AnACTIVE ADVENTURE...

Diet Skeleton

2010-08-06T11:19:00.002-04:00

Hope your week flew by as quick as mine did!! It is totally true that time flies when you are having fun. Guess I have been having way too much fun because this summer has flown by way too fast! In a matter of 10 days I will be attending my Law School orientation and beginning school shortly after that. I am definitely anxious but also very excited :)

I am also very excited to be done with INSANITY!!! Sunday is the last Fit Test, woo hooo!! My plan is to take a about a week off while I get these in the mail:

Once school starts it will be difficult to fit gym-time into my busy schedule that is why I plan on doing P-90x & INSANITY at home. INSANITY was the first at home workout program I ever did and I have loved the convenience of working out at home. I not only saved time but it was also less of a hassle. So once school starts my plan is to do my workouts early in the mornings before school.

On to eats...Lately I have been pretty monotonous with my eats:

Here is my P90X/Insanity Diet Skeleton

BFAST: (carbs, dairy, fruit)

Snack: (Protein, Fruit)

Lunch: (Protein, Veggies, Fat)

Snack: (Dairy, Protein Bar)

Dinner: I always have some sort of Protein, Veggies, with a Sweet Potato.
*** I eat try to follow this skeleton but I also have extra snacks (food blocks) to reach my daily caloric need.

What do you do switch up your eats?

New Arrivals!

2010-08-03T18:25:00.000-04:00

Hope you are having a lovahly TuesDaze!!!!

I am actually super happy I finally got some long awaited goodies:

Can you believe I got each one for only $26.74!!! This is actually my first time trying Spiru-Tein, cannot wait to dig scoop in ;)

And since I had run out of my protein mix, I sure was happy to see this arrival! Alyson (love her blog) uses the cake batter flavor for a lot of her delicious recipes but that flavor was on backorder so I stuck with Vanilla. Now I can fuel my INSANITY workouts!

According to the website:

"Muscle Gauge's whey protein Isolate is fat-free and has less calories than the leading brand of optimum nutrition, and like many of products comes in all of our flavors including unflavored if thats your preference. Its packed with 24g of protein per serving."

I can't wait to try out these goodies!

Talk to me!!
Any new products you have recently tried??

GOALs

2010-08-02T09:45:00.000-04:00

The weekend is always oh so wonderful, no?

This weekend was definitely a productive one for me. I was able to spend some quality time with friends and family, cleaned out my closet -(I ended up with 4 boxes of clothes I don't wear anymore!), and did a whole-lot-of shopping for some new clothes ;) Pretty busy weekend.

How was your weekend, did you make it as productive as you possibly could?

Now its time to begin a brand new week!! Tackle new things that need to get done and accomplish whatever goals we ma have set out for the day.

Weekly Goals

Finish INSANITY, woo hooo just one week left!
Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily
Finish my law school orientation assignment
Help mom accomplish her goal of walking 5 miles a week

I am off to start my day which looks something like this...

A wheatiefied bfast!

Sweaty date w/ Shaun T.

A post-workout meal, since I am out of my whey protein mix :( I found this article online, on some good ideas for post-workout meals

My attempt to recreate Panera's Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich

And some snackage

What are your goals for the week?

Back in BLOG-Action!!

2010-07-29T22:36:00.002-04:00

Hellooooo ladies!!!!

I can't believe I have been MIA for over 2 months!!! Once I graduated there were many things in my life that I needed to get in order. During the past months I have settled into a new town, traveled, and simply relaxed ;) Isn't that what summer is for, no? I have tried to enjoy this summer to fullest being that it is my last stress-free summer because in less than a month responsibility and reality law school begins -_- *gasp* I never meant to stop blogging but I guess I have just been having too much fun ;) I have missed all of you and I am so excited to be back in blog-action. Which has got me thinking... I have to use my mom's camera because my Nokia died :'( Can you believe that was the third camera that has died under my watch...NOT FAIR!!!!

Some things I have been up to....

Summer's Workout:

source

IT'S INSANITY I TELL YA!! ;) Almost done with the 60 day program, just 8 more days and the final Fit Test!!!

Summer's Guilty Pleasure:

source

I watched all 6 seasons this summer! AH-MA-ZIIIIING

And...

source

I have been catching up :)

Summer's Inspirational Reads:

... I will keep yah posted on all the rockin' Summer Eats

What have you been up to this summer?

Berry Obsessed?

2010-05-20T11:26:00.000-04:00

Happy Thursday beauties!!! After yesterday's post and reading about some of your food obsessions I realized that I too have been obsessing over fruits. Not all fruits though, it is an obsession to the culprits whose name ends in BERRY!!

They are a perfect addition to cereal, specially Kashi cereal ;)

Perfect for Parfaits:

Great topping for salads

Who needs jelly or jam? Just make a strawberry and PB sandwich!

RaspBERRY Kefir with some BlueBerries makes a perfect treat!

BERRY smoothie... yess!

Berry Greek Yogurts

BERRIES with chocolate sauce ROCK!

Come on feed my obsession ;)

What have you been making with berries lately???

Thats a WRAP

2010-05-19T13:46:00.000-04:00

Yaya!! Happy Hump-Day!!

Yesterday after a tough "Making the Cut" workout and a beautiful 4 mile run by the beach, I was pooped. *I don't have pics of the beach because I forgot my camera, bad blogger >.<* When I got home all I did was shower, eat, and veg while I waited for two of my favorite shows to come on, Glee and V. It was such perfect night, I have actually gotten my parents into watching Glee and they got me into watching V, pretty sweet deal so no fights over the TV, haha! I cannot wait for Glee's next episode, Gaga-fied Glee = AWESOME! I will stop my rant now that I have already completely given away how much of a geek Gleek I am.

This week I have been on a roll using wheat wraps for my lunches!

Grilled Chicken Quesadilla with Dijon Mustard

Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Wrap

Cheesy Egg Whites with Salsa

Week's Obsessions:

Yess I got the Mojo back in my life!!

These are pretty rocking too when I want to go for the sweeter route.

Why did it take me so long to try cocoa with strawberries, I have to thank the bella Gabriela for the introduction! It rocks!!

What is your week's obsession??

Live, paint, Laugh, eat, Love!

2010-05-18T09:47:00.000-04:00

Happy Tuesday beauties :)

Hope you had an awesome weekend. Remember how on my last post I talked about how weekends are just oh so relaxing, well I should have knocked on wood!!! My weekend wasn't too relaxing because I decided that my room was going to be painted and decorated by the Sunday afternoon. I began my little project on Friday afternoon by priming the royal blue walls, which needed 3 coats! Saturday I picked out the colors and painted all 4 walls, and Sunday I cleaned up and did a couple of touch up. I kept pretty busy this weekend and it was well worth it because now my room is just how I want it to be :)

Check it out! The color combination I ended up with was one a lot lighter than what I would usually go for, but as I mentioned before I really wanted relaxing colors.

The colors are Behr's Gulf Winds and Cottage White, and yesss all of my furniture is from IKEA gotta love that place!

I am actually in search of a book shelf for that corner of the room, I really need a place to put all of my Harry Potter and Twilight books ;)

Yes positive decor fills my room!

Dream On, Dream On, Until Your Dreams Come True

Love

Live Laugh Love!

Do you have positive decor in your room/around your house?

Once I was done with my room I jumped in the shower to get ready for a lunch my family was making me to celebrate graduation. This time everyone that hadn't been able to make it to Orlando came over to with me, the lunch was great. I actually decided to help out and make a salad, a BERRY delicious salad with a homemade dressing. This salad was a a big HIT and everyone loved the dressing... I think I am going to send this salad in for a couple of salad contests I have seen in a couple of blogs!!!

What are your favorite salad ingredients?

Juicing and BREADing

2010-05-14T13:23:00.000-04:00

Aren't Fridays just amazing!!! There is always sooo much to look forward to, no work, no early wake up, time to relax, and 2 full days to do whatever you want!! Ahhh my Fridays are just full of eagerness for the weekend.

Do you have any fun plans for this weekend?? I don't have much planned this weekend other than spending some quality time with the family and hopefully *fingers crossed >.<* painting my room.

This week has been a very relaxing week for me with no school to worry about! Although I love being so relaxed, I am getting a bit antsy and I think I want to find either a part time job or pick up a hobby, haha! 3 months of relaxation is just too much! Any ideas??

I must say I have kept busy playing in the kitchen and working out... but I need something else! For now baking and playing will have to do ;)

I have seen some peepz in the blogosphere baking with whey protein and I had been meaning to give it a try. So this week I decided it was time. I got the recipe from the BuyBulkWhey website, however, I did not add the 1 cup of sugar (thought it would make it too sweet) or the 1 cup of (mashed bananas). Also the applesauce I used was sweetened.

The main ingredients:

Altered Recipe: 12 servings

1 1/3 cup of whole wheat flour
1 1/4 t of baking powder
1/2 t of baking soda
1 t of ground cinnamon
1/3 Cup of All Whites
1/4 Cup of water
1/4 Cup of Applesauce (sweetened)
3 scoops of Whey protein Vanilla
Vanilla Extract

Once it was all mixed together I poured in a 9x5 baking pan, added some banana slices at the top.

Set the oven for 350 and baked it for about 35 minutes.

The bread turned out pretty good, however, it wasn't very moist so next time I would either add the mashed cup of ripe bananas or a bit more applesauce.

So fluffy! And it is less than 100 calories per serving!!

Makes a healthy snack, yummy for bfast, or on the side of lunch loaded up with some PB!

I have honestly been snacking on this bread for this whole week!!! Can't wait to make some more!!

I have also been making rocking juices with my JUICER!!!

My favorite thus far is...

handful of spinach
1 large green apple
1 stalk of celery (not pictured)
Squeezed Lime

So refreshing and soo tasty!!!

Any favorite juicer recipes??

Bit of My Story ...The Results

2010-05-13T12:17:00.007-04:00

Hello beauties!!!

I began this blog a couple of months ago with one goal in mind, and that being making healthy decisions to treat my body right. See, when I went off to college (exactly 4 yrs. ago) I was at my thinnest but I am sure you've all heard of the infamous freshmen 15! There were many things that aided to my weight gain in college, the change of diet, the partying, the drinking... Let's just say that for the first two years of college I made really bad decisions for my body and it soon caught up with me. I think my big wake up call came a morning after a long night of partying; that day I woke up to a table overflowing with Taco Bell wrappers, I felt sluggish, terribly sick and when I looked in the mirror I wasn't happy with what was looking back. Did I mention that for those 2 years if I wasn't drinking I was basically bedridden?! Shouldn't come as a surprise that with all of my unhealthy habits I had shot my immune system to the ground. I doubt I even had an immune system because if anyone had a cold I was sure to catch it, I basically lived off of z-paks (antibiotics) for those 2 years, no lie!!!

I knew that I needed to make a change, I couldn't continue with all of those unhealthy habits because they no longer made me happy. I started going to the gym and became more conscious of my diet. However, I took things to the extreme because I would spend hours upon hours at the gym and deprived myself of a lot of the food that I loved. I was so extreme with my dieting that it led me to terrible cycles of binge eating and purging. I think I did that mostly out of anger because no matter what I did or didn't eat or how much I worked out I never saw the results I wanted. I had a love/hate relationship with food and the gym but for a couple of months I have been working on making it solely a love relationship ;)

As some of you might know a little over a month ago I decided to take on Jillian Michaels' "Making the Cut" challenge. I had had this book sitting on my desk for over a year and it wasn't until this year came around that I decided to give it a shot. I began this program on April 5th so I would finish by May 5th two days before my graduation. The book advertises "dropping the last 10-20 stubborn pounds once and for all". My hopes were to lose 5 lbs. by the time graduation rolled around.

Before After

Results: I have dropped 11 lbs.!!! I am at a weight I had not been since high school. I have lost inches around my waist and arms and even dropped a pant size! But I gotta say the best result is the way I feel... I feel strong, lean, and accomplished!

Review: This book provided me with a great workout routine and diet for 30 days, good plan. It showed me how important a healthy diet in combination of a good tough workout is to achieve my weight loss goals. In a a week I did Jillian circuits 4 x's a week and had a free cardio day, the other 2 days were off. I was in and out of the gym in about one hour, quick! Throughout this month I tracked all my eats on a food journal which helped me in keeping track of my calorie consumption. I highly recommend this book for those of you who are already at a high fitness level and are looking to drop some stubborn pounds, I promise you will not be disappointed!!!!

ColorFUL

2010-05-11T18:14:00.001-04:00

How is your Tuesday treating yah!?! Mine has not been too shabby but I am still having trouble figuring out which color to paint my new room. Pretty tough ordeal, right ;)

Thanks for all of your input on the colors!! Many of you mentioned that a blue or turquoise would go well with brown and I agree....

That was the color of my old room!!!

I really love that color but I am looking for a change. It is so tough deciding, there are so many colors I like. Like this chilli pepper color but mom reminded me that it is very similar to the color I used to have..

** only picture I could find, guess I am a fan of orange ;)

I notice that I have painted my rooms with bold bright colors but this time I want a soothing lighter color. Hope I find one soon so I can get started on the painting!!

For the mean time I have been enjoying time at home and doing my favorite eating, working out, and relaxing!

Awesome PB sandwich for bfast with no need for jelly:

PB & Co.'s Cinnamon Raisin Swirl

I have been loving this for bfast, it really is a treat!

Lunch was a quick Turkey Sandwich

Lovin the Thin Bread!

I was introduced to this bar by my momma and I am in love!! I love all of the nuts and the fact that is not as sweet as other Clif bars, it's a good change. But no worries Lunas are still very close to my heart ;)

Dinner's at home are soo different from eating out

Grilled Mahi-Mahi, Couscous, and

Salad- apple, spinach, tomato, celery with a rocking balsamic vinegar

Love having a clean kitchen, where I can actually cook!! I am ready to bake and cook all summer ;)

Do you have any fun recipes/ products I should try?

Graduate!

2010-05-10T14:51:00.002-04:00

Hello Bellas!!!!! So sorry for being MIA for so long, as I mentioned last week these past few days were going to be pretty hectic. I had graduation on Friday and I spent the weekend moving out of my apartment!! Needless to say I am pooped.

But of course, as promised here is my graduation dress:

Yes I got my cap on!!

Cap and gown :)

That night we went out dinner to celebrate at one of my favorite restaurants, Ceviche!

With great company :)

Going to miss these girls :'(

Showing some love to Rusty!

Great Food

My Rocking Mediterranean Salad, with Salmon, Scallops, and Mussels

Rusty's Chorizo Pimienta, he loved it.

Parent's had some awesome Paella Valenciana

My Graduation day was sooo memorable! Although, I am really going to miss Orlando and college, I am ready for my new adventure!!!!

Hope all you ladies are having a great Monday! I am off to find the perfect color to paint my new room ;)

What color do you think goes well with brown??

** Soon to come, my reviews and results Jillian Michaels 30-day program "Making the Cut"

Love ya!!!

TuesDaze

2010-05-04T10:36:00.001-04:00

Happy TuesDAZE!!!

WoW, once again the weekend definitely flew by... even-though I kind of extended it by going to the beach yesterday ;) Guess you can tell that I am in total vacation mode. For now, I am taking full of advantage of this worry-free time with no school, and no work.

Yes, life is beach!

I kept pretty busy this weekend w/ packing, spending time with friends, and shopping. Well shopping took most if not all of my Sunday... after 6 hours, multiple laps around the mall, and checking literally every store, I finally found the perfect graduation dress! Shopping was a lot of fun and I was able to spend some quality girl time with Naomi (best friend).

I know you want to see the dress but I figured I will keep it a surprise til' Friday ;)

This week I plan on working on my tan, packing, and finding the perfect shoes to go with my dress with this lovahly girl.

Pretty tough week ahead of me, right?!?

this morning's b-fast was bittersweet, very similar feeling I am getting about graduation and the BIG move.

Almost empty Bee's Knees PB Jar :(

Perfect for OIAJ!!

Totally Satisfying

When one thing ends, something else begins! - Love Happens

Are you celebrating Cinco de Mayo?

When you go shopping do like going with a buddy?

Fuel

2010-04-30T10:41:00.000-04:00

Wooo Hooo!!! TGIF!!!

I know you are looking forward to this wonderful weekend, I now I am! This is actually the last weekend I will spend in Orlando because next weekend I am moving. Although I am very happy to be moving, there are many things that I will miss from O-town. For one, the close proximity to my best friends

I am sure going to miss them :( *tear*

And two... the close proximity to Disney.

Soo magical!

Ahhh!! I am soo emotional right now... change of subject.

This week I got Kate's chocolate milk prize giveaway!!! Thanks girl, I loved the card :)

This was my first time getting this chocolate milk and I love it!!! Check out all the great benefits of chocolate milk for pre and post workouts. "Athletes such as Michael Phelps drew attention to this at the 2004 Olympics when he was seen to be drinking Carnation chocolate drinks after swims."

Any fun plans for this weekend?

What is you post/pre workout fuel?

All Choked Up

2010-04-28T21:32:00.001-04:00

Morning began with love!!!

I ran out of Kashi GoLean so I headed to the store with the sole purpose of getting some more, however, but I ended up getting Kashi's Heart to Heart Warm Cinnamon... a rather spontaneous decision!

Kashi's Warm Cinnamon, Almond Milk, Nanner, and PB&Co.'s Bee's Knees

Sooo good!! Kashi never disappoints :)

After b-fast I headed to school to pick up.... my cap & gown!!!

I don't know why but the fact that I am graduating did not hit me until I had the cap & gown in my hands. As I walked out of the room with my cap and gown in hand, I got all choked up *tear* . I started reminiscing about my whole college experience, all of the highs and the lows, and what an awesome ride it has been! Check it out, loads of good times.

Time flies so ENJOY it!!!

"Quit hanging on to the handrails . . . Let go. Surrender. Go for the ride of your life. Do it every day."

Melody Beattie, "Finding Your Way Home"

So today I laid back and enjoyed a beautiful day :)

and finally got the chance to finish the Twilight saga, one of my guilty pleasures!

What do/did you love about college?

What is your guilty pleasure?

Tofu-Tastic!

2010-04-27T13:00:00.001-04:00

I am almost done ladies!! Just one more test to go and I am FREE to do all the blogging anything I want !!

I am dropping by really quick to share with you a rockin' tofu salad I made yesterday. Since I am trying to cut back on my meat eating consumption, I decided it was time to introduce tofu into my cooking menu. I have eaten tofu before, but this was the first time I successfully cooked it!! *note the highlighted word* I will spare you the details of my last cooking experience with tofu... but let's just say it didn't turn out too good and the tofu ended up in the trash :(

This time around was a lot better, probably because I did some research on how to cook tofu!

I learned that even after draining the water from the container, you have to squeeze the excess water the tofu retains. Check out my method, bahaha!!

I then went on to slicing the tofu, seasoned it, and grilled it! So simple, right!

Grilled Tofu, Apple Slices, Spinach, & toasted (close to burnt ;) Honey Wheat Flatouts

The dressing complimented this salad wonderfully:

1tsp of Honey Mustard
2 tbsp of Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ooo and I kept my tofu kick going with today's scrumptious lunch!!

Honey Wheat Flatout, Baked Tofu, Spinach, Honey Mustard, and Pepperjack Cheese

Talk to me!!

Have you cooked Tofu before?

If you are familiar with cooking Tofu got any recipes I should try?

Stress Relievers

2010-04-25T20:37:00.002-04:00

Hey girls!! Hope you had a stress-free weekend. With finals, projects, and papers all closing in on me my weekend was anything but stress-free. Today I let the stress get the best of me :( When things don't work out the way I plan I get quickly frustrated and lose my patience!!! I know I need to work on my patience and managing stress. I get in a terrible mood when I am under stress, so today I looked for ways to deal with stress. Here are some great ways to deal with stress:

Breathing- a simple exhale and inhale will do!
Say cheese - a simple smile can make you feel better. Go ahead try it....Doncha feel better?
Compose a Mantra- devise an affirmation -- a short clear positive statement that focuses on your coping abilities. The next time you feel as if your life is one disaster after another, repeat 10 times "I can handle this. I feel calm".
Take a Whiff- Breathing in scents of chamomile, lavender, peppermint, rose, thyme are all soothing. So light up all your scented candles!!!
Soak it up- Nothing is more stress relieving than a nice hot bath.
Try a Tea- We know all about the calming properties of chamomile tea.
Take a Walk- It forces you to breathe more deeply and takes your mind of what is stressing you.

So this afternoon I decided to follow these tips! Took a shower and headed to the grocery store... that covers the bath and the walk. Came home and took a Whiff of my awesome dinner, there is nothing more relaxing to me that the smell of a home-cooked meal.

Whole Wheat Pasta w/ Portabella Burger & Spinach

Haven't stopped smiling since I finally bought this!!

And made this lovely dessert:

1/4 cup of Kefir

Sprinkled Wheat Germ

Pineapple

Frozen Bloobs

Apple

And now I am sipping some tea, repeating the mantra, and breathing. Guess I am pretty relaxed ;)

What do you do to deal with stress?

B-fast Creative

2010-04-23T11:34:00.002-04:00

One more week!!! Yes ladies one more week of school work and I am done with school forevah!!! Actually, I will be forevah done with undergrad school but I have law school to look forward to *sigh*. Either way, I am static to be done with undergrad!! Within the next two weeks big things are happening, 1. Graduation (I am graduating "magna cum laude" top 5%!!), 2. Leaving O-town and moving back to south Florida and 3. Cinco de Mayo... yes I do plan on drinking some margaritas in honor of Mexico, but that's also when I am done with Jillian Michaels "Making the Cut" challenge. So the busy-ness continues!!

This week I haven't had much time to make a trip to the grocery store, so I have been making pretty creative b-fasts from what I got. I would show you my creative lunches but they just aren't as picture friendly as b-fasts are ;)

Flat Out w/ PB , Laughin' Cow Cheese, & Granny Smith Slices

Yeah reppin' my school with some Almond Milk!!

Parfait!!

Plain Chobani
1/2 cup of Kashi GoLean
Strawberries
Granny Smith Apple
1/2 tbsp of Agave

This parfait was inspired by Erica's Green Apple Parfait she gets everytime she goes to Charleston's Cafe.
YO-gurt Mess

Pineapple Chobani Greek Yogurt
Strawberries
1/2 cup of Nature's Path Berry Crunch
I am obsessed with Chobani's Pineapple flavah, it rocks. Mix it with anything and it is true bliss.

Cocoa Oatmeal

1/3 cup of oatmeal
water
1/2 tbsp of PB & Co.
1/2 tbsp of Cocoa
1/2 tbsp of Agave Nectar
Crumbled up 1/2 chocolate Protein bar (any one you enjoy!)
Result:

I guess this is where I have to say, "IT ROCKED MY SOCKS" ;)

Pretty impressive b-fasts, right ;) Of course all of these b-fasts are inspirations of all the great eats you lovely bloggies share.

Talk to me!!

Do you find support in blogging?

Do you find that blogging has helped you in any way, if so how?

Low-Down!

2010-04-20T18:00:00.000-04:00

Hola chiquitas!!

Sorry for being MIA for the past couple of days. I have missed you all, but since the semester is coming to a close I have been super busy doing last minute projects, papers, speeches, and reading. I really haven't had much time to blog, so I figured I would give you a low-down of some of my eats.

*Disclaimer* - get ready for an overload of food pics!!

Lately I have been eating and loving a lot of:

My breakfasts have been full of:

Kashi GoLean and loads of Berries

Egg Beaters with Laughing Cow Cheese!

Lunches have consisted of:

Chick n' Filet wrap with a side of Hot Salsa

Portabella Burger with Egg Whites and Hot Salsa

Dinners have been out but healthy:

Holy Guacamole!!

Chipotle's Vegeterian Bowl

Teriyaki Tofu with Veggies and Brown Rice

And of course my life isn't complete without some protein bars ;)

I finally tried this bar!!! I really like it :)

This chocolate mint flavor rocks!!

What food product are you loving right now?

Any protein bars I should try?

If you are a vegetarian how do you get your protein?

Tapas and Piano Bar

2010-04-17T18:22:00.000-04:00

Last night was loads of fun! Went out with some good friends to dinner to a tapas restaurant called Cafe Tu Tu Tango, and yess the place is as awesome as it sounds ;)

The food was really fresh and tasty Rusty and I split 3 rockin' dishes! Tuna Poke

Tuna Poke
raw yellowfin tuna, citrus ponzu, avocado lime puree,
plantain chips.

This dish was soo good it deserved a close-up!

Round Dos:

Fennel Crusted Salmon
Round Tres:
Smoked Salmon Salad

Guess I like fish as much as I enjoy spending great times with friends!

Not only was the food and company great but the restaurant's setting is really great too! The restaurant's walls are loaded with paintings (do you see Mona Lisa's eyes in the background of the pic above) and some local artists actually work on their paintings in the restaurant, giving the restaurant a setting of a Spanish artist's loft.

One of the artists hard at work: There were also some flamenco dancers!

There were also some flamenco dancers!

After dinner we headed to a piano bar

We had a good time singing along and taking pictures with this Britney Spears hat!!

Well I'm off ladies to get ready for a "Golf and Tennis Pros" themed party! Love dressin' up!

What is a cool party theme you've dressed up for?
Any fun party themes ideas?

Food's Glycemic Index

2010-04-16T14:57:00.001-04:00

In her book Making the Cut, Jillian emphasizes "steering clear of carbohydrates that have a high glycemic index (GI) ". I wanted to learn a bit more about the importance of food's GI and in short this is what I learned:

What is the GI?

A food's GI indicates how its carbs will affect your blood stream during digestion.

What effect do foods with a high GI have on our bodies?

The quicker (higher GI) carbs turn into glucose, the quicker your insulin level will spike. High insulin levels is a bad situation if you are trying to lose body fat since fat loss cannot occur in the presence of high insulin levels. Instead high insulin levels could promote fat storage!

Benefits of eating low GI foods

Food with low GI suppresses your appetite.
Provides more energy stable levels since the blood sugar is better controlled.
And this one is my favorite! It allows you to eat more without body fat storage.

Here is a GI food chart I found online, it gives you an idea of the GI levels of some food.

** Every time you eat a protein with a carbohydrate the total GI of the meal will go down since protein is a very complex molecule and thus slows down the digestion of the carb. Fats also have this effect. So if you consume high GI food make sure you pair it with a protein.

Here's what a low GI food pyramid would look like!

What are your thoughts on food's GI?

Before I read Jillian's book I had no idea what glycemic index was! But I find that without knowing most of the time I do follow a low GI diet.

Day 10

2010-04-15T13:19:00.001-04:00

Good morning chiquitas!!!

I got some awesome news to share with you lovely ladies.... Today is day One-O or DAY 10 on Jillian's "Making the Cut" program!!! I'm have done 1/3 of the program and yes you guessed it I am pretty excited! One of my favorite bloggies, Jenna, has began Jillian's 30-day shred program and the Old Clothes Challenge. I am joining Jenna in her Old Clothes Challenge because when I am done with "Making the Cut" I hope to be getting back into some clothes I have been setting aside because they just didn't fit anymore. As crazy as this might sound, I am already seeing some results, overall my clothes are fitting a lot better and I am feeling good. No worry chicas when I am done with the program I will post some before and afters, I know how much we all love pics ;)

What makes you feel good in your skin?

What I have learned from this program is that it is not solely Jillian's kick-ass workouts that are doing the trick, but the diet is just as important as well. Some might consider the diet to be "too extreme" but I haven't found it too difficult to follow. However, you do have to be ready to give up a lot of treats and alcohol. I know track my eats on a food journal and have become more conscious of the importance of portion control.

Now on to food and loads of cleaning!

A break from the cereal kick I have been on:

1/2 cup of Oatmeal
1/2 tbsp of PB & Co.'s Bee's Knees
1/2 tbsp. Coconut Butter (yummy)
1/2 cup of Frozen Blueberries

Love how the Blueberries turn my oatmeal purple!!!

*insert Cleaning, cleaning,cleaning!*

Lunch was quick and easy:

LaTortilla Factory Quesadilla
Black Bean Burger
Hot Salsa

It had been too long since I had my fix of MorningStar's Black Bean Burger... it is sooo goOd!!!

* insert Cleaning, Cleaning... MORE cleaning!*

What to do now that my room is spotless?....let's go to the gym :) Did Day 9 of Jillian's workouts and my legs feel like they are going to fall off!

After the workout I was hangry and after all the smoothie talk from yesterday's post I was craving one.

Smoothie:

1/2 cup of EAS
1/2 cup of Almond Milk
1 cup of mixed frozen berries

Since yesterday I learned that Starbuck's fraps and coffees are some "unhealthy habits" you once had, figured that pouring my smoothie in my awesome Starbucks cup was very fitting for this healthy swap ;)

For dinner I took Rusty out for a belated b-day celebration! Since he was the b-day boy, he got to pick his place.... and it wasn't a surprising choice, haha.

He loves a place where he can get something like this:

What can I say he loves his wings!

I got a grilled chicken salad with cranberry and walnuts:

Hope you ladies are having an awesome week!!!

Can you believe that Friday is a day way!!! Wooo HOO!

Smoothie Queen

2010-04-13T16:50:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was cardio-day, thankfully, no Jillian Michaels bossing me around, haha!! Rusty and I decided to go for a run, which surprisingly is something we hadn't done in quite a while. After running the half-marathon in December, I haven't been running as much as I used to. My focus has shifted on weight training and circuit training, with some running in the mix but no where near as much as before. So, to switch things up a bit it was time for a run outside and far far away from the treadmill!

It was such a beautiful day for a run around campus! After the run we decided to keep the cardio going by chatting it up with a walk through campus! Walking through campus really brought back memories of freshmen year in college, specially strolling by this place

I used to get a smoothie from Smoothie King daily, it was one of my daily snacks *yikes* I could sucked those suckers down like nobody's bisnazzz. Oh and did I mention... I never once got the smallest serving size they offered. There I was naively thinking that I was making such a "healthy" decision. Boy was I in a surprise when I found their smoothies nutritional stats!!

Check them out for your self!

Keep in mind that those stats are for their smallest serving size. Since Angel Food was my favorite smoothie, on average I was ingesting 531 calories from one of my "healthy" daily snacks! I always question how I was so fooled to think that they were a healthy snack (maybe as meal replacements they make sense), guess I was just ignorant. So be wary of smoothies, they may pack in more calories that you expect.

But no more do I pay Mr. Smoothie King a visit, I am know a Smoothie Queen and choose to make my own smoothies. I know Kalli loves to make her own smoothies as well she always celebrates with a Smoothie Friday!

Like today's rockin' Strawberry Banana Smoothie (you bet it is beats Smoothie King's butt)

Have you ever been fooled by a product that you thought was healthy but turned out it was not?

What old unhealthy habits have you kicked to the curb?

Magic & Benefits of PHA

2010-04-12T13:58:00.000-04:00

Weekends are always so magical, right! And mine was specially magical because I paid a visit to the wonderful world of Disney!

Every-time I go to Magic Kingdom I can't help but take a picture of Cinderella's Castle. Magic Kingdom is by far my favorite Disney Park, it really is magical!

Heloooo Minnie!

I love going to Disney because no matter how old you are you can't help feeling like a kid :)

What activities make you feel like a kid?

I have gotten a couple of e-mails asking what type of workouts I am doing on Jillian Michael's "Making the Cut" program, so I decided to provide an example:

This is Day 8 (tomorrow):

These circuits are to be done quickly, the longest break Jillian recommends is a 30 sec. break after each circuit. Jillian separates the workouts by training the front of the lower body on chest-shoulder-triceps day, or the back of the lower body on back and biceps day. In the book Jillian says that:

By working the upper and lower body in supersets, you will be shunting your blood back and forth during the upper and lower body, which allows you to burn twice as many calories, due to a phenomenon known as peripheral heart action, or PHA. When you get the blood moving between the upper and lower body as constantly as possible during a workout , you greatly reduce the formation and build up of lactic acid, which is the cause of muscle fatigue. PHA also benefits you in the long term by optimizing muscle development and preventing muscle damage and burnout.

I still have 23 days to go, but so far so SOAR good!

Hummus & Salsa... Yes Please!

2010-04-09T15:21:00.000-04:00

Good Afternoon!!! T.G.I.F!!!!

Ladies thanks for all the comments on yesterday's post! As food bloggies there were many things in the article that we could all relate to. It is no surprise to note that foodies have a passion for food and enjoy sharing their eats, but of course if taking pictures of what we eat becomes an obsession then there lies a problem.

Many of you agreed with the statement, "tell me what you eat and I'll tell you what you are". I too believe that one can learn a lot about a person solely from their diet. I feel that characteristics such as discipline, self-control, and dedication shine through the food we consume. For me, it has not always been easy keeping a healthy diet... specially in college! There are times I get the urge to drink soda, stuff my face w/ white chocolate covered pretzels, or do a midnight run to taco bell! And it really does take dedication and self control to be able to avoid eating some of the stuff you once loved, even-though, you know in the long run it is bad for you. But of course, treating yourself once in a while is completely acceptable ;)

Now let's move on to food!!

Today my hopes of laying out by the pool were shot down by the rain, booo!! Guess I still have the weekend to lay out :)

Morning began with a cereal-kick!

I am lovin' strawberries!!

1 cup of Kashi Cereal, 1/2 cup of A.M., Strawberry, 1/2 Granny Smith

Uhhh Ohhh! Houston we have a problem.... I don't know if I can get sick of this cereal!! (guess thats not that bad of a problem)

After b-fast I worked on some school work, needed to get a couple things done before the weekend. This weekend Rusty's parents might be coming up to visit and we might be going to Disney!!! So, I got most of my school work done so I won't have much to worry about when I'm spending time with Mickey ;)

After yesterday's rest day today was right back to Jillian Michaels workouts, Ouch! In the Making the Cut program she gives you 3 days off from her circuit workouts but your are really supposed to just have 2 days off, so one day a week I get to do my own cardio workout!

Today is Day 4 of the workout and I am lovin' it... my body not so much, haha! The workouts are awesome, but it definitely pushes you to the extreme. Today there were a couple of moments I wanted to quit but I felt like Jillian was right there lookiing at me and yelling "INTENSITY, INTENSITY, INTENSITY!"

After the gym I was hangry and it was time for lunch! I was in a creative mood and I made this delicious creation that I urge you to try!!

3/4 cup of Egg Whites, Handful of Broccoli Slaw

Guess, my omelet making skills are not too shabby ;)

For the sauce I used this lovely combo:

1 tbsp of Hummus, 1tbsp of HOT salsa

If you haven't tried this combo, dooooo it!! I promise it will not disappoint.

Result =

Take a peek inside!

Oh this was soooooo GOOOOD!!!!!!

I can't believe it was my first time mixing hummus and salsa together...I had been missing out!

Any fun plans for the weekend?

Do you have any favorite combinations I should open my taste buds to?

"Tell me what you eat and I'll tell you what you are"

2010-04-08T22:43:00.003-04:00

Hola Amigas!!!

Can you believe the week is coming to a close!! HURRAY for the weekend!! Although I don't have a job, I always look forward to the weekends because I get to spend a bit more time with those who do have to work *cough Rusty cough*

Today Rusty forwarded me this article, "First Camera, Then Food". I haven't been able to figure out whether he forwarded me the article to hint that taking pictures of food is a bit obsessive, or he just knew this article would interest me. Guess I'll never know, haha!

Hear are some excerpts from the article:

In 1825, the French philosopher and gourmand Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote, “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” Today, people are showing the world what they eat by photographing every meal, revealing themselves perhaps more vividly than they might by merely reciting the names of appetizers and entrees.

But she has noticed lately that it’s becoming harder to suppress the urge to shoot. “I get this ‘must take picture’ feeling before I eat, and what’s worse is that I hate bad pictures so I have to capture it in just the right light and at just the right angle,” Ms. Sherman said.

Photos are also a means of self-motivation for Mr. Garcia, who began photographing his food after he lost 80 pounds. “It’s definitely part of my neuroticism about trying to keep thin,” he said. “It keeps you accountable because you don’t want to have to see that you ate an entire jar of peanut butter.”

The pictures, I realize now, are incredibly personal, and by looking at them you can probably deduce the type of person I am.” Moreover, the pictures set off memories and emotions in a way a written journal could not. “I remember every single day, who I was with, what I was feeling,” he said.

Can you relate to the article in some way?

Do you think one can tell who a person is from what they eat?

I guess now I will tell you who I am!

B-fast:

1 cup of Kashi GoLean, 1/2 cup of A.M., Strawberries, Cheese-Stick

I guess you can say I am in a cereal kick! Since the days here in Flo- Ridah have been getting warmer all I crave in the morning is some crunchy cereal with some chilled Almond Milk. The Kashi cereal really keeps to its word, it always keeps me full and satisfied til' lunch time comes around.

Lunch:

Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Apples & Strawberries

I love sprouted grain bread! It is sooo good when it is all warm and toasty :)

Snack:

Many of you bloggies prefer plain greek yogurt and adding the fruits yourself, I am sure it is healthier but I am just such a sucker flavored greek yogurt! Tomorrow I will finally try Chobani's Pineapple flavor, can't wait!!!

Later in the afternoon I sipped on some rockin' tea! Check out the awesome tea Rusty brought back from China!!

The flower is a small ball in the beginning and once it is in the hot water it slowly blooms! Really soothing tea, thanks Rusty!

Dinner tonight was Jill Michael's inspired, Curried Swordfish with Eggplant.

Swordfish, Eggplant, Cherry Tomatoes, Curry

This dish rocked, the combination of all these ingredients really blended amazing!! Can you believe it was my first time trying swordfish! Every time I eat seafood it is mainly Mahi-Mahi, Salmon, Scallops, or Shrimps, boy have I been missing out!

What is your favorite seafood?

I am off to catch up on some FlashForward!

Hope you have a great Friday :)

Making the Cut

2010-04-07T22:52:00.002-04:00

I have had this book lingering around my apartment for quite a while... about a year!

A year ago I picked up the book with all intentions of doing the 30 day plan, but after attempting the Day 1 routine I set the book aside. I was somehow able to come up with plenty of excuses why I couldn't continue the program. For one, you are not supposed to drink alcohol in the plan and that was around the time I had just turned 21! (needless to say that wasn't going to happen) Looking back, I see that I made every excuse possible because the program really intimidated me *blush*. It has bothered me to no end not finishing something I began. So, I have made the decision to doooo it! I began the program yesterday (April 6th) with a goal to finish it May 5th two days before graduation!!

The Plan:

This is a 30-Day plan that states it will get you into the best shape of your life. All weight loss and fitness books claim this, so I was iffy on this to begin with. This is not a fitness plan for just anyone. It is geared for people who exercise regularly, are already at a good level of fitness, and only have 10-20 lbs of fat to lose, the last amount that's hardest to get rid of. There's no cheating in this, it's hardcore for 30 days -- no alcohol, no small indulgences, etc.

The main focus of this plan is broken down into two parts: the type of Oxidizer you are and your BMR (Basic Metabolic Rate I believe). You take a quiz and it tells you whether you're a Slow, Balanced, or Fast Oxidizer, then gives you a list of foods to eat according to your level. I, for instance, am a balanced oxidizer, so I take in an equal percentage of these foods. There's honestly not a whole lot of difference between these groups in terms of the types of foods you can eat; it gears it more towards percentages of each (protein, carbs, fats) in every meal. The other part, BMR, calculates how many calories you need per day if you sat on the couch and did nothing. The thought here is that if you eat just this amount, you'll burn off plenty more than that with the exercise you do.

I am not looking to lose 20 lbs. by any means I just want to get more toned and lose the last 5 stubborn lbs. I have been trying to get rid off!

The book is pretty neat Jillian explains many things thoroughly such as; the sodium and water intake to prevent bloating, explains the correct form and purpose behind each exercise, and the diet needed (there is a tentative menu one could follow and the book is loaded with healthy recipes).

2 days down 28 more to go! And believe me my body is feeling it, I am SOAR!! I will keep you posted on the progress I make :)

Now on to today's eats:

B-fast: Cereal & Eggs

1 cup of Kashi GoLean Cereal
1/2 cup of Almond Milk

1/2 cup of Egg Beaters

Lunch: Chicken Wrap & Greek Yogurt

La Tortilla Wrap, which is only 80 calories!
4 slices of Oven Roasted Chicken
2 slices of Boar's Head low sodium White American Cheese
Broccoli Slaw
1 tbsp of Honey Mustard

It was my first time trying Chobani's Pomegranate flavor... I am in love! I absolutely love the tartness and the texture the pomegranate seeds add to the yogurt. Publix had all the flavors I had never gotten a chance to taste, tomorrow I will try Pineapple!!!

Snack: Strawberry Smoothie

1/3 cup of EAS
3 ice cubes
3 strawberries

Mmm... this was perfect, just what I wanted on such a nice, hot, and sunny day!

Dinner: Mahi-Mahi, Brown Rice Pilaf, and Sauteed Spinach

Rusty made dinner tonight and no worries it was approved by Jillian ;)

We saw this at Publix and thought it was an awesome creation! All of the seasoning you might need for a specific recipe are all there. We decided to be inventive and use these seasonings on the Mahi-Mahi.

For the Rice Pilaf we went the quick route ;)

The result was a delicious dinner! Rusty you are such a lil' chef ;)

Let's chat:

Have you ever done any workout plans?

Have you tried any of Jillian Michael's workouts?

What's your favorite greek yogurt flava?

Travel through Ecuador

2010-04-06T23:53:00.001-04:00

I am so happy to be back!! Even though, I had an awesome time traveling through Ecuador and spending time with family, I am really happy to be home. I tried to blog while I was away but many of the places I went to A. didn't have computers or B. the computers were too slow to post any pics :( So now I will finally share with you some (I took over 500 pictures!) of the pics from my trip.

I am originally from Colombia so this was my first time visiting Ecuador.

The landscapes and architecture are beautiful.

The food over there was good, however, there weren't many options for me to choose from. For the majority of the trip I stuck with fish, and the snacks I packed were lifesavers. I felt a bit out of my element because most of the food options in the restaurants were not the healthiest, or something I would get. The Ecuadorian cuisine consists of a lot of red meats, fried foods, and starches, but I tried to make the healthiest options from the choices I had.

Ceviche is a traditional Ecuadorian dish, and believe me I had my fair share of it on this trip ;)

The fish were always served whole! Soooo good!

The restaurants were all very unique.

Here was one right besides a church in the middle of the Plaza.

Momma and I in Hacienda de Guachala:

This are some fruits I tried for the first time!

sweet cucumber

Pitaya

This fruit was so goOod.

Here are some pics that show Ecuador's natural beauty:

These waterfalls are called El Manto de La Novia, which translates to the Bride's Veil. We rode trolley over the river towards the waterfalls it was scary awesome!

Beautiful wildlife:

The Natives were soo warm and welcoming! Here's a picture of me with a Hippie who controlled the trolley *my uncle's forced me to take a picture with him lol*

But the best part of this trip had to be spending time with the family and being able to attend my cousin's baptism :)

Hope through the pics I was able to share with you a glimpse of my trip!

I really need to catch up with all of you chicas!!!

What have you been up to??

What do you enjoy about traveling?

Does the diet change stress you out?

Ready for Takeoff!

2010-03-27T12:39:00.001-04:00

Hope your weekend is off to a great start!! I have been running around all morning, super frantic, and super stressed getting last minute things in order. Ooo but check out some last minute essentials I managed to get yesterday ;)

Shoezzzzesss!!!

I was in some serious need of some nice pairs of sandals!

As many of you suggested, I packed some snacks for the trip because you never when you will be in need of healthy snack!

I am almost ready for Takeoff!

Really hope I am not missing anything... but I am sure going to miss you, friends!!

I will "see" you soon to share plenty of pics and adventures!!

Microwave!!

2010-03-25T22:46:00.001-04:00

Ladies I am finally done packing!!

Before beginning packing I set a goal of "packing light", unfortunately my goal was not met :( I continually told myself, "just pack essentials, just pack essentials" but everything seemed so darn essential, haha! Needless to say, I am going home with an overstuffed suitcase, and I already know mom isn't going to approve of my light packing ;) I am ready to jet set bright and early Saturday morning!!

But lets talk about this morning which began with a much needed bowl of oatmeal.

1/2 cup of Old Fashion Oats
1/2 cup of water
1 banana
1 tbsp PB & Co. Bee's Knees
agave
sprinkled wheat germ

I realized that it was my first time this week having oatmeal!!! Insanity!!

Class was quick and easy, just listened to speeches and after I squeezed some time for the gym. My legs were really tight this morning, after the bootcamp class and yesterday's weight training sesh I knew I needed to give them a needed rest. So today I decided to do some low impact cardio, elliptical machine and stairmaster.

After 30 minutes on the elliptical I noticed the calorie count the machine said I "burned", 298!! Since I was wearing my HRM I was able to compare the stats and the elliptical machine was 100 calories higher from what my HRM said!! So, for those of you who watch your calories be careful if you follow the excercise machine stats because they are not always very accurate.

After my 45 mins. of cardio it was well past lunch time so I was hangry!! I raced home to Amy :)

It was my first time trying Amy's Bowls, you have a choice to heat it up in the oven or microwave, which one do you think I chose?? Yes this hangry girl chose the quick 5 microwaved minutes, over the long 40 minutes in the oven.

5 minutes later VOILA!

Topped off with some Salsa, oh boy I loved it. If you are not a fan of ginger, however, I don't recommend it because the sauce of the bowl is very gingery.

The coconut water was worth all the hype!! It was O.N.E Natural Experience, haha.

An afternoon snack was this Luna Bar

So caramely (if thats even a word), it was my first time trying the Dulce de Leche flavor and I really enjoyed it.

For dinner I had a shy burrito and some FLASHFORWARD!! I am obssessed with that show, last night I stayed up til 2 catching up on the episode that I missed last week, so right now I am pretty much pooped.

Well lovies I am off to bed!!!

Do you watch FlashForward? What shows are you hooked on?

If you have a choice between using the microwave or the oven which one do you prefer?

A New Adventure Awaits

2010-03-24T21:32:00.000-04:00

I was really happy to share with you the BIG news :) I can't believe I am actually going to law school, it seems like yesterday when I began undergrad, and now here I am ready to plunge into yet another educational adventure!!! I am really excited but nervous at the same time *HUGE sigh* Many people say that my life is over, haha, even some attorneys I have worked with have encouraged me to consider another career path!! I am sure of my decision, I know this is what I want to do and that's all that matters, right??

Last night I celebrated with some miso soup and sushi!!

I got the Rainbow Roll:

Rusty took the pics with his iPhone, sorry about the crappy resolution the restaurant was really dark.

Rusty got a Thunder Roll:

The sushi was delicious, just wish the service would have been a bit faster!!

This morning I woke up starving and SOAR! Yesterday I did bootcamp, a new class at my gym and oh it was as terrible as it sounds ;) The class involved loads of squats, lunges, push-ups, circuits, and the list goes on!! My HR: 565 Calories!

So, this morning I was in the mood for a hearty b-fast!

Today was my first time making an egg puff - Scrambled 1 egg white & 1 egg, put in the microwave for about 1 minute 30 sec. and ready for eatin'. I can't believe I had never made eggs in the microwave, so much time that I will be saving! The sprouted grain toast was covered with PB&Co's Bees Knees and some wheat germ.

I was busy all day catching up with school-work, booo!!! I have to get all of my school work in order before I leave to Ecuador, yay!!

So lunch was quick and easy:

Some Stoneyfield Yogurt and my lovely PB empanadas.

The pita pocket was stuffed with my obsession, Black Bean burger and spicy guacamole:

It is so good it deserves a close up ;)

Well I have to get back to packing.

What are some essentials you must travel with?

Let's Celebrate!!!

2010-03-23T19:12:00.000-04:00

School, school, oh and more school!!!

It's been crazy on my side of town but now I can finally relax... well for a quick minute!! Right now, I can't think of a better way to relax other than blogging, and seeing what you lovely ladies have been up to :) I could be sleeping but who needs that, right??

As insane as this sounds (well to me) I have been up since 5! A test and a speech are the culprits of such insanity!! However, I must admit that I have enjoyed being up dark and early. Today has been such a productive day and to my surprise I am actually full of energy! Now, don't get me wrong it is not like I sleep til' noon or something, it would be terrible if I did because I would miss my favorite meal of the day, but I am just never up at 5. I am thinking about making it a routine, I mean sooner rather than later my days are going to have to begin at that time. And I say sooner because guess what??? Celebration #1: I have been accepted into law school!!! This means if I want to take full advantage of my days I am going to have to begin my days a lot earlier.

What time do you begin your day? Are you a morning person?

Celebration #2 : Test and speech are done with, which leads me to Celebration #3: I can begin packing for my trip to Ecuador!!!

As you can see there is loads to celebrate, so tonight I will be drinking that BUBBLY! But isn't there always a reason to celebrate!?

What is your reason to celebrate?

This weekend I celebrated the beginning of spring at the beach!

I loved this hat

Hope your Tuesday is going awesome :)

Let's Get Down to Bee's Knees

2010-03-19T15:21:00.008-04:00

Happy Friday chicas!!!! Thanks for all the sweet comments on yesterday's post. I really had a great time and wish you hotties could have joined me in the St. Patty's Day celebration ;) OH and I will definitely be trying your strawberry smoothie suggestions, they sound soOo GOOD!

Let's get down to Bee's Knees!!!

I was running low on PB, so after the gym it was vital to make this quick buy. I was so tempted to get White Chocolate Wonderful or Dark Chocolate Dreams, but since I gave up chocolate for Lent I had to withhold on those temptations *sigh*. I had never tried the Bee's Knees (p.s. I am obsessed with the name, haha). The Bee's Knees is a mix of PB and honey, which is perfect because I won't be needing to add agave to my PB and toast!!

Inspired by HungryGirl's Dreamy Chocolate Ravioli Puffs, I decided to make my own version sans the chocolate :( We can call these Decadent PB Empanadas!

All you need is:

Won-ton Wrappers
2 tbsp of PB
Any additional ingredient to put your signature touch ;) (I decided to add strawberries and almonds)

What ingredient would give it your signature touch?

Heat up strawberries in a pan with a splash of almond milk until tender.

Let strawberries cool for a couple of minutes. Then combine strawberries with 2 tbsp. of PB. (here you can add any crunchy texture you would like)

I used these wontons.

Filled squares with about 1/2 tbsp. of filling.
Moistened all four edges of the won-ton and fold enclosing the filling. I used a fork to seal the edges.

Place in freezer for 1 hr.
Bring large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Working in batches, place frozen wonton flat in skillet, evenly spaced, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until slightly puffy. Then flip for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Let them cool for a bit, add toppings, and Voila!!

They turned out soo goOod! Mmm... the PB & strawberry mixture just melted in my mouth, and the crunchiness from the wonton and almonds was phenomenal!

It was a perfect dessert after lunch :)

Any fun plans this weekend????

Celebration & Berrylicious

2010-03-18T15:19:00.001-04:00

Hola amigas y amigos!!! Yesterday I had loads of fun celebrating St. Patrick's Day with good friends and green beer, and as promised here are some pics ;)

Remember the bow tie and glasses?? I got so caught up buying the (2) accessories, that I did not stop to think if I had a green shirt! Luckily I had the one from last year, its dated 2009, vintage ;)

The glasses were a success, I got many compliments on them!! Rusty's glasses were pretty cool too, they lit up and everything.

*Disclaimer* The tattoo in Rusty's arm is fake, haha. Idk... Don't ask.

Friends <3

more <3

From this picture you can see how vital it is for a college student to celebrate St. Patrick's Day ;) I felt like the whole school was at this block party, it was definitely nice running into old friends.

This morning I was incapable of getting out of bed at 6:30, so I ended up missing my 7:30 class *pout*. Around 8ish I woke up rested and energized. I had plenty of time to prepare and enjoy b-fast before Speech class.

This:

= BerryLicious Yogurt mess!!

Classes went well, but I have a lot of work to do. I have a big test to study for and a speech to prepare by next Tuesday :(

Today's lunch was fiber loaded: chickpeas, hummus, wheat pita pocket, chicken strips, and spring mix.

YuM!

After lunch, I had the berrylicious b-fast lingering in my thoughts so for an afternoon snack I decided to have something similar. Why not??

Cottage cheese, agave, strawberries, and wheat germ. A delicious and healthy treat!

As you can tell I have a lot of strawberries, Do you have any strawberry smoothie recipes?? I am in the mood for a good ol' smoothie!

Green

2010-03-17T14:46:00.001-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

In honor of St. Patty's Day, it was only right to begin my day with a green-monstah shake :) So today was the perfect day to give this green-whey protein a shot!

I added a cup of Almond Milk, and some Spinach to give it some more green!

Have you eaten/made something green in honor of St. Patrick's Day? I really wanted to make some green eggs but I didn't get the chance to get green food dye. I guess I will have green eggs another time ;)

The shake had a yummy "earthy" taste to it! On the side I had sprouted grain bread topped off w/ PB, agave, and coconut butter!

Coconut Butter + Agave = Phenomenal

After b-fast, I headed to the gym to meet up with my friend Naomi. We did an awesome yoga class, some cardio, and abs. The yoga class was perfect after yesterday's workout, my booty is so soar!!

Lunch was quick and light!

Pita Pocket w/ hummus and chicken. With some strawberry flowers, hhaha!

I am off to get ready for my St. Patrick's Day Celebration!!! No worries, I will take loads of pics of me drinking green beer ;)

Hope you are having a lovely day.

CooCoo for CoCoNut!

2010-03-16T16:11:00.001-04:00

I have missed u guys!!! I feel like I haven't blogged in forever :( This weekend I was super busy, it involved some seriously needed cuddling (with Rusty), sleeping relaxing, cooking, partying with friends, sleeping, food shopping, eating, and school work.

Yeah I know, school work??? Being the the big procrastinator that I am, I pushed off the studying of a 6 chapter test until Sunday!! The test was this morning and I don't think I did that well. Seriously, who gives a test the first day after Spring Break???

It's not my fault, right ;)

Any who! I hope your weekend and Monday were lovely :) I am back in O-town, back in school, and back to my routine. Today I had class till noon, went grocery shopping, and met up with my friend Naomi to get stuff for our St. Patty's Day celebrations!! Check out the cute bow tie and the rocking glasses.

I am going to look like a total goof-ball hottie!

How are you going to celebrate St. Patty's Day? I am going to a block part-ay with some friends! I will probably have tons of green beer, or a green monster, or both ;)

I couldn't come back to O-town without visiting Whole Foods with my momma. I loaded up on loads of goodies (you will see throughout the week!) and I finally got this!

I am literally CooCoo for Coconut!! This was my first time trying Coconut Butter, and I am in love. I cant wait for all the lovely concoctions I will make with it!

Have you tried Coconut Butter? If so, do you have any fun recipes?

I am off to pump some iron (iron =10 lbs free weights ) ;) Happy Tuesday!!

Brown Bread- High Fiber & Low Calorie

2010-03-13T15:48:00.000-05:00

Hope you are all having an awesome start to your weekend :)

After my no rise bread experience many of you lovely bloggies provided me with some kick-ass bread recipes. I could not help myself but give this sweet bread a shot, thanks Ercia for the recipe!

Brown Bread

1 egg
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 cup wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dates, I chopped up 6 dates
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vinegar, add to milk

1. In a separate bowl combine egg and honey and mix together.

2. In a larger bowl mix in all dry ingredients.

3. Add honey & egg mixture to the dry ingredients.

4. Add milk & vinegar to bowl.
5. Add chopped up dates, raisins, or walnuts. I chopped up about 6 dates, and added a bit of walnuts that I had.

6. Pour mixture into a 9x5 bread pan.

7. Place in oven at 350 degrees for about 40- 45 minutes.

The result :

As you can see this bread was welcomed by the family ;)

I really enjoyed it! This bread is not only good but it is high in fiber and low in calories. The bread makes 12 servings and I calculated that per serving this bread has about 130 calories, not too shabby huh!

How has your weekend been so far?

Apple Pie B-fast and Green Monster Salad

2010-03-11T15:07:00.002-05:00

Tis' Thursday cuties!!

How was your Hump-Day? Mine was not too shabby ;) The gym visit rocked! I focused on legs and did 2 miles of interval running on the treadmill. As soon as I was done with the workout, I made it a point to really stretch out legs because lately they have been hurting. Although I am not a fan of stretching, I have come to realize that it makes the world of difference when you stretch. That is why I am making an attempt to stretch a lot more and incorporate yoga to my workout routine. I blame many of my running injuries on my lack of flexibility. Through yoga I know I will stretch a lot more and hopefully in the long run improve my flexibility :) Check out this article that talks about the yoga benefits of flexibility.

I met up with an uncle from Colombia. He came to Miami for a dermatologist conference and look at all the goodies he got my mom and I! Talk about skin care heaven :)

This morning my sweet tooth was kicking, so I decided on an apple pie yogurt mess!

caramelized apples (sprinkled some cinnamon and popped them in the microwave for 1 minute)
Greek Yogurt
Crumbled Apple Pie Larabar
Agave

It was so good! The mix of the warm apple, cold yogurt, and crunchy Larabar were just divine.

For lunch I was in the mood for some greens (literally). I made a delicious and hearty Green Salad:

cucumber
spinach
celery
tuna
salt & lots of pepper

I made my own kick-ass dressing! (some agave, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper).

Well chicas I am off to run some errands. Hope you are having an awesome Thursday!!!

Hello Mr. Omelet

2010-03-10T12:20:00.001-05:00

Hope your morning is off to a great start cuties :)

This morning I woke up craving something out of the ordinary... eggs! I know, I know, eggs are nothing out of the ordinary but they just aren't very common in my b-fast menu. I have a real bad sweet-tooth, and all I really crave in the mornings is a sweet concoction. Oatmeal, yogurt mess, big ol' bowl of cereal, I mean how can I pass those up??? But today I did, there was no sugar craving this morning instead I wanted something salty and hearty ;) Now that I am thinking about it, it's probably Andrea's delicious breakfasts that got me in the mood for some eggs.

I wanted a cheesy spinach omelet. We didn't have any shredded cheese, so I used a mozzarella string cheese, haha! I will get my cheesy omelet one way or another!

1 egg
1 egg white
salt & pepper
string cheese ;)

Check out this awesome pan my parents have! I added the spinach once the egg mixture was in the pan.

It turned out perfect! I felt the omelet was too lonely, so I added a mini whole wheat bagel and apple slices to keep Mr. Omelet company :)

Mr. Omelet was perfect!

And filling, it has kept me full all this time!

I'm off to pay the gym a visit! Hope you are all having a great Wednesday :)

No yeast, no rise???

2010-03-09T21:40:00.000-05:00

Last night I watched The Time Traveler's Wife and boy was that movie confusing! I really had to focus to keep up with all that time travel, haha. I enjoyed it but I wasn't happy with the ending :(

My legs were soar this morning so I decided to skip the gym and do some yoga instead. I did the AM yoga session from this DVD I got at BJ's over the weekend:

After, I made some b-fast:

VitaTop
Greek Yogurt
Red Berry Crunch Cereal

I met up with Rusty's mom for lunch. We went to Beverly Hills Cafe , it has a great salad menu and their portions are HUGE! I had an awesome time chatting it up with Rusty's mom. Our lunch date lasted over 3 hours, time flies when you are having fun :) Rusty's mom is so awesome, she got me two pashminas (black & orange). Check out the orange!

I love pashminas they are so versatile - they can be used as a shawl, scarf, wrap, or even blanket!

After my awesome lunch date, I was in a baking mood I wanted to make some whole wheat bread. I encountered a problem though, I didn't have any yeast :( I decided to look for a recipe that didn't call for yeast, and I made this one. I added some flax seeds to add some texture. The taste of the bread was really goooOd, but it didn't really rise :( Maybe it was because I used Old Fashion Oats instead of Rolled Oats.

Tonight for dinner I had the leftover salad from this afternoon.

Spicy Chicken Salad:

Crisp Romaine greens, cucumbers, carrots, green onion, grilled chicken, crispy chow mein noodles, bean sprouts, roasted peanuts and our Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette dressing.

You can see how thin the bread is! But I love it ;)

Have you ever cooked/baked something that didn't end up how you expected?

Spinning Around

2010-03-08T21:08:00.000-05:00

Monday came and went, and Friday is just 4 days away! There really is no a reason for me to be counting down to Friday since I am on Spring Break, but Friday I finally get to see Rusty, so I'm looking forward to that :)

It is obvious that the main focus of today's entertainment news has been last night's Academy Awards. Did you watch it? I sure did! I thought Steve Martin and Alex Baldwin were pretty funny, I loved the clip were they poked fun at Paranormal Activity, it was hilarious! I was so happy to see Sandra Bullock take the Best Actress award, she is one of my favorite actresses. It was awesome seeing a woman, Kathryn Bigelow, take the Best Director award (talk about GIRLPOWER). I must say I was a bit bummed by the fact that Avatar didn't win Best Picture :( I haven't seen Hurt Locker but now I feel like I have to see it.

What was your favorite moment of the Academy Awards?

This morning I woke up to a yummy oatmeal concoction:

1/3 cup of oatmeal
water
banana
Banana bread VitaTop
FF vanilla yogurt
Agave

Today, I had to run a couple of errands for my law school financing. Although, I have not heard back from any law school I have to get the financial paperwork taken care of. This whole waiting process is so stressful, can't they just quickly tell me if I am accepted or not! There is nothing I can do now but wait, right :(

As soon as I got home I made a quick lunch:

The cucumber salad rocked! I added some balsamic vinagrette and pepper, it was perfect :)

Today was cardio day! I decided to do spin class since my knees have been bothering me. The class kicked me booty, half way through the class I was ready to quit! My bike's tension wasn't working right, so the majority of the class I was on a really high resistance :( My leggies feel like jelly right now.

I am off to ~~veg~~ watch The Time Traveler's Wife!!

Angel Hair Frittata

2010-03-07T17:04:00.001-05:00

Today finally feels like I am in South Florida!! It has been a while since I walk outside and say, "Damn its too hot out hurr!!" This morning I walked out of my house with a sweater and pants, expecting it to be chilly just like its been the whole week. To my surprise it was actually HOT, and no need for a sweater! I really hope the weather stays like this, spring break just isn't the same without heat, mosquitoes, and humidity.

Yesterday was my lazy day, no gym, no work, just play :-) I went grocery shopping w/ mamma and without realizing it we spent over 3 hrs out! These are just a couple of my buys. Thought I would share that Publix is having a BOGO sale on VitaTops, it lasts till' 3/10 so get them while you can! I really like VitaTops, they make a great addition to many of b-fast concoctions :-) And at BJ's I couldn't help but get this Nature's Path cereal that I haven't tried.

Being my lazy day, I decided to be a bit productive and make an Angel Hair Frittata (a recipe from BJ's journal, makes 4 servings)

4 tbsp of Olive Oil
2 small zucchini
1 Tomato
1 Green Onion
Black Olives
1/2 tsp Basil Leaves
4 Eggs
1/2 cup of Grated Romano Cheese
6 oz. of Angel Hair pasta (I used whole wheat)

cooked

1. Heat 2 tbsp. of oil in a skillet and saute fresh vegetables until tender.
2. Stir in olives and dry basil leaves.

3. Pre-heat broiler
4. Beat eggs and cheese in a large bowl. Stir in vegetables and pasta and season with salt and pepper
5. Pour mixture into oven-proof skillet and spread with spatula until veggies and pasta are evenly distributed.
6. Cook until until eggs are set and golden-brown on bottom.
7. Place skillet on broiler. Cook until top is golden brown.

It turned out really good, and it was very easy to make. I know you can't really see the veggies in this pic but they were hidden in there ;)

Unfortunately, today has not been a lazy day. I have been working on a paper that is due tonight :( But, of-course I managed to squeeze in a gym visit.

Here is today's workout:

Step- Up (3 sets of 15, with 15lbs. weights)
Side- Lunge w/ Shoulder Lift (3 sets of 15, with 10 lbs. weights)
Push Up with Stability Ball (3 sets of 15)
Squats with Stability Ball ( 3 sets of 15, 10lbs. weights)
Stability ball Pike (3 sets of 15)
Pull Back Machine (3 sets of 20, with 45 lbs.)

*Cardio Interval on Treadmill*

5 minute warm up
Run 2 mins. @ speed 5.5 - 6.5
Run 1 min. @ speed 7.6- 8.2
Repeat step 2 & 3, 5 times.
5 minute cool down

I'm off to continue writing my paper :( Hope you had a great weekend!!

Did you watch Alice in Wonderland? If so, did you like it?

I really want to see it but I didn't get the chance to.

Ana in Wonderland

2010-03-06T12:33:00.000-05:00

Hope your weekend is off to a great start! I began mine with a nice 20 minute yoga session :) Being a beginner, I found some of the poses a bit difficult. I have gotten various suggestions to get a yoga block. 'These blocks are of great purpose as some of the poses which many may find it hard to do can be modified as it will get the floor closer to you." I found this youtube video :

How to Use a Yoga Block for Better Form and Flexibility:

I will definitely be getting a yoga block soon!

After my yoga session I had a yummy bowl of oatmeal:

1/2 cup of oats
water
PB
Apple
Vanilla Yogurt
Loads of Cinnamon ;-)

Last night my attempts to watch "Alice in Wonderland" failed :( By the time we got to the movie theater all of the tickets were sold out for the showing we were hoping to catch. We thought about seeing, Dear John, but for some reason the movie had been removed from showing! By then we were so bummed we just decided to rent a movie and head home, but no worries I will watch "Alice in Wonderland" by the end of this weekend ;)

The night turned out great though, I came home to these awesome banana and PB sammy's and watched I Love You, Man! It is such a funny movie, my parents loved the movie and the sammy's.

Just some time in the freezer and they are ready to eat!!! Such a great treat!

I am off to do some grocery shopping (my favorite forms of shopping) for a yummy recipe I am making. Hope you are having a great Saturday!!!

Relax & Tabouli

2010-03-05T13:49:00.003-05:00

Being home is so relaxing. There are no roommates to wake me up, no elephants jumping on my roof, and no obnoxious car alarms going off in the middle of the night. Home is just so peaceful and quite... maybe too quite... I slept past 9!!! That ~~rarely~~ never happens!!! Since my day was off to a late start I made a quick b-fast:

I sprinkled cinnamon on everything ;)

Today was my first time trying out Stonyfield's FF yogurt, and OH MY it was soo good, the texture and sweetness was to die for! If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it. Of course, one can never go wrong with a warm toasted bread and some PB. (Check out Katie's awesome Nut Butter giveaway)

Guess what??? Yesterday I got back on the running horse!! Yeap, since the half-marathon in December I had taken a hiatus from running :( Believe me, I did not want to stop running but due to an injury in my gluteus muscle, I was forced to stop. It was literally "a pain in the butt"!!! I have learned that my body is prone to injury, so I know now how imperative it is to spend time stretching to prevent injury/help the process of healing of an injury. That is exactly why I want to begin to incorporate yoga in my workout routine. I came across this article, Yoga for Runners, which talks about all the great benefits Yoga can provide runners. "Running and yoga make a good marriage of strength and flexibility".

Do you do Yoga? Any helpful tips for a beginner like me?

For lunch, it was time to open this box!

I ended up making a Tabouli Salad with a twist!

The Bulgur Wheat was super easy and quick to make.

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil
Add 1 cup bulgur wheat to boiling water
Remove from heat and let sit for about 1/2 an hour.

The box came with a recipe for a dressing:

1/4 cup of olive oil
1/3 cup of lemon juice
salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
dash of cayenne pepper

Once the bulgur wheat was cool, I added the dressing, and some ingredients I thought would work; sauteed red onion, red beans, celery, and cilantro. It turned out really good, and you can add any ingredients you want :)

Any plans for the weekend??

Bueno!

2010-03-04T22:10:00.000-05:00

I am back in SoFla, home sweet home :) I am happy that I will get the chance to spend more than a weekend here. It is so awesome to get the chance to relax and not have to worry about school for a week! Today, the road-trip wasn't as bad as the last, I wasn't sleepy so no stops were needed. There is only one downfall about being home... Rusty is not here :'(

Yesterday, for lunch I made a kick asSalad topped off with two mini turkey burgers, the ones I had made the night before. Just quickly grilled them on the George Forman.

Later on in the afternoon, I met up with Rusty to do this week's workout. (I will post this week's workout soon, promise!) . It's so great having a gym buddy, definitely beats doing it alone :) But Rusty doesn't go with me everyday, so on my solo days I try to do long runs or group classes.

After the gym we stopped by Publix to get some ingredients to make a quick dinner. I hadn't drank Tazo tea in so long, it was definitely an impulse buy (a darn good one)!

Shrimpies made it in the menu! Just added some garlic, EVOO, salt, pepper, a cayanne pepper kick, and they are all ready to be cooked.

Yumminess!

The shrimp is on a bed of grilled brocoli slaw, with a stuffed clam, and some orange on the side. The dinner was A-mazing, sadly, I can't say that about the movie I rented (The Informant). 15 minutes into the movie I passed out, if a movie puts me to sleep = no bueno!

Have you watched any disappointing movies lately?

Burgers and Peach Cobbler ;)

2010-03-03T12:33:00.001-05:00

Hello bloggies!

There is so much positivity in the air, can you feel it!?! OH YEAH, I feel it ;) I am actually uber-excited because my SPRING BREAK begins tomorrow! WooHooo!!! Although, I don't have a planned trip due to my lack of mulah, I can't wait to lay back, relax, and veg.

Last night I was not feeling too well, a bit under the weather :( So, instead of going to the gym I hung out and relaxed with Rusty. We made dinner together!

We made mini-turkey burgers, they were really good and super easy to make. And I have 2 patties leftover for today's lunch.

Lean Turkey Burgers

1 lb. of Lean Ground Turkey
1 egg
Onion
Mushroom
Garlic
1/2 tsp Salt & Pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

Chop up onion, mushroom, and garlic (to your liking, its going to go into the turkey burger mixture).
In a large bowl mix all ingredients together.
Refrigerate mixture for about 10 minutes, then form patties ( I made about 6 patties)
Grill for about 15 minutes. The inside of the burger will look whitish in color when cooked through. (I used a George Forman Grill)

Instead of fries we had some of these veggie sticks :)

After dinner we just laid back and relaxed, just what I needed :)

This morning, I woke up so refreshed and feeling a whole lot better!! It is good to listen to your body. with the way I was feeling yesterday if I had gone to the gym, I probably wouldn't feel as good as I do today.

This morning I had peach cobbler for b-fast ;)

These two babies together are A-mazing, I honestly feel like I am having peach cobbler!

What do you like to pair Larabars with?

I'm off to make some lunch and continue reading. Got to get everything done before my gym sesh with Rusty!!

Hope you are having a Happy-Hump-Day!

"All that I am after is a Life Full of Laughter"

2010-03-02T14:40:00.001-05:00

After reading Jenny's uplifting post today, it got me thinking about which is the most memorable period in my life. I decided to look through all of my photo albums to see what came to mind. Looking through the pictures, I could not help but think how fast time has flown by. Not too long ago, I was ecstatic about moving away from home and going off to college. Now, I am only a few months away from graduation! Right now, my life's most memorable period would have to be college. Along these past 4 years I have:

Met my sweetheart!

Made great friendships

And had my fair share of "one drink too many" moments (embarrassing moments, yet memorable)

Looking at those pictures I see a happy and carefree me. As I near the end of this period in my life, I notice that I lack the spunk and positive attitude I once had. Now, I stress out too much, whether its on my body image, school, or the future, there is always something! I know that as we grow older life becomes more stressful but I let the most meaningless things ruin my days. I want to live in the moment and stop fixating on the little things. Life goes by way to quick to spend it stressing. Isn't it so much better to fill your life with laughter?!!!

This is a picture we could all laugh at!

Bananazzz

2010-03-01T16:18:00.001-05:00

Hey guys, hope you are having a happy Monday :)

I just got back to O-town and I am already missing home :( I always have so much fun at home!! I get to spend some quality time with the family, and take full advantage of their fully loaded pantry and kitchen ;) See for yourself!

Made this KICK-AsSalad for my parents!

Doesn't it look pretty :)

Tuna salad : tuna, egg, tomato, celery and light mayo.

Even got a chance to make these muffins!

This Bread is Bananazzz! b-a-n-a-n-a-s :) I got the recipe from Denis Austin's Morning Stretch.

Banana Bread
Ingredients

2 cups whole-grain pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup mashed overripe bananas (about 2 medium)
1/2 cup light vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Walnuts ( I decided to add these to give the bread some texture!)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch by 4-inch loaf pan with foil, letting the ends hang over. Coat the foil with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, and oil until well blended. Whisk in the bananas, yogurt, walnuts, and vanilla extract.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just blended. Scrape into the prepared pan. (I wanted muffins, so, I added to mixture to the muffin pan)
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the loaf has shrunk from the sides of the pan and a wooden pick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes.

Makes 12 slices/ 12 muffins :)
Per slice/ muffin: 140 calories, 25 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 4 g total fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 2 g dietary fiber, 190 mg sodium

This morning I had one of the muffins for b-fast! They turned out really goOod!!!!

I feel so spoiled when I am home :) Check out what papa got me on his trip to BJ's!

He knows how much I love Larabars, I have already munched through one of these babys ;)

Well its back to work, right!!

Heading to the gym, today is the beginning of a new set of weight training exercises :) Ready to get swoll!!! haha!!

Home!

2010-02-26T11:38:00.004-05:00

Hope you are having a fantastic Friday!!

After yesterday's long day of classes and a sleepy four hour road-trip, I finally made it home!! I have realized that am not very good at doing road-trips by myself, within an hour of driving I was falling asleep at the wheel! So, getting home took me longer than usual because I had to make multiple stops just to get some energy flowing through me. Believe me I tried everything to stay awake, even talked to myself for quite a while! At one of the stops I decided to grab some lunch.

There weren't many healthy options to choose from at the rest stop. The fruit salad was good, but as you can see the wrap was mainly lettuce :(

I was so happy once I finally got home :) Look what I found!!

I thought I had lost this bottle, so happy to see it :) I haven't been drinking much water lately this will definitely help me load up on some H2O.

The parents were still at work when I got home so I decided to make a quick trip to the gym to get my weekly work-out in. Once I got back from the gym the parents were home! It was soooo goood to see them! After catching up, we headed over to my check-out my big bro's new apartment. Lovely family time :)

This morning I woke up super rested! For b-fast I had some foamy coffee, banana,and a mini whole-wheat bagel ( I covered the holes of the bagel with some crunchy PB;)

There is something wrong with the wireless internet in the house :( So, today I am working from my dad's computer. It is so weird working with a PC, I am such a Mac brat ;)

Are you a PC or a Mac??

How embarassing I am still wearing PJ's!! Well I am off to get ready and meet momma for lunch :) But before I do I am entering Katie's iHerb giveaway! Hope to win so I can try some Maca :)

Out of the Rut

2010-02-24T22:06:00.000-05:00

Hump-day!! It's all downhill from here ;)

And just one day away from Thursday! See, I have a countdown going because after Thursday's classes my weekend begins. I am making a road-trip down to SoFla, aka "home sweet home"... or just South Florida. I can't wait to see the familia, I haven't seen them in way too long :) OH yeah, I am also going down for a law school open-house! I am a bit anxious about it because this is one of the schools I am hoping to get into (fingers-crossed). I just hope the weather gets better, it has been raining here all day today and I don't want to have to drive in the rain :( ... But enough of my rant.

Yesterday, was weight training day w/ Rusty! (fourth week). I must admit these weight training sessions have seriously gotten me out of my exercise rut! Since I started to incorporate weight training to my workouts I have seen great results :)

*Mixin' it Up*

Warm up on treadmill for 5 mins. (4.5 speed and 3.0 incline)

*Weight Training Exercises*

1. Lay Chest Over Ball: Push-Ups --> (3 sets 15-20 repetitions)

2. Wall Squat --> (3 sets of 15-20 repetitions)
- I add 10 lbs. free weights

3. Cable Row ( 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions)
-Challenging weight
4. Tricep Overhead Extensions w/ Dumbbells ( 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions)
- I do 15 lbs. weights

5. Biceps ( 3 set of 15-20 repetitions)
6. Ball Exchange- Abs (3 sets of 45 secs.)

*Cardio Interval on Treadmill*

5 minute warm up
Run 2 mins. @ speed 5.5 - 6.5
Run 1 min. @ speed 7.0- 8.0
Repeat step 2 & 3, 3-4 times.
5 minute cool down

I do this workout 3x's a week, but each week I change the weight training exercises. However, the cardio interval has remained the same I have just increased the speed as the weeks go by. The other 2-3 days I focus on cardio: spinning, running, or playing tennis!

Doesn't all that work deserve a treat? ;)

Tonight Rusty invited me to some YogurTopia!

Such a cute place :)

Our FroYos! Of-course mine is the one on the left since I gave up chocolate for Lent :) I had some vanilla yogurt w/ bananas and strawberries.

Great Hump-Day Treat :) What are your favorite fro-yo toppings?

BFF... Bowling, Friends, and Food!!

2010-02-23T16:28:00.002-05:00

I ended up going bowling last night with Rusty and a couple of friends. Before meeting up with everyone over at the bowling alley, we grabbed a quick bite to eat at "Designer Greens". I got the half/half option, avocado salad and mediterranean panini. This meal alone was $10 with no drink!!!

Doesn't it bother you when you spend money on a meal you could have easily made at home and saved some money?!?

That's kind of how I felt about this meal!!

But, after having a bite of the salad I had a change of heart ;) The salad was gOoOD, it had avocado, egg, mandarins, candied pecan, red onion, corn and goat cheese. Next time, I will just get the salad to make it a bit more feasible, or make it at home.

Bowling was a ton of fun. Surprisingly, I had a couple of strikes, and in the first game I actually broke 100!!! I wanted to beat Rusty but I stood no chance :(

Check out the action shot!!

After bowling, I was pooped and went home straight to bed.

This morning I made oats with a twist :)

Oats
Almond Milk
Greek Yogurt
Cherry pie filling
PB

The twist = Cherry Pie Filling, it gave the oats a yummy tanginess! This mix reminded me of a PB&J sandwich!! Great b-fast to start my Tuesday.

Today, classes were long. Once I finally got home I made a quick bite to eat, burger and fries ;) Two of my favorites bean burgers and sweet potato fries (baked).

What is your favorite food duo???

Simply Yummy

2010-02-22T16:33:00.003-05:00

Happy Monday!!!

Hope you had a great weekend :) Why do weekends go by soOo fast??? :'(

This morning I woke up feeling a bit creative and decided to create a sweet Quinoa concoction ;)

Sweet Quinoa Ingredients:

1 cup of Quinoa (cooked)
1/2 cup of Almond Milk (vanilla flavored)
1 tbsp of Almond Butter
1 tbsp of Honey (or you can use bananas to sweeten it up)
Cinnamon (as much as you like!)

Heat up the Almond Milk with Quinoa
Add the Honey and Cinnamon
Boil until the Quinoa turns thick and creamy
Stir in the Almond Butter and top off with any ingredient of your liking!

At first, I was a bit skeptical about how this was going to turn out but it ended up goOod. I love the texture of Quinoa, and I am happy I was able to incorporate it as a b-fast option! (I cooked so much of Quinoa!)

I did some schoolwork and then headed to a spin class. Loved today's instructor, she had an awesome mix and was very energetic!!

Jammin' Songs of the Day:

Spinning class was about 1 hr. long, and I loved every minute of it! Depending on the spin class I can burn anywhere from 400-600 calories per class. This class:

Calories: 530

Cal. Fat: 20%

Avg. Heart Rate: 165

Max. Heart Rate: 185

I was hangry after spinning! I made the quickest lunch possible: crumbled bean burger, wholly spicy guacamole, and salsa on top of some brown rice.

After lunch I looked over this awesome cookbook , "Simply Organic". I got it as a gift from my parents!!

This book "is a simple way to start you and your family in the path to organic living". I can't believe I had neglected this book for so long. I am going to try to make a recipe from this book sometime this week ( everything looks so good)!!!

Do you buy organic food? Why or why not?

Now Generation

2010-02-21T13:18:00.002-05:00

Impatient!

Whether its friends, family, or boyfriend, they all come to the same conclusion, I lack patience. As one of my new year's resolutions I figured it would be smart to work on becoming a bit more patient. It became a resolution not because I felt it was a flaw but just because everyone else thought it was a problem. I had never truly considered how my lack of patience actually had a negative effect on my life. But I think yesterday it hit me!

Rusty has been trying to teach me how to play tennis for the past couple of weeks and yesterday he really wanted to play. I was ~~angry~~ upset because I wanted to go to the gym instead. Honestly, the main reason I didn't want to play tennis was because I get too frustrated. Frustrated because I make a lot of mistakes and who likes that??? (impatient!). Regardless, we ended up at the tennis courts and from the beginning I had a bad attitude. I wasn't putting in any effort and every ball I hit went straight into the net!! Rusty was so upset with the way I was acting that 5 minutes in he was ready to leave. I realized that I was allowing my impatience to ruin my day.

The Black Eyed Peas would say impatience is a trait of the "Now Generation"(listen!) haha. Our generation just wants instant results, hence high speed Internet, products such as Quick Trim, and crash diets that promise you will lose 10 lbs in one week! I realize I am too impatient to give certain "things" time, if there aren't instant results I switch to a new "thing". I can see that being impatient can have a negative effect on many aspects of our life. Whether its a diet, workout regiment, or even learning something new (to play tennis), if we don't see the results we expect we are quick to "throw in the towel". By being impatient I could have missed out on an awesome time with Rusty and would have ruined our Saturday. Once I sucked up the fact that I wasn't going to be a perfect tennis player we had a blast and I ended up playing better than I would have ever expected! So next time you are ready to give up on something because you are not getting the results you want, DON'T! Be patient and the results will come as long as you keep at it ;)

Do you think you are impatient?

By the time we got back from playing tennis it was dinner time. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at Teriyaki Experince, the meal is prepared right in front of you and the best part it is they use water instead of oil to cook it! I got a Pan-Asian Shrimp Noodle Bowl, it is soo goOod!

And after dinner we gathered with some friends for game night!!! We decided to play Monopoly it was a lot of fun even though I didn't win :(

All my properties are the ones on the left, can u bleieve I lost!! OH well I had a good time. Hope your wekend is going great!!!

Kee-no-wa!

2010-02-20T13:02:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I decided to make some Quinoa, wanted a lil' change from brown rice. Quinoa is a very versatile grain (like rice) there are many recipes in which Quinoa can be incorporated in; vegetarian stew, salads, pilafs... And not only is quinoa goOod but it is also goOod for you, it has the highest protein content of any grain (1 cup of cooked Quinoa has 8g of protein).

How to Cook Quinoa:

1. In a cooking-pot soak 1 cup of Quinoa in water for about 30 minutes. Soaking helps loosen the outer coating (saponin) of the Quinoa , which can give it a bitter taste.

2. Drain the Quinoa well in a strainer, transfer to a cooking-pot, add 1- 1/2 cups of water (many recipes call for 1/2 tsp if desired). I don't add any salt that way I can season it to my liking when I use it. I have been wanting to make a Quinoa pudding and that wouldn't be too good if I used salty Quinoa.

3. Cover and cook at medium heat, I used level 3 in stove top, for about 25 minutes.

4. If it looks a bit wet allow it to cook for a couple more minutes. After 25 minutes it was perfectly done for me. Once you see its nice and fluffy, remove from stovetop and let cool with the cover on for five minutes.

5. You should have great Qunioa!

(Note: 1 cup of dry Quinoa will procude 3 cups cooked)

Once it was completely cooled I was able to refrigerate it. Now I can use it for lunch and dinner! Having things pre-cooked is a good way to make life a bit less stressful. I can have many a quick and healthy meals by having the Qunioa already prepared.

I made this lunch in less than 15 minutes! Just added some tomatoes, peppers, and onions to the Quinoa and topped it off with a Gardeins Tuscan Breast.

A gRReat Trio!

2010-02-18T22:01:00.008-05:00

It's finally over!!

In my school Speech is a mandatory class everyone has to take in order to graduate. Most people take Speech their freshmen year of college to get it out of the way. But since I am not like most ;) I pushed this class off to my last semester in college! Honestly the thought of public speaking really scared me. But regardless of that today I had to give yet another speech (two down, two more to go). Last night I must have practiced my speech over millionzzz of times, I had a wonderful audience (my friend Jen). Don't know how she managed to listen to me for that long without wanting to kill me!!! I think it went well, just happy it's over!

Since I was so busy this morning practicing my speech, I had this b-fast:

Greek yogurt with a crumbled granola bar. This was my first time trying out Yoplait's Greek yogurt and I must say I was disappointed :( I felt that it was lacking creaminess and tanginess, from now on I'll stick to FAGE :)

For lunch I was really in the mood for a bean burger. I have been craving a bean burger for a while but since I have had no time to make them (homemade bean burger recipe) . Instead, I had this lovely trio so it would settle my fix.

The spicy black bean burger went perfectly with the spicy guacamole, it turned out scrumptious! My new favorite trio ;)

Tonight is movie night *Julie & Julia* So I made a quick dinner; brown rice, grilled chicken w/ red and green peppers.

Gotta go Julia is waiting! And my chocolate-less sweet ;)

Have a GRREAT FRIDAY!!!!!!

Giving up my "vice"

2010-02-17T11:33:00.001-05:00

Hump-day is finally here!!!!

Hope your week is going hella-good :) Not only is today hump-day but it is also Ash Wednesday, which signifies the beginning of Lent. In an article I read it stated that "in Lent many people give up a vice to further enhance their spiritual journey". Personally, I take a vice as being a personal weakness or a bad habit. So, I have decided that I am going to give up chocolate, my numero uno personal weakness. Chocolate... I will miss u!

This wonderful morning began with a hearty bowl of oatmeal topped off w/ crumbled banana walnut bread (Rusty's mom made it, so good)

Oatmeal:
-1/2 cup of Almond Milk
-1/2 cup of Oats
-Cinnamon
-Small banana
-Crumbled Banana Walnut Bread (as soon as I get my hands on the recepie I will post it)

I was starved this morning and this bowl of oatmeal was just what I needed.

Last night was circuit-training day with Rusty. So happy and clean before heading to the gym to get all sweaty!

After the tough workout we headed to one of my favorite places, HummusHouse, to grab a quick dinner. Every time I go there I get the Greek Salad, their ingredients are so fresh and the hummus rocks my socks!

It's so good!

I always try to eat within an hour after training, because that is when your muscles absorb the most nutrients. I guess that's why I felt starved this morning eh!

Hope You Have a Happy Wednesday!

Early Bird???

2010-02-16T14:16:00.001-05:00

I was up at 6:30 this morning! Sometimes I find it easy to get up but today definitely wasn't one of those days. Guess I am not much of an early bird. I was so warm and cozy under the covers I did not want to move. For these lazy days when I don't have time to create a decent breakfast.... I rely on instant oatmeal :/

*True Delights* Instant Oatmeal Review(Hazelnut Latte): This was my first time trying anything from the new Quaker "True Delights" line. I must say it wasn't bad, the yummy hazelnut smell permeated my kitchen, for a moment I thought I was in a coffee shop! (who doesn't love the smell of coffee in the morning!) I also enjoyed added hazelnuts in the oatmeal mixture, it added some texture and yummy nuttiness. Overall it is one of the better instant-oatmeal I have had!

When you don't have much time what is your go to grab-n-go breakfast?

I spent my morning at UCF's Einstein Bagels waiting for my next class to begin. Many of the options they have for breakfast are not very healthy, but its always soooo busy (look at the line!). Bagels and cheese very popular, but I think I will stick to my oats ;)

A bit of Pineapple will make it better

2010-02-15T21:53:00.003-05:00

I was able to get most of the cleaning done but I still have some laundry to do :( As I cleaned up, lunch time came around so I decided to make a quick salad.

Just some spring mix, grape tomatoes, and avocado. To add some healthy protein to the meal, I made Gardein's (meat free) Santa Fe Good Stuff, it has 19g of protein and only 160 calories. Best of all it is delicioso and quick! You pop it in the microwave for 2 minutes and its ready for eatin'.

After finishing up some schoolwork I headed to the UCF gym for a spinning class!! It was a great class, I always come out soaken wet with sweat ewww ;) After class I headed to the tennis courts which are right next to the gym. While I waited for the BF to get to the courts, I munched on a mini CLIF bar they were handing them out in the gym.

The BF is teaching me to play tennis, he played for a "looong time" ( his whole childhood years). And now he has become my coach!! I really enjoy playing with him, he has tons of patience and IF I learn we will be able to actually play together.

These are the UCF tennis courts, don't they look pretty :)

After tennis it was time for dinner and the BF (my Chef) made it :) It turned out so goOod. Grilled Mahi-Mahi over a bed of spring mix, and whole grain rice (Uncle Ben's 90 second), and topped off with a fabulous pineapple sauce (creation of the BF).

After such a crazy Monday its time for bed! I have a real early class tomorrow, 7:30 a.m. to be exact :( Hope you all had a great Monday :)

Monday Madness!

2010-02-15T12:31:00.002-05:00

I overslept today :( Mondays are definitely not good days for oversleeping but after yesterday's work-out my body definitely in need of some rest. Rusty and I have been doing circuit workouts every other day (this is our 4th week). Each week we switch up the exercises, that way we focus on different muscles and keep our body guessing (prevents your body from hitting a plateau). This weeks' workout invovles various exercises on the medicine ball along with free weights. My upper body is soar, yay :)

Since I was so busy this weekend there were many things that did not get done. I have some crazzy cleaning to do, schoolwork, ~~grocery shop~~, and somewhere in there fit in a spinning class.

Luckily I already got the grocery shoppping out of the way. Here are some snacks I got for the week.

I love Greek yogurt, it is also better for you than regular yogurt because it is lower in sugar and higher in protein, which in the long run makes you feel fuller. This is the first time I will be trying Yoplait's Greek yogurt, since it was a bit cheaper than Chobani and Fage figured I would give it a go. I will let you know if they compare

I plan on making yummy salads for lunch this week, so I got this:

I have loads of old-fahioned Oats for b-fast but I was tempted to try these new True Delights instant-otameal packs. We will see if they are any good.

Obvi for some entertainment I got the Fitness Magazine!! Mmm... what do you think the 7 fighting dinners could be?

Well I am off to continue my Monday Madness. Happy Monday :)

Valentine's Weekend

2010-02-14T16:28:00.005-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day bloggies!!!

Don't you just love Valentine's Day?? I think its a great chance to let the people in your life know just how much you love them. I sent my parents a package full of goodies, they loved it!! And made this yummy Black Forest Tarts for the BF, they turned out gOOOOd! (Thanks for the recipe Gina :)). I did run into a bit of trouble when melting the white chocolate because the power of the microwave was too high, but once I lowered it it all worked out.

This weekend has been loads of fun . Yesterday Rusty (the bf) and I went to Daytona to watch a NASCAR race, it was our first time. I was really hesitant about going, I just did not know ~~anything~~ much about NASCAR and wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it. Surprisingly Rusty and I had blast. I ended up rootin' for Danica its all about GirlPOWER!! ( I even got a shirt ;))

Check out the awesome view we had!

It was a sooo chilly out, I was so happy the BF brought the blanket :)

After the Daytona trip we were exhausted! I am glad we actually went, it was something different but fun. Don't ever be hesitant of trying out something new you might be surprised of how much you will enjoy it.

Today Rusty made me a delicioso and healthy Valentine's Day lunch. He made a chicken sandwich, with his special lime guacamole spread (awesomeliciousness), sweet potato thin, and healthy sides.

After such a good lunch, I have all the energy I need for a fun Valentine's Day workout with my Valentine! I am so happy Rusty understands how much I love working out and we incorporate in some of our moments together. Having a buddy to work out with makes it a lot easier and fun! Later tonight we plan on eating out and maybe catching a movie. Any movie recommendations?

Let the Adventure Begin!

2010-02-12T09:37:00.001-05:00

Hello Blogoshphere!!!!

I cannot believe I am finally writing my first post! I have been a follower of many healthy-living blogs for quite some time and have always wanted to create my own blog. The ladies (Tina , Gina, Kath, Bobbi, Meg, and many others) that I follow have honestly been an inspiration to me, and it has encouraged me to become part of this lovely community. This is so exciting! But enough of my first-day jitters :)

Let me tell you a little bit about me :) I am currently attending UCF (Orlando, Florida) and doing my last semester. I will be a graduate in less than 3 months, it is crazy how time flies!! Although I am super excited to graduate, there is just something so scary about CHANGE. I have been living in Orlando for 4 years, it is weird not knowing where I will be in a couple of months. I have applied to various law schools but I am still waiting to hear from them :( I try not to let this stress me out, we can't always have complete control over every situation in our lives, right? And that's what makes life such an adventure, you never know what you are going to get.

Trying to live a healthy and active life-style as a college student has not been an easy task. I am sure all of you know how tempting it is for a college student (or anyone in general) just to order a pizza rather than make a healthy home-cooked meal, or spend nights out with friends guzzling down beer and doing some more "pizza" eating ;) hehe. As difficult as it has been I have learned to incorporate healthy-living choices in my everyday life, and hope to share my "Active Adventure" with all of you :)