are some your favorite veggies?

Introducing....

Personal Trainer Josh and I are very pleased to announce that Train Your Life is now officially a Foodbuzz Sponsored Blog.  Foodbuzz is a great community for food bloggers, as I am sure most of you all know.  We are very excited to be a part of it!


Please take a second to vote for our blog on the right hand side of the page!


Thank you

Complicated But Worth It

I found this recipe for Irish Cream Pie off Betty Crocker's wesbite and thought it would be a perfect finish to our corned beef dinner!   It takes a while and has many steps with waiting time but I think it is definitely worth it for the patient baker!

Chocolate Pat-in-Pan Pie Crust



3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour


1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened


1/4 cup powdered sugar


1/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts


2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa


Filling


1/2 cup milk


32 large marshmallows


1/3 cup Irish cream liqueur


1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1. Heat oven to 400°F. In medium bowl, mix all crust ingredients until soft dough forms. Press firmly and evenly against bottom and side of ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 30 minutes.

2. In 3-quart saucepan, heat milk and marshmallows over low heat, stirring constantly, just until marshmallows are melted. Refrigerate about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon. (If mixture becomes too thick, place saucepan in bowl of warm water; stir mixture until proper consistency.) Gradually stir in liqueur.

3. In chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Fold marshmallow mixture into whipped cream. Spread in pie crust. Sprinkle with grated chocolate. Cover; refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours but no longer than 48 hours. Store in refrigerator.

Friday Night Pizza

Today has a been a GORGEOUS almost summer-weather day in Connecticut!  I hope everyone experieincing the same type of weather got to spend some time outside...everyone needs Vitamin D! 

Fridays during Lent=no meat which takes away a lot of my quick go-to recipes.  I do however love a good pizza with tomato and basil. (adapted from WW)

I love this recipe starts with a pre-made pizza dough.  I used Boboli, an oldie but a goodie.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese over the crust, leaving a rim for the crust.

Then top with a layer of sliced tomatoes, minced garlic, another 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and some salt and pepper.

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, depending on how crisp you want the crust.

Then sprinkle with fresh basil.

This pizza is fresh tasting and delicious.  One sixth of the pizza is 5 points for weight watchers!

Personal Trainer Josh and I enjoyed it with some sweet potato fries...another easy side!  Just cut a potato into wedges, sprinkle with salt and bake at 400 for 30 minutes!  If you are anything like me, you do not want to spend hours in the kitchen on a Friday night after a long work week.

Tomorrow is my weekly weigh-in for WW...I feel like I may have reached my 10 percent loss goal!! Fingers crossed.  Earlier this week I took my spring clothes out of storage and already two shirts that didn't fit last year fit now!  So if not, at least I have made one accomplishment...I will let you know!

Happy weekend!

Battle Balsamic Vinegar

Does anyone else watch Iron Chef on Food Network?   It is the show on food network where chefs compete using one main ingredient in every dish.  On one of Josh and I's first dates we watched "Battle Goat" on Iron Chef so we still enjoy watching it together!

Anyway, last night in our house featured balsamic vinegar.  I made Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar Chicken which I posted a couple weeks ago, and brown rice.

I was not a huge fan of brown rice when I first made the diet switch.  However, it is much better for me than most starches so I have grown to love it.  One way I prepare it is with balsamic vinegar and mushrooms.

Chop about 1/4 cup of onion.

Heat pan coated with cooking spray and put in onions and a can of chopped mushrooms.

Add as much as balsamic vinegar as you'd like, but I would say enough to coat bottom of pan.  Heat on medium stirring once in a while until most of vinegar is absorbed and onion is soft.

Make brown rice according to directions.  I used a cup of dry rice.

Add balsamic soaked mushrooms and onions to rice.

It was interesting to taste the acidic and sweet side of balsamic vinegar on one plate.

Do you use balsamic vinegar in your cooking?  For what?

Crazy for Popchips!

As someone who is training to lose weight, I am always looking for new items that taste great but won't ruin my all my hard work in training my body or my diet.

I thought the personal note Popchips sent was a nice touch:

I love that Popchips are all natural, and not fried or baked.  I wondered how they would taste, knowing they weren't baked or fried..

Personal Trainer Josh and I loved how light and airy the chips are!  Also, your hands don't get messy because there is no grease.  Just potato chip and flavor.  My favorite part as a weight watcher is that one single serve bag is only two points and 100 calories.  I don't think you could find another bag of potato chips for 100 calories.

The flavors offered are Original, Sour Cream and Onion, Cheddar, Sea Salt and Vinegar, Barbeque, and Salt and Pepper.

The one great thing about all the flavors are that the flavor is not too strong.  Just the right amount of seasoning.

Personal Trainer Josh's favorite:

Josh said, "I could eat a pillowcase sized bag of these!"  and he probably wasn't kidding!  Josh loved how his hands didn't get dirty from grease and how the chips were not too salty.  Perfect snack with lunch or anytime! He also said "this tastes just like the fatty stuff!"





My personal favorite:

I loved how the only difference between this sour cream and onion chip and a regular fatty one was the light texture.  There was NO difference in flavor!  The lightness of the chip also does not weigh you down.  And seeing how you have to keep moving in order to lose weight, this is fantastic!

To anyone looking for a new snack to munch on, I would reccomend popchips!

St. Patrick's Day Salmon?

Let me start by saying THANK YOU to everyone who has offered support in regards to my running.  Your wonderful comments keep me motivated!

I know practically everyone in America is eating Corned Beef and Cabbage tonight...we are not.  Did you know that corned beef and cabbage is not actually a tradition from Ireland, but was started by Irish immigrants?  I couldn't believe I went 25 years without knowing that!

Anyway Personal Trainer Josh and I will be eating Corned Beef and Red Potatoes with Irish cake for dessert on Saturday so we can fully enjoy the meal....SO tonight's it is some salmon with a ginger-orange glaze and whole wheat couscous.

This is a WW recipe...4 points for the salmon

1. Combine 1/2 cup orange juice, and 1/4 cup each of low-sodium sauce, spicy brown mustard, 2 TB grated ginger, 2 TB honey in a ziploc bag.

2. I pressed ingredients together before putting in 1 pound of salmon fillets.  Then I marinaded them in the fridge for an hour so frozen fillets could thaw and absorb flavor.

3. Preheat broiler.  Place fish on broiler rack with cooking spray.  Cook 5 minutes on each side, basting with reserved marinade.

4. Bring remaining marinade to boil in a saucepan to serve with fish and couscous.

I ate a cup of couscous and green beans with the fish. I am not really a fish person which is why I coated it with these other flavors!  It tasted great.

Wagon Wheel Soup

Today's blog is going to be quick because I am working both jobs!


During colder weather there is nothing better than some comfort food!  This soup reminds me of chili with its kidney beans and tomato sauce.  And I love that it has protein, carbohyrdates and veggies all in one place!


Wagon Wheel Soup (adapted from WW) 3 points


Ingredients:

3 cups uncooked wagon wheel pasta
Cooking spray
1 lb lean ground turkey (93% lean)
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 cup low fat pasta sauce (kinds without added meat or cheese)
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans
28 oz (3 1/2 cups) low-sodium chicken broth            

I liked the mini guys!

Preparation:


1. Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. 


2. Coat pot with cooking spray and place over med-high heat.  Add turkey and onion until turkey is brown.  Add pasta, oregano, pasta sauce, kidney beans and chicken broth..  Cook over med-high heat until throughly heated.

One serving is 1 1/2 cups

Happy Monday

I definitely felt the lost hour when the alarm clock went off this morning...and all day long!  However, I am loving that the longer light hours!

I proudly say that even though it was cold and raining when I left work, I made it outside to run a mile.  Personal Trainer Josh keeps telling me consistency is the key.  I don;t have to overdo myself, just do something 6 days a week.  So that's what I am sticking to :)  I want to make my 10% weight loss by the end of march, AND I am gearing up for Climb for Clean Air where I will run up 68 flights of stairs.  It's only two weeks away!

I wanted something FRESH tasting tonight, so I decided to make a recipe from a blog I love reading, A New Weight of Life with chicken and balsamic vinegar.  To go with it, I made Oriental Pasta Salad from WW.

3 points per serving

Ingredients
3 oz uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup thinly sliced green pepper
2 TB low-sodium soy sauce
1 TB dark sesame oil

*There is a difference between light and dark sesame.  Dark has a much more distinct taste which adds much flavor to this dish

Preparation:

1 Cook pasta according to directions

I cut the broccoli pretty small so they are bite-sized

I love raw green veggies!  So delish and so good for you

2. While pasta is cooking, steam broccoli until crisp-tender (NOT soggy-yuck!)  Rinse under cold water and drain well.

3. Combine pasta, broccoli, and sauce and sesame oil in bowl.  Cover and chill at least one hour.

Sunday Jog and Dessert

Yesterday I promised you all I would STAY motivated and resume the exercise regime....I was true to my word!


This weekend has been fabulous...last night Personal Trainer Josh and I had a very much needed night out.  We saw Shutter Island.  It was suspenseful, thought provoking and a great movie on a rainy windy night!

This morning I woke up refreshed and ready to go....after a hearty breakfast.  Every Sunday morning we make some sort of egg dish.  Today I sauted some leftover spinach with egg substitute and turkey bacon...yum!


Eating this was in preparation for what I knew was coming....Josh took me on 2 mile jog.  I was hurting, but did not stop jogging!  The hill was the hardest part.  Once I got that done I knew I could manage the rest!


I think after pushing myself that hard, I need a little indulgence!  Readers of Healthy Mom on The Run may know we do Sunday dinner every week, and I make the dessert!


Now, let me tell you, I am a serious baker.  I have a sweet tooth and do not like to skimp on the sweet stuff!  I would rather eat less of something rich than eat a dessrt with lots of fake sugar, etc.  I found this recipe for Chocolate Truffles, again in Weight Watchers Five Star Recipes...great book, given to me by Healthy Mom on the Run! (Thanks Sarah!!) 

This recipe called for mint chocolate chips...not being able to find these, I decided to use peanut butter and chocolate chips...just as good :) 




Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffles- 1 point each


Ingredients:
1/3 cup semisweet peanut butter chocolate morsels
1/2 cup 1/3 less fat cream cheese
2 cups powedered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 TB peanut butter chocolate morsels


***Warning this recipe is very sticky and messy!!
1. Place 1/3 cup morsels in a medium glass bowl, and microwave on high 1 minute or until morsels are just melted, stirring until smooth.  Let cool slightly.

2. Add cream cheese to morsels and beat until smooth.  Add 2 cups powdered sugar to cheese mixture, beat until well blended.  Press mixture into a 6 inch square on plastic wrap, and cover with additional plastic wrap.  Chill at least one hour.  (I chilled it in the freezer for 1 and half hours and it was still very sticky---you may want to go longer to avoid a mess)

3. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap; cut mixture into 48 squares. 

I pre-scored the chocolate mix.   Roll each square into a ball and roll half of the balls into cocoa powder, the other half in powdered sugar.

4. Place 2 TB morsels in heavy duty plastic bag and microwave on high 1 minutes or until morsels are softened.  Knead bag until morsels are smooth.  Snip a tiny hole in corner of the bag and drizzle over the truffles. 

The recipe says to serve at room temperature...because I used peanut butter, I decided to serve them chilled.