>Sweet ‘n spicy deliciousness and giveaway winner!

>I am like a kid in a candy store in Whole Foods. I swear I can walk around bright-eyed for hours in that place. This morning I woke in the mood for chocolate! And so I choc-ed it up, protein-cupcake style.

Chocolate – covered Strawberry PC

Timberrrr!

 Ingdedients:

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I use SunWarrior brand, it’s da bestttt)

5 thawed frozen strawberries, mashed

1 T egg whites

1 t chia seeds (optional, good source of omega’s)

pinch baking powder

stevia (1 serving)

h20 to moisten (~2T)

Directions: 

Mix with fork until brownie-like consistency

Spray coffee mug with cooking spray

Microwave ~1 min 30 secs

Top with sweetened low-fat Greek yogurt 

 * * *

Post-digestion, I hit up ‘bucks for the usual “Venti Pike’s Place coffee with 1 inch steamed soy”. Tip: If you think Starbucks is a little too strong for your taste buds, ask for Pike’s Place. It’s their lighter blend. Deeeeeeeeeelish.

Now back to Whole Foods. Not kidding, I think I spent 1.5 hours there. And I didn’t even eat, ha! I did score some major goods however. Some notable mentions..

(click to zooom)

– Flax seed meal (ground flax seeds; can’t wait to use in pizza crust)

– Almond meal (ground almonds; gonna make homemade protein muffins and cookies)

– Coconut butter (heat a little in microwave the drizzle over oatmeal, toast, etc. Great source of healthy fats)

– Black Cherry Berry tea (just tried and ahhhmazing)

– Nutritional yeast (we all know how much I use this stuff)

– Organic Lite Honey Mustard dressing (planning a salmon dish with this one)

– Raw bee polin (a prebiotic and a natural sweetener)

– Spirulina (probiotic; add to smoothies)

– Pesto paste (all organic ingredients. Just add EVOO. And sans parmesan so allergy-friendly)

– Maca powder (good source of vitamin C and known for crazy energy boost. Add to smoothies. Love the stuff)

After cleaning the kitchen and re-organizing (stay tuned for a “what’s in my kitchen” post coming soon), I made hands down the best salad I’ve had in a looooong time. Sorry to toot my own horn, but toot toot 😉 First I cut up lot of veggies.. 

Spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots and avocado 

Then added diced Tempeh 

(And garbanzo beans (chickpeas), sunflower seeds, sea salt, and black pepper)

Next I made the dressing. I used my favorite hummus in the whole wide world, Jalapeno and Cilantro (Trader Joe’s). If you don’t have a TJ’s near you, you can add some fresh cilantro to traditional hummus (and a teeeeny bit of diced jalapenos if like a kick).

Sweet n’ Spicy dressing (1-2 servings)

4 T hummus

2 T nutritional yeast

1/2 – 1 t honey

water, to thin out consistency

(Dressing was so good that I forgot to snap a pic until after I inhaled it)

Add dressing and mix.

The spice of the cilantro was perfectly complemented by the honey. The hummus and avocado added nice texture while the sunflower seeds added the perfect amount of crunch. I not kidding when I tell you this is the best salad I’ve had in long time. Get on it 😉

* * *

If you’ve been following my workout schedule, you can see that I’ve clearly been slacking on the weights and yoga – two very important components of running. I blame it on vacation and catching the spring running bug. I took a BodyPump class yesterday and it felt great to be back. Tomorrow I willlll do yoga. Hold me to it 😉 

Have a great night everyone! I’m heading to the gym then it’s a girls night out 🙂 What are your plans???

 * * *

And the winner for the Wildtree.com giveaway package is…

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:42Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Beth Skendrovic!!! Beth, e-mail me at Biochemista@gmail.com and send me your shipping address 🙂

>Snack attack

>Tggggggggggif, people I’m not working this weekend and I am p-u-m-p-e-d. Saturday we have a lil girls night out planned and I can hardly contain my excitement. Speaking of excitement, I’ve never been so excited to go grocery shopping in my liiiiiiiife. You guessed it, I stiiiil haven’t gone to the dang store. I assure you however, I am still eating. 😉

Thanks for your comments yesterday on how to get this girl to bed earlier. I made it to bed at 2am and not 3. Baby steps, people. Baby steps. Speaking of staying up late, I’m a huuuge late-night snacker. I don’t believe in the “don’t eat after 8 rule” but I do try to keep my snackage to a healthy level (late night greasy pizza doesn’t leave me feeling good the next morning). I like to wake feeling hungry because breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.

Some recent late-night snacks..

100-calorie (all-natural) popcorn with cinnamon and stevia

 (Shake popcorn, 1/2 t cinnamon, 1 serving stevia in large freezer bag)

1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt w/ stevia and 1/4 cup GoLean Crunch

Decaf coffee w/ steamed almond milk/soy

 True coffee lover. I’ll even take the decaf ❤

PB2

PB2 is a de-fatted peanut flour and when you add water it creates a delicious peanutty spread. 2 tablespoons = 45 calories. Not to shabby. Don’t get me wrong, I still love traditional peanut butter in and add it to many foods as a healthy source of fat, but when you’re in the mood to snack on a massive amount of pb, this stuff is your best friend. I like it for apple/carrot dipping, mixed into oats/yogurt or thickly topped over toast.

Just whisk with water according to directions…

Then spoon back into jar…

PB2 over toasted cinnamon-raisin Ezekiel bread

* * *

So you may have guessed it. I feel off the 30-day challenge bandwagon. I think I was a little too ambitious with this one. Especially considering the challenge started right at the beginning of my vacation (not good planning on my end). I aimed to cut out all dairy, artificial dyes/colors/preservatives and only eat organic meat (you can read about my reasoning for the challenge here). Myrtle Beach isn’t the healthiest place on Earth, so if presented with Greek yogurt or sugar-loaded granola bar, I opted for the protein-packed dairy. 

So where do I go from here? I’m not quitting the challenge just making small changes. I’ve decided to challenge myself to eat clean (still nothing artificial) but allow myself organic dairy (not cheese! since that’s what really bothers my stomach) and then assess my migraine situation after the 30-days. If my headaches calm down a bit from the clean eating, I don’t see why I can’t keep my beloved Greek yogurt in my life. We shall see.

* * *

OK kids, have a great rest of your Friday! Stay tuned (tomorrow) for a heavy post  on emotional and disordered eating.

What are your favorite late-night snacks?

Do you believe in the “Don’t eat after 8 rule?”

Ever quit/modified a food challenge/detox?

*Don’t forget to enter my GIVEAWAY!! I’m choosing a random winner (tomorrow) Saturday evening!*

>Look for the smoothie butt

>Good morning afternoon. It’s the morning for me because I kinda sorta…just woke up. To my defense I worked until 11:45pm last night. And by the time I drove home, showered, had a snack, and unwound, it was past 2am. Eeeek. Gotta work on that. Although it’s late I have such a hard time showering and going right to bed. One would think I’d be exhausted after running around for an 8-12 hour hospital shift. Hmm…

Ideas on how to get this girl in bed earlier?

* * * 

Since we just returned from Myrtle Beach and I’ve been working a lot, I stillllll have yet to make to the grocery store. Therefore many of my meals have been boooorning. Still tasty, but lacking a little in the creativity department.

Enter breakfast #1 (yesterday)

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (SunWarrior brand)

handfull frozen strawberries

1/2 frozen banana

hand full fresh spinach

1 t SuperGreens

1 t flax seed oil (healthy fat, yo)

1 t xanthan gum (to thicken, optional)

stevia (1 serving, to sweeten)

H20

ice

How do you know when your smoothie is of the right consistency? 

Well when it get’s a Smoothie Butt, of course..

 Look for da butt. Works like a charm every time.

Breakfast #2 (today)

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (SunWarrior brand)

1/2 cup frozen raspberries

1/2 cup frozen mangoes

1/2 frozen banana

1 t chia seeds

~1 cup unsweetened almond milk

hand full fresh spinach

1 t SuperGreens

stevia (1 serving)

Ice

goblet wine glass (optional)

Lunch #1 (yesterday)

1 can Amy’s Organic Split Pea Soup

2 T nutritional yeast (cheesy flavor plus added protein and B vitamins)

1/4 cup egg whites (added protein, you won’t taste the difference)

cumin

chili powder

pinch cayenne pepper (for spiiiiice)

Snacks

apples

Think thin bars (almost tried every flavor so look for review soon!)

carrots n’ peanut butter

So there ya have it. My snoozefest assembly of recent meals. But in all honesty, it’s comforting to know I  always have a hand full of meals and snacks on hand when the fridge is nekkked. I always have a stash of the following items for times of desperation/laziness:

– Frozen veggies

– Frozen fruit

– veggie burgers

– oats

– protein powder

– organic canned soup

– magic soup/Indian food starters

– Organic Spaghetti O’s (Call me a 5-year-old if you want)

Some easy peasy meals:

Protein oats

Magic soup (on the fly)

Indian food (a la Trader Joe’s)

Amped-up Veggie Burgers

* * *

Completely random, but I’ve received a few emails/comments recently about how some of you want to try spaghetti or acorn squash but are too scared to cut into the darn thing. And rather than telling you to just try it, I think I’ll save a finger or two.

Simple cutting/cooking instructions (for any large squash)

1. Boil whole squash for ~25 mins. This will soften it up (at same time, preheat oven to 425F)

2. Cut open squash length wise

3.  Line baking sheet with tin foil and spray with olive oil

4. Place cut side down and bake for ~20 mins until soft throughout and browned

5. Spoon/fork out seeds

Ta-dah!

* * *

Have a great rest of your day! So jealous most of you only have a few hours of work left. I, on the other hand, am heading to work at 3pm!

Oh and guess what…I am officially registered for the Marine Corps Marathon (Oct 30th)!!!!

Don’t forget to enter my Giveaway! Giving away a great foodie gift package! 

What foods do you always have on hand? 

>Gadgets n gizmos

>Hi everyone. Happy humpidy-hump day. Don’t forget to enter my Giveaway from Wildtree.com. The free gift package is awesome!

 * * * 

 This morning I woke with legit (I need to stop saying that word) the puffiest eyes. Speaking of phrases that need to stop, who watches any of the 50 thousand Kardashian shows? Well I do (ha, no shame). Despite my love for the girls antics and outright redicoulousness, I haaaaate when they say “Bible”. “Bible, I just saw the hottest pair of Christian Louboutins” or “Bible, I need to hit the gym like woah“. Yes, you swear on the Bible. But “Bible” does not equal ” I swear”. So let’s not make this a trend. Mmmmm, K?

 OK, back to the puffiness. I needed coffee stat. And not just any cup of joe since I have my new frother..

Drip

Froth

 Spoon

 Savor

Seriously though, get one of these. I think I paid $20 for mine on Amazon.

* * * 

And now time to share a few new [kitchen] toys with you. I posted about my recent outlet success at Under Armour and Nike and now time for the reeeeeeeal fun stuff. Yep, big geek over here.

New knife rack. No slots, so fits all shapes/sizes.

Not sure what to call this, a ‘spoon rack’? 

Basically I make a huuuuge mess on the counter when using the same spoon over and over during cooking. Now it has a happy home.

Looks prettier than a big ole bottle of olive oil sitting on the counter, no?

 Olive oil mister! No more spending $5/bottle on PAM spray! Just fill with oil of choice and mist away.

Haaate the way (call me crazy) these Starbucks syrup bottles look. My sister is weening herself off the artificial crap so I figured this might help in the “out of sight, out of mine” category. Eh, it still looks better than before.

* * *

Well I’ve successfully procrastinated all morning day, and neeeeeed to get a workout in before work tonight.

What’s your procrastination workout of choice? Mine is running! No loss in time traveling to the gym. 

Don’t forget to enter my Giveaway! Takes 2 seconds. Bible 😉 

>Like me and win free stuff

>

Biochemísta is finally on Facebook! 

Please stop by and click the “Like” Button 🙂

* * *

And now a GIVEAWAY! All you have to do is ‘Like’ Biochemista on Facebook and you’re entered! The winner will be announced on Saturday and will receive a personalized package from Wildtree.com.

From the site, “Every WildTree product is natural, containing no additives, preservatives, MSG, or food dyes. We oversee every step of the process in-house. From research to development, manufacturing to delivery, we seek to provide the best products and quality service our customers deserve”

Products include:
Breads, Pizza, Pancakes & Crepes
Culinary Blends
Decadence
Dips, Bread Dippers & Salsas
Dressings, Marinades & Sauces
Gifts & Accessories
Grapeseed Oils
New Product Releases
Slow Cooker Sensations
Soups & Stews

So there ya have it…

Like me already 😉

>I robbed the place

>Well it’s out last day in Myrtle Beach. We just finished breakfast and I’m about to enjoy my Starbucks on the couch with the pup and a couple of magazines I picked up yesterday. Gahhh, vacation goes by way too fast. I’m determined to make this trip seem a little longer so as soon as I digest I’m hitting the BEACH for a RUN and gettin’ some Vitamin D!

But first a little recap…

Yesterday I hit the jackpot. Well the outlet jackpot. I scored so much stuff at seriously unbelievably prices. I robbed hit up:

– JCrew
– Banana
– Under Armour
– Nike
– Kitchen store (can’t remember the name)

Biggest score was at Under Armour. I bought 5 tanks, 1 tee, 1 pair shorts, 1 pair pants, and vest for just over $100! Isn’t that incredible?????! Apparently some of my items were “irregulars” meaning they can’t be sold in stores so were shipped to the outlets. For example, my tank “irregularities” included a “misprinted” black logo rather than the desired silver. I’ll take it!

New outfit a la Nike and UA

(love the pants)

 (so serious)

* * *

While vacationing with my fam, The Manfriend and I always like to cook at least one meal from scratch. 

(Sous chef Seth. Say that 5 times fast.)

My parents always insist on paying for us when we dine out (fine, twist my arm) so it’s our little way of saying thanks. Last time we were here we made Sweet potato & black bean turkey chili and all-natural [skinny] strawberry margaritas.

Last night on the menu:

– Honey-soy glazed salmon

– veggie quinoa

– roasted asparagus

– Sweet pear salad

– red vino

Ensalada

Spinach, arugula

diced pear

cherry tomatoes

cucumber

sunflower seeds

Balsamic vinegar and Goddess dressing (1:1 mix of each)

Glazed honey-soy salmon (recipe here)

And the best quinoa I’ve made to date…

Ingredients

1.5 cups quinoa 

4 cups organic chicken broth (can use veggie)

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 orange pepper, diced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 small/medium sweet potatoes, peeped and cubed

2 T extra virgin olive oil

sea salt, pepper to taste

pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Spray baking pan w/ EVOO. Roast sweet potatoes at 425F until browned and soft throughout (~30 mins, flipping at least once)

2. Cook quinoa in 3 cups broth until tender (medium heat, ~15 mins)

3. Satay onion, peppers, garlic in EVOO until onions are browned. Set aside.

4. Combine all ingredients and add more broth to moisten

5. Add S&P to taste

Was a great meal if I do say so myself 😉

* * *

Alright it’s about that time….Time to hit the beach for a RUN! Talk to you again from Washington, DC!

*Something to do*

Follow me on Twitter. I will need entertainment during our 8 hour ride home 🙂

Nominate your favorite health blogger for the Women’s Health Blog roll. Takes 2 seconds.

>13.1

>Well we made it. Me, my mom, and dad ran our 5th half marathon together, the Dasani half in Myrtle Beach. We left when the sky looked like this…

(Pretend smiles. Leaving at 5:30am on a Saturday is no fun, my friends.)

But the skies quickly turned..

Beauteous.

* * *

I finished in 1:45 (unsure of net time because it took a while to cross the finish line). Despite the beautiful pictures above (which were taken near our home, a la Manfriend), I was very disappointed by the race course. I ran this half three years ago and 90% of the course was along the ocean. This year, zero %. The race was close to the water, but to see it you had to peer between the tall surrounding buildings (and that was if you had good eyesight). Yes, it was flat so a good qualifier for Boston. But I would save your $$ if you’re thinking about flying here, renting a hotel, etc. Will I run it again? Probably. But only because we own a home here (free stay) and it’s a good excuse to take a mini-vacay.

One amazing thing happened however… A WOMAN won the marathon! And there were 7,000 runners!

Mama-dukes coming in for the finish

* * *

After a good race, it’s time for some good eats (a la my sister)..

2 over-easy eggs cooked in EVOO spray

whole grain bagel thin

strawberries, banana

OJ

* * *

I’m off to get some outlet shopping in!

How are you spending your Saturday?

Have you ever been very disappointed by a race course? 

>Life’s a beach

>Greetings from Myrtle Beach, SC!

We arrived yesterday evening after a loooong car ride (our 6-hour journey took about 8 – whoops. I blame it on Starbucks and my tiny bladder.) This afternoon we took the pup down to the beach and let him run free. And wow, that little man can run!

He made the cutest little friend. Have you heard of a Chug? It’s a chihuahua and pug mix. So cute!

After sprinting around for a while we parked our butts in the sun and enjoyed a beach-side cocktail..

(Pure happiness here)

Have you met my mom? We kinda look alike…

My dad..

(Not so much. Wish I inherited his tan.)

* * *

Well I‘m off to get crackin on a new running playlist then head to bed for our 6:30am (waaah) Half Marathon! Wish me luck, I definetly need it for this one (kinda slacked in the training dept, ha).

Happy Saturday!

Laur

>Freeeeedom

>

Hi friends! Whelp, I’ve made it through work shift #7 (in a row). I was supposed to work but I just received the best phone call of my life – I’m OFF today! Wooohoooo! More time to pack for Myrtle Beach! I can hardly wait. I asked the Manfriend to pick up a few ingredients so I can bake some road trip treats for our 6-hr car ride. Sticking to my challenge might be tricky so I figured why not bake a little beforehand? I’m sure the others will thank me as well 🙂

* * *

After yesterday‘s killer spinning sesh followed by weights (triceps, shoulders, abs), I was in the mood for a protein-packed lunch and had some time to spare before heading into work. We’re trying to rid the apartment of produce before we leave so I did my best to use what we had available open. The meal actually came out aaaaah-mazing. This one will definitely be on repeat.

Mexican-style quinoa stuffed acorn squash (Vegan and gluten-free)

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash

1/2 package medium/firm tofu, diced into small cubes

1 can black beans, rinsed

3/4 jar medium salsa

5 T nutritional yeast

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and cooked

1 T chili powder

1 t cumin

sea salt, black pepper to taste

avocado (optional)

Directions:

(Squash)

Boil acorn squash for 25 mins

Cut in into 4, spray w/ EVOO, dust with chili powder and cumin

Cook for ~20 mins at 425F

(Topping)

Combine remaining ingredients (except avocado)

Warm on stovetop over low heat

Serves 4-5 

Seriously amazing.

* * *

With a stomach full of happiness, I headed to work for shift #7. I’m so over canned soup or salad (even if it’s Amy’s and salads) for packed dinners at work. Maybe in the summer I’ll crave something lighter but for now I crave warmth and comforting foods. 

So why not combine two of my favorite healthy comfort foods? 

Magic soup + baked sweet potato = so, so good.

I also packed a Chocolate-Raspberry Protein Cupcake errr Muffin (?) for later snacking..

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (SunWarrior brand)

1/4 cup frozen raspberries

1 T egg whites

pinch baking powder

stevia, 1 serving

H20, to moisten

Microwave for ~1 min 30 seconds

* * *

Have a great day everyone! Keep those music play list suggestions coming. I need some new tunes for Saturday’s half marathon.

What should I do on my impromptu day off?

What are your favorite road trip snacks? 

>Will you be my Valentine?

>Happy Valentine’s Day ❤ Today marks hospital shift #6. That means two more to go before we head to Myrtle Beach! Rediously excited doesn’t even describe how pumped I am for this trip. My parents have a beach house so I generally join them for a weekend getaway 2-3 times per year. Free place on the beach? Sign me up!

This year we’re heading down to run the Dasani Half Marathon. Yep, we’re running it – me, my mom, and dad.

Now don’t assume I come from a long line of marathoners; both started running them in their 50’s! How cool, right? My dad was a runner in his twenties and thirties but stopped due to knee pain. Wanting to get back into shape, they started walking together (our neighborhood, a 3-mile loop) then gradually increased to 13 miles and now do a walk/run. Pretty amazing, huh?

Moral of the story? It’s never too late to get into shape and add years (literally) to your life! I’m not saying you need to urge loved ones to start running half marathons. [Almost] everyone has the ability to get up and get walking!

* * *

Last night after my grueling tiring 13-hr shift, I came home to a home filled with good food, and these two lovely ladies. I’ve joked before that my sister is the turkey sandwich master. No lie, if there was a continuous supply of turkey sandwich supplies the girl would eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for several months before getting sick of them. She offered to “cook” us a meal which turned into an “Order-it-your-way” turkey sand party. Can’t say I was too upset!

A few varieties….

Sticking to my 30-day challenge, I had a toasted bagel thin with all-natural turkey (most deli meat contains “fillers”, artificial flavoring, and preservatives so choose an all-natural variety), tomato, lettuce, avocado, and Trader Joe’s whole grain spicy mustard. We enjoyed these along with a veggie platter, pita chips, and fresh hummus.

To contribute, I made these bad babies…

Skinny strawberry [all-natural] frozen margaritas

Clear tequila

splash triple sec (I found an all natural brand!)

frozen organic strawberries

teeny splash fresh lime juice

stevia (1 packet per serving)

splash h20

ice

Never a dull moment with these girls ❤

* * *

This morning I woke to 66F sunshine! It was so nice I enjoyed my breakfast on the desk and basked in the sun.

Raspberry-Vanilla-Canteloupe Green Protein Smoothie

1 scoop Vanilla protein powder (SunWarrior brand)

cantaloupe

frozen raspberries

frozen banana

tsp. SuperGreens

hand full fresh spinach

stevia, pinch sea salt

water

ice

* * *

 

Please help! I desperately need a new half marathon playlist. Tell me your favorite workout song! Thanks a million 🙂