Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Recipe: Easy Breakfast Lettuce Wraps

Hello, Fit Fam!

You may or may not realize that I used to have a recipe blog with one of my sisters. It kind of fizzled out, as life got in the way.

So, when Jill posted that the topic for this week's Fit Dish link-up was healthy recipes, I knew it was a great time excuse to resurrect one of the recipes I'd posted over there.

As I was surfing through my archives, this breakfast recipe looked so good!

Easy Breakfast Lettuce Wraps
Scrambled eggs smothered with chopped tomatoes and shredded cheese in lettuce leave. A deliciously healthy way to get some protein into your diet. So simple and easy!
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients
  • 2 leaves butter lettuce (or any other leaf lettuce)
  • 2 slices tomatoes
  • 2 eggs
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • shredded cheese
  • Frank's Red Hot (optional)

Directions
  1. Rinse and dry lettuce leaves. Chop tomato slices.
  2. Scramble eggs over medium heat, season with salt and pepper.
  3. Divide scrambled eggs evenly over lettuce leaves. Top with shredded cheese and chopped tomatoes. Shake on Frank's Red Hot, if desired.
I can't wait to get some butter lettuce to eat this again! And it would be super easy to dress this up a little by adding more veggies - onions, peppers, etc. Sky's kinda the limit. :)

Now, it's time to #dishthefit and check out all the other delicious AND healthy recipes that other bloggers are sharing today. Check out our hosts Jill Conyers at JillConyers.com or Jessica Joy at TheFitSwitch.org.

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Workout Recap + Mar 22 Meal Plan

I'm really loving this month's challenge - Muscle Up March with Tera at Girl Gone Healthy. I think might even inspire me to craft a challenge for April. I'm thinking of something with yoga, lower body, and a few days of upper body. It's all just in my head right now, but would any of you be interested in joining me for a month long challenge?

I've got a 10 more days of this one! And I know I'm going to finish this one STRONG!

Workout Recap


Sunday: 3 sets of 12 reps: Dumbbell Extensions, Dumbbell Triceps Extensions, Dumbbell Bench Press + 40 squats

Monday: 3 mile run (negative splits. whoo hoo.)

Tuesday: REST

Wednesday: 3 sets of 12 reps: Alternating Dumbbell Curls, Bent Over Rows, Overhead Shoulder Press + 50 squats + Strong Stride (1/2 of Program 1)

Thursday: 3.6 mile run (with a few hill repeats) + 3 sets of 12 reps: Triceps Kickback, Shoulder Fly, Weighted Arm Raise

Friday: REST

Saturday: 3 sets of 12 reps: Dumbbell Extensions, Dumbbell Triceps Extensions, Dumbbell Bench Press + Strong Stride (1/2 of Program 1)


What's for Dinner?


What's for Dinner? Week of Feb 22nd

Nothing too crazy this week - falling back on a few tried-and-true recipes + one new recipe to use the daikon radish that we got in our bountiful basket this week. Hopefully it turns to good.

Sunday: Leftovers

Monday: Chicken Asparagus Stir Fry

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Chicken Broccoli Bacon Daikon Casserole



Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Chicken tacos

Saturday: Leftovers

Breakfast:
Overnight oats (for real!)

Lunches:
Salads
Leftovers

Snacks/Dessert:
Bell peppers with ranch dressing
Celery with peanut butter
Fruit slices

Sunday Prep:
Prep salads for this week's lunches
Slice veggies and fruit for snacking
Overnight oats

What are you cooking up this week?
How were your workouts last week?


Be sure to stop by Laura @ Mommy Run Fast and Jill Conyers to check out what everyone else is cooking up this week.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Do You Live in the Moment?

Welcome, #fitfam! It's time for the weekly #dishthefit link-up.

This week's {optional} topic is...

The Fit Dish Link-up | Be Present

Hmmm... Do I live in the moment?

I think the answer is both Yes and No.

I'm a planner, you see. Like that time, 3 years ago, we planned a major travel adventure that could have ended with us living in Belize. We sold most of our possessions, bought a van, planned our route. We had a plan.

Part of the plan included a stop in Las Vegas for a reunion with some of my college girlfriends.

And that is where our travel adventure stopped.

NOW, that is living in the moment. :-)

After our pit stop in Vegas, we reassessed our adventure plans and made the decision to settle in Vegas instead.

And this is not an isolated event. We make plans all. the. time. But we're also cool with changing those plans.

How does this relate to fitness?

I like to think I apply this same make-a-plan, change-the-plan mentality to my workouts.

For example, when I'm training for a marathon, I always start with a training plan, but I don't beat myself up if when I stray from that plan. And, I attempt to enjoy all of the training runs as well. And the actual event, of course.

My blog is called Enjoying the Course, after all, and I do try to remember that in all that I do.

Even right now when I'm trying to focus on speed.

So, maybe the true answer to Do I live in the Moment is more YES than No. I think I'm pretty happy about that. :-)

Do you live in the moment?

Monday, March 16, 2015

Catch the Leprechaun 5k Recap

This past weekend I ran the Catch the Leprechaun 5k just outside of Vegas.

Pre-race at the Catch the Leprechaun 5k
Pre-race. All smiles. :-)

Wow! What a completely different race experience than my previous 5k.

The before and after race were fun, but the actual race itself was TOUGH!

Dirt trails, rather than paved, will always result in a slightly slower pace. It's physics. ;-)

And most of this race was on a well groomed dirt path. Not really a trail per se, but enough to slow me down slightly.

But I can't really blame the terrain. No, my body just wasn't feeling this one. Everything felt TIRED - my legs, my feet, my mind. There were many times throughout the race that I just wanted to stop.

But my C Goal - no walking - kept me going. If I hadn't made that one of my goals for this race, I know I would have stopped to walk. Probably more than once.

Around mile 2, I got a pretty nasty side stitch that simply wouldn't go away. Still, I pressed on. I kept trying to push myself to go faster, but it just wasn't in the cards.

Around 2.75 miles, the course had to cut back over to the paved trail through the park. This part of the course wasn't nearly as well groomed. Larger rocks in the gravel. Traversing across some grass.

And a twisted ankle. :-(

Nothing too serious, though. When I hit back on the paved section to head to the finish, I was finally able to give it my all all I had left.

Finishing strong | Catch the Leprechaun 5k

Official time: 28:04
Splits: 8:39, 9:07, 9:38, 0:40

Nowhere near a PR for me, but I'm still happy with my time. I did make my B Goal (sub-30), after all.

After the race, we stuck around for the awards - something we normally never do - but we're so glad we did this time! You see, my friend, George, won first in his division and walked away with this neat award/vase.

Catch the Leprechaun 5k Division Winners

And everyone who ran got this really cool medal.

Catch the Leprechaun 5k

And this really cool medal also got us a free Mimosa (or champagne) at Rachel's Kitchen, so naturally, we had to go out for breakfast after the race.

Breakfast at Rachel's Kitchen

I wasn't very hungry, and I mistakenly thought that pancakes would be a bit lighter. I was wrong. They were delicious, but SO FILLING! :-)

It was a pretty good start to the weekend, even if the actual race wasn't my favorite.

Did you race this weekend?
Ever have an off-race, where nothing was clicking?

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Workout Recap + Mar 15 Meal Plan

It's been absolutely perfect weather here the last few days, and I'm really hoping that Spring is here to stay. :-)

Workout Recap


Sunday: 3 easy miles + 3 sets of 12 reps: Triceps Kickback, Shoulder Fly, Weighted Arm Raise

Monday: 3 sets of 12 reps: Dumbbell Extensions, Dumbbell Triceps Extensions, Dumbbell Bench Press

Tuesday: 2.6 mile run (w/ 1 mile of 30-20-10 speed work) + 30 squats

Wednesday: 3 sets of 12 reps: Alternating Dumbbell Curls, Bent Over Rows, Overhead Shoulder Press

Thursday: 3.6 mile run

Friday: 3 sets of 12 reps: Triceps Kickback, Shoulder Fly, Weighted Arm Raise

Saturday: Catch the Leprechaun 5k (recap coming tomorrow)


What's for Dinner?


What's for Dinner? Week of Feb 22nd

I guess we're feeling a little adventurous this week, and we're trying 2 dinners without a recipe. Hopefully all turns out deliciously.

Sunday: Hummus-Crusted Chicken. This has been on my menu for weeks now, but I actually already made the hummus this morning, so I'm pretty confident that it will happen tonight!



Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Jeff's concoction. Something with tortilla crumbs and re-fried beans. It's pretty rare that he wants to play in the kitchen, so I always try to let him when he gets the urge. :)

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: My turn to experiment. Something with red potatoes and the slow cooker. Hopefully I'll document it, so I can share the recipe with you all (if it turns out well).

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: TBD. Depends on what we get in our Bountiful Basket Saturday morning.

Breakfast:
Cranberry Vanilla Yogurt Parfait
Overnight Oats

Lunches:
Salads
Leftovers

Snacks/Dessert:
Cucumber slices and baby bell peppers with hummus
Fruit slices

Sunday Prep:
Prep salads for this week's lunches
Make hummus (done!)
Slice veggies and fruit for snacking
Overnight oats

What are you cooking up this week?
How were your workouts last week?


Be sure to stop by Laura @ Mommy Run Fast and Jill Conyers to check out what everyone else is cooking up this week.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Catch the Leprechaun 5k Goals

Happy Friday!

Before I forget, THANK YOU to everyone who entered my giveaway for Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts. And...The winner is Yuen Chik! Congratulations!!

A couple days ago, I signed up for a last minute 5k this weekend.

CBRE Cares- Catch the Leprechaun 5K, Las Vegas | Desert Sky Adventures

Even though it wasn't really planned, I figured I should set a couple goals for the race.

A GOAL: Sub-26:30
B GOAL: Sub-30
C GOAL: No walking

My A Goal  would be an ever so slight of a PR. After blowing my goals out of the water during my last 5k, I decided I should probably have my A Goal be at least a PR - even if a tiny one.

That said, I'm not really hopeful of a PR, since this course isn't going to be as flat and smooth as the Big Game 5k.

Course Description:
The course heads along a short asphalt path next to the lakes until reaching the dirt trails of the park. This is a flat, scenic trail that meanders along beautiful desert landscape and gorgeous views of the majestic Sheep Mountains. Everyone will see lots of ducks, peacocks and birds.
Since it's a mix of trail and asphalt, and trails usually slow me down, I'm thinking that my B Goal is much more realistic. :-)

And, of course, I've got to put in a pretty easy goal, so no matter what, I feel pretty good about myself at the finish. LOL.

My last several runs have included a little walking, so I'm hoping that I can push through for an actual race - thus my C Goal.

Tuesday's run a few days ago was slow. My legs felt super heavy and uncooperative, but yesterday's run was slightly better. Yesterday's average pace was 9:35 - including some walking, hills, and traffic lights - which made me feel much more confident about this race.

I haven't done much speed work or strength training since the Big Game 5k, and with the course description, I'll be very surprised if I get a PR.

Stay tuned throughout the weekend for updates on Instagram and Twitter!

I'm sure I'll at least be wearing something cute and green. ;-)

Anyone else racing this weekend?

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Let's Run FASTER!


Welcome, #Fitfam!

I'm going a little off topic for today's Fit Dish. Mostly because I somehow missed the topic until this morning. :-/

I wanted to just pop in this morning to talk about speed work.

As you may (or may not) know, one my goals for 2015 (and 2014 and 2013) is to get a sub-25:00 5k. By some miracle, I ran a 26:33 5k back on Feb 1st during the Big Game 5k.

That crazy race made my goal somehow more realistic. I mean, I didn't even feel like I was trying that hard, and had the most difficult time accepting my time after I'd finished.

Even though it seems actually do-able now, I know I've got a lot of work to do to shave off another 1:30+ from my best time.

There are a lot of things that go into running faster - speed work (obvs), but also stretching, strength training, and I love this!

Work on form and fast will follow.

So, I combed through lots of articles that I'd already pinned and created a new board strictly about running faster.

Follow Clarinda's board Run FASTER on Pinterest.

Now, I've just pinned these articles. The next step is to actually READ them. :-)

And then, of course, APPLY them. ;-)

But I feel like this first step was important, so stay tuned for more on which workouts and tips I end up trying and which work and don't seem to work for me.

Now, since today's actual topic isn't too crazy, let me just finish with 5 peeps I'd love to run with one day! AKA my 5 favorite bloggers/runners.

5 People You Would Most Like to Workout With, and/or Be Trained By | The Fit Dish Link-up

Laura from Mommy, Run Fast
Jill (our Fit Dish host)
Katie from From Ice Cream to Marathon I've actually run with her before! An entire marathon.
Tracy from Instagram
Lea from Running with Ollie

What are you favorite ways to increase your speed? Any advice for me or articles I should pin/read?
If you could run with anyone, who would you choose?

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Workout Recap + Mar 8 Meal Plan


Last Monday, I woke up and decided, It's a new week and a new month, so NO MORE FUNK! I forced myself to start working out. I knew I needed to take control, and I'm certainly glad that I did. :)

Workout Recap


Sunday: REST

Monday: 10 squats (#GGHMuscleMarch) + Strong Stride DVD (Program 1)

Tuesday: 2.27 mile run (easy) + 2 sets of 15 reps: Dumbbell Extensions, Dumbbell Triceps Extensions, Dumbbell Bench Press

Wednesday: REST

Thursday: 3.15 mile run + 3 sets of 12 reps: Alternating Dumbbell Curls, Bent Over Rows, Overhead Shoulder Press

Friday: 20 squats (#GGHMuscleMarch) + Strong Stride DVD (Program 1)

Saturday: REST


What's for Dinner?


What's for Dinner? Week of Feb 22nd

We ordered a couple new toys for the kitchen, and I can't wait to play with them this week.

OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer - I've never actually owned a mandoline slicer before. I've already done a little slicing with it, and I'm super excited about how quickly it's going to make dinner and salad prep! Whoo hoo!!

Aroma Digital Rice Cooker and Food Steamer - I don't know why it took us so long to buy a rice cooker. I've been cooking it on the stove, and it always boils over and make a stinky mess. This one also steams veggies and other things. I'll be using it this week for making stir fry.

Sunday: A variation of Summer Vegetable Tian. I've never tried this before, but it looks so good!



Monday: Slow Cooker Lasagna. Jeff's special request. He loves this stuff! :)

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Chicken and Asparagus Stir Fry. I made this last time we got asparagus in our Bountiful Baskets, and it was the best stir fry I'd ever made, so it will definitely be a staple whenever we get asparagus.



Thursday: Baked Chimichangas

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Hummus Crusted Chicken

Breakfast:
Overnight Spiced Vanilla-Pear Oatmeal
Cheddar Apple Muffins

Lunches:
Salads
Leftovers

Snacks/Dessert:
Chips & Salsa
Fruit

Sunday Prep:
Slice veggies for tonight's tian
Prep sauce for tomorrow's lasagna
Prep salads for this week's lunches
Slow cook chicken for salads and chimichangas

What are you cooking up this week?
How were your workouts last week?


Be sure to stop by Laura @ Mommy Run Fast and Jill Conyers to check out what everyone else is cooking up this week.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Review: Hemp Hearts

I recently received a complimentary bag of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts to try out.

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts

Being a Sweat Pink Ambassador has its perks. ;-)

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts

These tiny little hemp hearts are delicious and add a little nutty flavor/texture to whatever you wish to sprinkle them on. They're perfect for after a tough workout or just whenever you need a little energy boost.

I used some to make a delicious blueberry, kiwi smoothie.

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts

I sprinkled some onto a tasty wrap sandwich.

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts

And onto a bowl of potato soup.

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts

I even tried out one of the recipes on their site - Hemp Hearts & Coconut Bar

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts

And O.M.G. These were GOOD!! Seriously, so DELICIOUS!! I only had about 1/4 cup left in my sample bag, so, regrettably, I had to make a pretty small batch. :-(

Sadly, all it made was these 4 little bars. I tried my best to savor them, but it was REALLY difficult to not scarf them all down in one sitting.

My sample might be all gone, but the awesome folks at Manitoba Harvest offered to send a free bag of Hemp Hearts to one lucky reader, so you can try this recipe yourself!

Or use them any other way you'd like.

Just enter using the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway Have you ever tried Hemp Hearts?

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

{It's a Date} Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo

WAY back at the end of December, Jeff and I had a little date night afternoon at the Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo. I never ended up blogging about it, so... better late than never, right? :)

The Wildlife Habitat is a fun little nugget on the Las Vegas Strip for when you need a break from all gambling, shopping, and partying that most people come to Vegas to do.

Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo | Las Vegas

I never knew there were so many varieties of ducks!

Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo | Las Vegas

Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo | Las Vegas

Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo | Las Vegas

We arrived just in time for the Pelican Feeding, which was actually a feeding for all the other waterfowl as well.

Pelican Feeding at the Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo | Las Vegas

Pelican Feeding at the Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo | Las Vegas

Pelican Feeding at the Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo | Las Vegas

Pelican Feeding at the Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo | Las Vegas

It was a little chilly the day we went, but it was super fun to watch the pelican feeding and also to just walk around and watch all the other waterfowl swimming in the ponds.

There were also a lot of fish swimming around. :-)

Unfortunately, the flamingos weren't outside. Their little section of the habitat was under construction, so they were inside - somewhere warmer, I hope.

The best thing about the Wildlife Habitat? It's FREE! I love finding incredibly fun things to do for free in Vegas, and this is definitely at the top of the list now!

I'm definitely going to go back when the flamingos are out, because I think they would be incredible to see.

Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo | Las Vegas

What's a fun, free date night you've had recently?

Monday, March 2, 2015

February Recap + March Goals

Happy March!! I, for one, am super excited for a new month. A fresh start.
Why does it seem that February, the shortest month of the year, always seems so long!?!

Actually, the entire month wasn't so bad; it's just got clouded with kind of a pretty rotten ending. I guess that's why these recaps are so important. To keep me a little grounded and help remember the good times.

February started out with the best thing ever - a fantastically surprising PR at the Big Game 5k.

February 2015 recap

Here are a few more highlights from the month:

I convinced a co-worker to Runch with me one afternoon. We were going to make it a more regular thing, but so far, we've only gone the one time.

I tried out a fun Toning Ballet class at Pole Fitness Studio using my ClassPass.

I read more in February than I have in a very long time!

I fell into a funk the past week or so. :(

February Goal Recap

  • Bike commute at least 4 times - Only made it 2 1/2 times, which I'm still happy about - considering it had been MONTHS since I'd last biked in.
  • Run at least 35 miles - So close! I think I made it 29+ miles, but then this funk hit me like a ton of bricks, and running took a backseat.
  • Take 3 yoga classes - Total failure with this one. Not even a single yoga class was taken. Not even a yoga video at home.
  • Complete the Flab Free February challenge with Tera at Girl Gone Healthy -  I did really well with this for the first 19 days of the month, and then, well, that stupid funk. :(
  • Gain 50 Pinterest followers - Only gained 23, but I didn't really take the time to actually focus on this like I wanted to.
  • Read at least 2 books - Winner, winner, chicken dinner!!! I actually read 3 books in February - 2 on my own and 1 with Jeff. :-)

Goals with Jeff Recap

  • Monthly date night - Didn't happen in February. I know, I know. The month with Valentine's Day AND Jeff's birthday, and we didn't manage to get out of the house together. Unless you count the crazy walk to RedBox on Saturday.
  • Read 12 books - Finished book #2. Whoo hoo! We didn't think we were going to, but then we surprised ourselves by finishing a few days early. We even got a jump start on book #3.
  • Buy a house - It's with a little bit of sadness that we've decided to remove this as one of our 2015 goals. Sometimes life has other ideas, and plans have to change. So instead of buying a house, we signed a new 13-month lease at our current apartment. 

Enjoying the Course | March Goals

Yeah. It's going to be a bit of a Do Over month.

What was your best highlight from February?
What are your March goals?

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Workout Recap + Mar 1 Meal Plan

In case you missed my crazy experience yesterday, check this out!


Jeff and I walked to Redbox yesterday afternoon to rent a couple movies. When we were almost there, we heard a screech of tires and then a loud crash! I looked around and couldn't comprehend what happened at first. And then I saw the downed street light.

It was pretty windy, but not that windy. Unbelievable! And pretty perfect timing, considering how busy the street was, that no one was hurt and no cars were damaged.

Of course, we didn't have our phones with us, so once we got back to our apartment, I grabbed my phone and we took off back down the street to snap a picture. :-D

By time we got back to the scene, the Fire Department had arrived to help keep pedestrians away and to control traffic.

So, that was our exciting Saturday afternoon.

Workout Recap

In case you missed my post on Tuesday, I've been in kind of a funk this past week, which resulted in pretty much taking the entire week off of working out.

Let's call it a RESET week. :-)

I think the only activity I even attempted last week was biking to work on Thursday. It wiped me out so much, that I called Jeff to come and pick me up after work.

Ugh! Here's to a new month and climbing out of this funk!!

What's for Dinner?


What's for Dinner? Week of Feb 22nd

Here's what I think I'll be cooking up this week.

Sunday: Burritos

Monday: Salads

Tuesday: Hummus Crusted Chicken

Wednesday: Penne with red sauce and garlic bread

Thursday: Soup & Grilled Cheese

Friday: Baked Potatoes and Chili

Saturday: TBD

Breakfast:
Overnight oats - 3rd week's a charm??
Orange Yogurt Cake

Lunches:
Salads

Snacks/Dessert:
Chips & Salsa
Jicama with honey lime dipping sauce
Hemp Hearts & Coconut Bars
Pineapple

Sunday Prep:
Prep overnight oats
Make hummus, guacamole, and honey lime dipping sauce
Hemp Hearts & Coconut Bars
Cut pineapple

What are you cooking up this week?
How were your workouts last week?


Be sure to stop by Laura @ Mommy Run Fast and Jill Conyers to check out what everyone else is cooking up this week.