The Friday Five

1. What I'm Reading: still Unbroken

source

It's heartbreaking.  The lengths that this man went to in order to survive is astounding.  He could have easily given up on life, but chose to fight time and time again. 

I'm not much of a softie, but am so emotional when it comes to the military.  There is nothing more noble than serving your country in the armed forces. July 4th is just around the corner, and I will be able to celebrate USA's freedom and my personal freedom thanks to men like this. 




2. What I'm Eating: canned tuna and eggs

source




source



Week of yes (no food prep on Sunday) + working 2 jobs (awake and at home less than an hour a day) =no food in the house to eat except eggs and canned tuna.

I don't even have almond milk for smoothies!  Luckily, I did go to Sam's last Thursday, so I've had the luxury of greens and avocados to go with my eggs and tuna.

3. What I'm Watching:  Real World St. Thomas

source

Wednesday night I had to call in to job #2, because I had to make a last minute work trip to Natchitoches (almost 6 hours in the car!) for my "real" job.  I got home around 8 PM instead of 10 PM.  I finished doing laundry and watched the premeire of the Real World.

I'm a little bit ashamed that I'm too old to be a cast member.   I'm even more ashamed that I care I'm too old for the show.  But who wouldn't want to live in a bad ass house in St. Thomas for 3 months?  It would be better if they had actually chose hot guys this season, but there was only one I found attractive.

4. What I'm Listening to:

 

Can.not.get.enough! 

Usually, radio driven pop music drives me crazy, but this song is so addicting. I want to hate it, but cannot.

Saturday night, it was requested no less than 9,000 times.  Someone told the DJ it was my birthday to get him to play it.   Everytime it came on we did the Harvard baseball team moves.  My friend said her triceps were sore the next day.  I've questioned before if dancing counts as exercise and the answer is yes!

5. What I'm Pinning:


via ispydiy.com

via blog.hwtm.com

via abeautifulmess.typepad.com

via roastedrootfood.com

via carrotsncake.com




Happy Friday!

What are your weekend plans?  What are you reading, eating, watching, listening to, and pinning?

What I'm Loving Wednesday

1. Mint Julep cups

Did you know each state has a different cup?  Thankfully, Louisiana's cups are prettiest! 

source: Southern Living May 2011

The Derby is this weekend, but a mint julep is not reserved for Derby Day alone.  Being that it is my all time favorite drink, I enjoy them all summer.   Here is Garden & Gun's charming article on why a Mint Julep should be enjoyed all the time and their theory on why it isn't, along with a classic recipe.  


2.  Magnolias (of course!)

They are blooming like crazy right now.  I love that even the smallest trees still produce huge flowers.


3. That the weekend is almost here!

Saturday is Drinko Cinco de Mayo AND Derby Day!  Sombrero or Derby hat?  Julep or margarita?  Only time will reveal my winners.

4. My new, extra job.

It's easy and fun, and the extra "mad" money is great, too.  The best part is my bosses are my friends and I get to visit with them on a daily basis.  Our patrons are so friendly.  Since my "real" 9 to 5 (actually 8 to 4:30) job is isolating (I sit in my office all.day.long.  Occasionally, I get out for a rare meeting.), it's a great social outlet.

The only con is I have much less free time. I'm still working on getting into a workout and eating routine on the days I work from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM.  I missed my last two scheduled morning workouts after getting to bed entirely too late Monday night. (I think I was still catching up on sleep last night and slept right through my 5:00 AM alarm.)


5. Smoothies and eggs (not together!)

The plan was to food prep Sunday, so I would have some things to eat during the week, but that didn't happen.  Smoothies and eggs are quick, healthy options and have been my go to while working all these long hours.  Also, you can add veggies and fruit to ensure you're getting 5 servings a day.  For example, yesterday for breakfast I had an egg scramble with broccoli slaw (10 minutes to cook.).  Lunch was sauteed cabbage topped with eggs sunny side up (10 minute cook time).  Dinner was a smoothie with whey protein, strawberries, coconut, pineapple, spinach, and coconut milk (3 minute prep time?). 


6. CrossFit

I haven't been all week.  I miss it. So much so, that I considered calling into work today so I could make it to a class.  :(  Tomorrow! I hope the WOD is killer!


7. Sundresses (aka my summer uniform)

I love a sundress because it is appropriate for work, play, church, and really anything else.  You can dress them up or down.  Flats, wedges, or heels. They are possibly the coolest option on humid, sweltering, Louisiana summer days and nights.

Here are a few that need to be in my closet.



J. Crew

Modcloth

Lilly Pulitzer

Piperlime

Forever 21

Old Navy



Can you tell I love eyelet?  And that I don't love prints? 

What are you loving? A food?  A workout move? A summer trend?  A good book?  Share with me.

Spinach & Sweet Potato Hash

I'm a thief! 

I bought sweet potatoes a week or so ago with the intentions of making a venison & sweet potato shephards pie, but ending up making this instead.

So I had these sweet potatoes that needed to be used, when I remembered this recipe I saw somewhere.  For the life of me, I cannot remember if it was on a blog, in a magazine, on the Food Network.  Therefore, I cannot give due credit. If this is your recipe, I'm sorry for stealing it! (but obviously not so sorry that I refrained from posting it...)

I guess this is more of a breakfast or brunch dish, but I ate it for supper, so you can too!  Breakfast food is my favorite, so much so that I requested it as my birthday dinner.  Then, cooked up this hash the next night.

 

Spinach & Sweet Potato Hash topped with Poached Eggs
approximately 3 servings

ingredients:
non stick cooking spray
1 tbsp garlic
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp worcestshire sauce
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
salt, black pepper, & red pepper, to taste
3 handfuls fresh spinach
2 tbsp crumbled blue cheese
eggs (as many as you would like)

directions:
Bring a small pot of water to a boil.  Add potatoes and cook until slightly soft.  Heat a cast iron skillet coated with non-stick cooking spray.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant.  Add onions.  Cook down onions and add salt, pepper, and worchestshire.  Add potatoes to skillet.  Salt, pepper, and add sage to the potatoes.  Add spinach to the skillet and cook until wilted.  Add blue cheese.  Reduce heat on left over potato water so it is simmering, and use it as poaching liquid for eggs.  Serve poached eggs over potato mixture. 

Tastes better than it looks, I swear!

-I didn't have any crumbled blue cheese, so I added a Laughing Cow blue cheese wedge to my individual serving and mixed it in.  It made the potatoes creamy and delicious.

This was a winner. The flavor combo of the sweet potato, sage, blue cheese, and spinach was spot on.   Take it up a notch by adding walnuts or pecan, and even some dried cranberries.


Do you ever eat breakfast for dinner?

What I _______(blank) Wednesdays, Vol. 4

What I keep in my pantry/fridge at all times Wednesday

This is a list of MY clean eating essentials.


1. Organic spring mix



I go to Sam's once a week for this one.  It is $3.98 for an extra large container; well worth the drive across town.




2. Eggs

Great for my go to meal of a fritatta, or boiled for a snack.  I usually only eat the whites, unless I'm really craving a runny egg.  I probably eat close to 2 dozen eggs a week. If you are what you eat, I guess I'm an egg head.



3. All Natural Peanut Butter

 

I love it. Lola loves it. Having it on hand makes a happy household.



4. Worcestshire Sauce

I use it in EVERYTHING.



5. Maple Grove Fat Free Balsamic Vinaigrette

The ingredients are basically balsamic vinegar, some spices, and xantham gum to thicken it up. Only 5 calories in 2 tbsp!



6. Old Fashioned Oats

Need I say more.



7. Frozen Vegetables

Specifically, I always keep frozen spinach, frozen broccoli, frozen green beans, frozen pepper mix (with red, green, yellow bellpeppers & onions), and frozen Asian stir-fry vegetables. 

What are your pantry staples? 

Will you drive to a particular grocery store for just one specific item?

Sunday Fun-day Run-day

I woke up this morning and forced myself to get out of bed and put on some shorts and running shoes.  I knew if I didn't run early, I wasn't gonna run at all.  So even though I had a few too many beers last night and was feeling less than stellar, I pushed through and headed to my favorite running spot, Shell Beach Drive. It was a cool 83 degrees and overcast.  I decided to have an "easy like Sunday morning" run, so I didn't worry about distance or speed, I just ran at a slow and leisurely pace for 30 minutes. It was a good run!

Now here are a few fun facts about me:

favorite exercise: running, box jumps

most dreaded, hated, depsised, loated exercise: burpees!!!