Going Green

As you know, we (I) think holidays are just about the greatest thing ever.  They give me a reason to have fun, act crazy, and create yummy menus that go along with the celebration.

Except for I pretty much do that every single day.

Every day should be a celebration if you think about it.

And I do think about it.  A lot. 

It also doesn't just have to be about one meal.  It can be an all day party if you want it to be.

And I did.

So, I started the day off right with the infamous Green Monster.

It made me feel lucky.

Then I headed to my favorite in town hot spots... Publix and Fresh Market.

And continued with the green theme.

Green as in good for the environment.

I've actually been using these bags since the beginning of the year. ( New Year's resolution) Except for I ALWAYS forget about them and have to go back out to my car.  Or buy more.  But today, I somehow remembered the first time in.

I love how much they hold.  I love not having a million plastic bags.  I love doing something good for this World.  Every little bit helps.

Something else we do that is green.  We recycle. 

And we don't need any fancy bins or trash cans. 

A simple garbage bag tied to the wall below the beer fridge does the trick.

A beer fridge that is full of Diet Mt. Dew (also green!) and La Croix water.

 We are such party animals these days.

Continuing with the St. Patrick's Day theme.....

I found (and purchased) this butter...

 Word on the streets is that this is the BEST freaking butter you will ever eat.  And supposedly it is hard to find except for this time of year. 

I wouldn't know - because until a month ago, I had never heard of it.

But I had to have it!  Because it is the best!  And it is all natural and perfect and as good for you as butter can be.

I'm sure it will make some delicious cookies. 

And will become best friends with my favorite bread.

Along with this...

 Also from Ireland.  Also hard to find ??

It insisted on jumping in to my cart.  It is cheese after all. 

Unfortunately though, I had to give up toilet paper for the cheese.  Because I have challenged myself to stick to a budget every time I grocery shop.  It is a way to keep my hobby in check.  And is also a fun game to play.

I love games.

Except for today when I refused to lose to my pre set budget challenge and I opted against the t.p. 

We only have three rolls left.

But at least we have the cheese.

It's a good thing we have extra napkins right now.

And a yard full of weeds.

I started preparing dinner and Kev came home.

He was wearing green! Darn him.

Not only a green pullover ... but a green t-shirt as well. 

I was secretly proud even though I didn't get to pinch.

Didn't you hate it in elementary school when you would get your life pinched out of you for not wearing green?

Was it just me?

Don't answer that.

I never got a chance to be the pincher.  I was always running away from every one else.

So, Kev said I could pinch him anyway.  Because he is so good to me.

It is not as fun when you are given permission.

But our dinner made every thing all right.

Best St. Patrick's Day meal I've ever had.

Details coming soon.....

Cabbage and Corned Beef

That is something that we will NOT be having for dinner tonight. 

Kev is not a fan.  Actually, if you remember, he is not a fan of most Irish food.  Which makes it really hard on me to come up with the perfect St. Patrick's Day celebration menu.

( enter violins playing very sad, pitiful music)

But I think I did it this year.  By accident.  And I'm just about to head out to the Fresh Market to pick up my supplies.

But first I wanted to tell you about something else.

The fact that I suddenly have NO tolerance for caffeine.

NONE. 

And I am just as amazed and perplexed as you are that I went from practically eating tea bags and coffee granules by the shovel full.... to feeling miserable after only one sip.

Here is the proof:

I bought this as a "treat" yesterday.  Some time in between finishing up at the dentist and going to work.

The "treat" was because my dentist said that I received a A+ for taking care of my teeth.

A score that Kev claims is really for him because if it was up to me to maintain my oral hygeine - I would be a "mush mouth".  ( those were his exact words!)

It is not that I do not like brushing my teeth..... in the MORNING.  But I HATE brushing them at night for some reason.  It is just such a pain in my side.  When I am ready to go to bed... I am ready.  And I don't have time to go through all that trouble.

Kev makes me floss, too. 

Bedtime is very stressful.

Especially when I finish my "routine" in 3 seconds and have to lay in bed watching and listening to him brush his. 

I swear he sings while he does it.  There is just so much happiness coming out of his bathroom. 

I guess living with a good teeth cleaning role model isn't the worst thing I could be living with.

I mean I did get an A+ after all. 

But back to the point....  my treat.

I guess I was just missing the strong taste of unsweet tea.  So, I went to Starbucks.  Ordered the tea - in the smallest size possible - and let them make it the way they normally do.  Mixed with water.

( I used to request straight tea with NO water!  Talk about a strong drink!)

And I took one sip and immediately realized that it was not a good idea.  I didn't like the taste.  I didn't like the feeling it gave me.  In fact, after three sips, I started to get a headache. 

Who am I?

So, I brought the drink home and put it in my fridge because I didn't want to waste it. 

What has happened to me?

My sister will NEVER believe in a million years that I no longer have to drink a ton of tea in the morning to go from "monster" to Kim.

I wake up happy on my own.

Thank you cleanse!! ( I only have five more days!!)

And now I am off to grocery shop.  With a lot of fun recipes planned for the next couple of days.

Including a tea party for a good cause!! I can't wait!

I hope you are all enjoying the holiday so far!  And just so you know... you can NOT claim that you are wearing green underwear to prevent yourself from getting pinched!!

It doesn't count!

Things You Need To Know About Me

1.  My worst nightmare these days is to walk in to the spin class room right after the previous class has finished.  It is muggy.  Wet.  And smells like a bowl of stink.

It seriously makes me throw up a little in my mouth. 

2.  Packing a runny egg english muffin open faced sandwich as my "eat in the car on the way to work" breakfast was a horrible decision.  That resulted in egg on my face.  Literally.  Like dripping off my chin. 

And some may or may not be on the gear shift and steering wheel.

3.  The past couple of nights I have cut back on my portions of dinner.  Only so I could save room to have my new favorite treat.  Plain greek yogurt and fresh strawberries. 

The only thing better than eating it- is eating it with a spoon that matches the color scheme.

4.  I love the color red.  So much.  Obviously.

5.  I have been carrying around a rather large grilling cookbook for days.  I'm trying to decide what I want Kev to grill on Saturday night.  I suggested that he "grill" his way through the cookbook so we could try every thing.

He shook his head as if to say I was crazy.  And then turned up the volume on the t.v.

6.  I'm going bra shopping tomorrow.  I would rather do jumping jacks in the middle of the mall. 

Except for I would have to have a good bra to accomplish that without getting arrested. 

7.  I've been using a body wash that I got on super duper clearance at Target.  Which means I smell like Christmas.  Who knew that "holiday pear" wouldn't be a popular scent?

I'm so glad that I bought five bottles. 

8.  My sweet little ( 4lbs. 13oz) niece, Abigail, is FINALLY home from the hospital.  Happy and healthy.  I can't wait to see her again at her "Welcome to the World" party on Friday!

I'm making cupcakes.

9.  I hope that Kev forgets to wear green on Thursday.  I've been dying for a reason to pinch him.

10.  I just finished the last of my strawberries.  The End.

Magnificent Muffins For A Monday

Mondays can be tough. 

They can be long.

They can be stressful.

Which is why I made the most delicious muffins last night.  To ensure my survival.

And keep my wits about me.

Except for that is a lie. 

And way too dramatic.  Even for a Monday.

I really just made the muffins because the time was right.  And the bananas were perfectly ripe.  And I just couldn't wait any longer. 

It was just an added bonus that I had them to brighten up my Monday.

I've been holding on to this recipe for a while now.  Daydreaming about the pictures and the ingredients and the thought of making these every week to ensure our endless supply.

I got the recipe from Faith at Gracefulfitness .  She claims them to be the best muffins EVER.  And I tend to agree. 

The only problem..... the recipe requires three very ripe bananas.

And with Kev on constant "produce patrol" - that is almost impossible.

I had to lay down the law and forbid him from eating the older bananas.

He was afraid to step in the kitchen for days. 

Except for that he really wasn't. 

He just went about his business and ate the newer bananas instead.

The muffins were super easy to put together - and with the exception of having to change out parts on the food processor - it took about five minutes.

The absolute very best part is the filling.

It will make your taste buds throw their hands up in the air and dance for days.

And to think that it is only a ripe banana, some salted crunchy peanut butter, and vanilla.

I could put this stuff on pancakes, cupcakes, fruit, my fingers... you name it.  It is just that good.  And tastes so rich ( at least it does to my  new found taste buds)

The muffin mix is not too shabby itself.  I finally got to lick a bowl clean....

These were done in no time.  I can see me making them every Sunday night for us to eat through out the week.

Kev ate two for breakfast.  And I ate one with a Chobani vanilla greek yogurt.  Which just about put me in to a happiness coma - it was just that good!

My only regret was that I didn't put enough filling in to the muffins.  I thought I filled them up per the recipe but ended up with plenty left over.  Which I happily ate with a spoon.  So, next week I will definitely make sure to put more of the heavenly "frosting" inside.

I already have the bananas set aside....  getting as speckled as they possibly can.... hoping to be chosen for the next batch.

Saving Daylight

I took this picture at 7:30 PM. 

I love this time of year.  I love the daylight.  I love the beautiful weather.

I love coming home from work and still having part of the "day" to enjoy.

Except for I was exhausted. 

And as much as I wanted to sit outside and soak up the sun.  I needed a nap.

I did lose an hour of sleep last night, you know.

And I was determined to not have any caffeine today.  ( Even though, I have to say that I am definitely missing the taste of coffee or tea in the morning... maybe decaf is in my future?)

But, luckily, a quick 20 minute power nap did the trick. 

And I was STILL able to enjoy the beautiful day.

I enjoyed it by cooking stuff.  And drinking lemon water. And staring out the open windows daydreaming about swimming, fruity drinks, sun tans, and grilling out.

Have I mentioned that I LOVE this time of year.

(Actually I love every "time" of year.  Because just when I start getting tired of a season... it changes to something new and better.  Change is good for me- it keeps me on my toes.)

So, besides working on my top secret muffin project - that is only "top secret" because I'm going to tell you all about it tomorrow- I went ahead and made dinner.

And made a HUGE mess of the kitchen while I was at it.

Which is nothing that Kev can't fix.  I've started calling him the "steam shovel" because he can come in the kitchen when I'm finished and get the kitchen spic n span in seconds.

It is pretty impressive.  And fortunate.

Otherwise, we would have to move every week.  I can't work in an unclean environment.  :)

Dinner was Asian inspired.

A stir fry - to be exact.

And I love making stir frys because you can tailor them to your liking.  Whatever that might be at the moment. 

Or more like whatever you have in your fridge at the moment.  It is a good time to use up some veggies that may be on their last leg/stalk.

I cooked some broccoli, sugar snap peas, and water chesnuts in olive oil and organic low sodium soy sauce.

Added in some organic chicken.

And served it over some Japanese buckwheat noodles.

I orginally had plans for brown rice.... but if I haven't already said it enough.. the buckwheat noodles are fantastic.  Best noodles I ever had. 

And they only take 5 minutes to cook.  And taste just as good cold as they do hot.

And will be there for you when all of your friends and family "disappear" because you talk about food too much.

And then just because I'm sure you were waiting on the edge of your seat wanting to know what else we had to eat this weekend.....

It was a faux semi-Thanksgiving dinner.  Because our Mardi Gras celebration is going to have to wait one more week.

I cooked sweet potatoes and red potatoes together in a boiling pot of water.  And then mashed them up and made them become friends.  They were thankful for the introduction.  And so were our bellies.

The green bean casserole was a repeat in our meal rotation.  Because it is just that good.  It super healthy and unprocessed and full of protein.  The usual cream of mushroom soup is replaced with crushed lima beans.  I love that.

You can find the recipe here.

Other than that, my friends, it is going to be a light week as far as cooking goes.  That is until Thursday when we will be celebrating Irish style. 

I am counting the days....

I Could Go For Miles and Miles and Miles

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately.  About running. 

What I want to do.  Where I want to go.  How I want to train.

And I think I have finally  made some decisions.  Some decisions that will help me get focused. 

Because running is all about feeling good and having fun.  (At least it is to me!)

So, I have opted out of the half marathon in April.  I thought long and hard about it and decided to compete in another 10K before I take on a half. 

It is the right thing to do.

I have decided to follow a training program very similar to Caitlin's which can be found here.

And have been doing a lot of research on every thing from clothes, to music, to fuel.  ( Hi.  I'm Kim and I'm obsessive)

That all being said - Here is what I have planned (so far) for 2011.

May- 10K
September- 10K
October- Food and Wine Festival Half Marathon in Epcot!! ( so excited about this!)

I plan to throw a couple of 5Ks in here and there - but nothing is set in stone yet.

But for 2012 - I've got some big plans!!

February- Disney Princess Half Marathon
April- Nashville's Rock and Roll Half Marathon ( no better place to run than my favorite city!)
October- Food and Wine Festival AGAIN. 

And then there are a couple shorter distance runs that I would love to do.   Who knows... the sky is the limit, I guess. 

At least until Kev cuts me off from spending money on race entry fees.

I guess having running as a hobby is better than collecting garden gnomes.

Not that there is anything wrong with that.  :)

Things I'm Loving Right Now

1.  Strawberries.

I got the entire bowl full for $4.99.  And they are some of the juiciest, most delicious  berries I've ever had. 

Or maybe they are just regular old berries... but my new found taste buds are just appreciating them more. 

Kev doesn't like strawberries.   

So, they are all mine.

To eat with plain greek yogurt as my new favorite breakfast.

I've decided that I like plain yogurt with berries even better than the flavored greek yogurt that I hold so near and dear to my heart.

I can see myself eating this all Spring and Summer.  For the next thirty years.

2.  The Elliptical. 

I have never been a fan of that particular piece of equipment.  It has always looked too hard to work.  Not to mention that I feel like it would give me a case of the jimmie legs and arms.  But, I've been getting on it more and more and have decided that it is quite delightful.  I get a great workout - total body - and sweat like a beast.  It is a nice change from running on the treadmill.  And lucky for me, they have them in the DARK theater room.  Win-win situation.

3.  My husband.

Because he made me this for lunch.

The other night I had pre made some tuna fish for our dinner on Tuesday.  Kev's was the good stuff with mayo, dried cranberries, onions, and almonds.  Mine was with (organic) spicy brown mustard and onion. 

Well, one thing led to another at the gym... and before I knew it I was staying for another class.  Which means I got home late.  But walked in to dinner being plated and lunch made for the next day.  He even panini-ed my Ezekiel bread tuna sandwich.  Which makes it that much better!

And then I added some beet and sweet potato all natural chips.  And it was a meal fit for a cleansing queen.

4.  My recipe for St. Patrick's Day.

I just discovered it and am all kinds of excited.  Especially because I have always struggled with what to make.  It combines a lot of our favorite things.  But more importantly does not have cabbage or corned beef..... Kev's nemesis.

5.  My sweet baby niece, Abigail.  Who is still being held in the hospital because she is soooo tiny.  I promise a photo shoot the minute she gets home and settled. 

And last but not least...

6.  This wonderful day.  Because I'm getting a lot of things accomplished.  And have so much to be thankful for!