Friday, January 18, 2013

Finally Friday!!

Hello Peeps,

I wanna apologize for being absent yesterday.

I am here today just to say i am thankful its Fri. I hope you all enjoy your weekend.

I hope to chat with you on Mon.

Until then don't forget your goals and always Dream

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

WorkOut Wed!!

How are those "New Years Resolutions" coming along? Have you slacked a little???  Well come on buttercuP!! It's been two weeks and i am still trying hard but have definataly feel the slowing of my momentum! Here i  a work out i found at evepostapple.com! I can already feel how sore i am going to be for days! Let me know how you like it? Have you checked out her blog yet? Its so inspiring!! 

You can do this workout up to three days each week for a full body BURRRNN!!
WOD:
10 Minute Warm Up
4 SETS Circuit #1
30 sec burpees
30 sec pushups (feet on bench)
30 sec squats with overhead dumbbell press)
1 minute plank (lift one leg at a time to make it harder)
4 SETS CIRCUIT #2
30 sec lunges with dumbbells
30 sec box jumps
30 sec side lunges with dumbbells
30 sec one legged squat to bench
1 minute side plank w/t-raise
4 SETS CIRCUIT #3
30 sec triceps dips
30 sec high knees
30 sec concentration curls with dumbbells
30 sec front raise/side raise with dumbbells
1 minute plank rows
CARDIO:
**25-Minute Sprint Intervals**
Choose a piece of cardio equipment ie. treadmill, bike, elliptical and do 30-60 sec sprints with 30-60 sec rest, repeat for 25 mins

GET YOUR SWEAT ON

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Tastey Tuesday

Hello there!!

Happy for Tuesday and the rain.

Today i wanna share a few recipes i wanna try that look delectable and are still healthy!! I have done ok with my eating fell a little yesterday but back on track today!! I read an article earlier today about changing the way we feel about the way we talk to ourseleves!

Changing from I Can’t to I Don’t

The minute i tell myself i can not do something guess what is the only thing on my mind?? You got it, whatever it was i said i couldn't do. I think it is just our nature. Now think about it this way, I don't want!  Now we have the control of the situation. So next time you think "Oh shucks, i can't have a piece of that cheesecake!" Say instead, "Wow i don't want that cheesecake, i will only feel bad after." Try it. let me know how it works for you!!

I will try these soon (I hope) and let you know whai i think!! Maybe even post a pic or two of my actual creations lol. i got these super yummy recipes (and pictures) from a great blog http://www.zainsaraswatijamal.com/site/!!  Check it out!!

Now to the recipes!!!
FEAST YOUR EYES ON THIS!! (wipe your chin your drooling)


Zain’s Homemade Veggie Burger & Chunky Parsnip Fries
So we are just over a week into the New Year and I am sure that you are holding steadfast to your resolutions of health and fitness. After all of the indulging over the holidays it can be difficult to make the switch to simpler tastes and salad based meals.
I wanted to share a super healthy and delicious recipe that you can sink your teeth into without worrying that it will mess up all of your hard work, not to mention, this recipe is one that you can prepare in advance, freeze or refrigerate and heat up to take for your packed lunch the following day.
Zain’s Homemade Sweet Potato & Nut Veggie Burger
Ingredients:
*Makes 4 Burgers, Takes 20 Minutes
14oz Can Unsalted Pinto Beans (I use Eden Organics)
8oz Baked Yam (skin removed)
32g Walnuts (finely chopped, roasted)
4 Tbsp Sunflower Seeds (roasted)
Dash of Bragg’s Seasoning
1 Whole Egg (slightly beaten) OR 2 Tbsp Egg Replacement
1/4 White Onion (diced)
1/2 Tsp Ground Cumin
1/16 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/8 Tsp Onion Powder
1/8 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/8 Tsp Cayenne Powder
1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
Optional Toppings:
Iceberg Lettuce (chopped), Tomato (sliced), Avocado (sliced), Sprouts, Whole Grain Mustard, Clean Ketchup (1/2 Cup tomato paste, 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder, 1/4 Tsp Onion Powder, 11/2 Packets Stevia, Salt to taste), Low-Sodium Pickles
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. On a sprayed baking sheet, roast walnuts and sunflower seeds with Bragg’s seasoning, for 7-9 minutes or until golden. Set aside
2. Mash pinto beans with fork or in food processor and mix with baked yam, walnuts, sunflower seeds and egg or egg replacement. Add all spices and baking powder and mix well.
3. Roll mixture into balls and flatten with hands into 4 patties.
4. Heat and spray pan or grill and cook the burgers until golden and slightly crispy on each side. Meanwhile, prepare mango chutney by mixing all ingredients together well and allow to chill until serving.
5. Wrap in 2-4 large lettuce leaves (rather than buns) and top with mango chutney.
Zain’s Chunky Parsnip Fries
5 Large Parsnips
2 Tsp Olive Oil
1 Sprig Fresh Rosemary Or Dill (optional)
Himalayan Crystal Salt & Ground Pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Toss parsnips with oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
3. Roast on top rack for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.


Zain’s Coconut Banana & Date Breakfast Muffins 
***Gluten-Free and Option for Vegan***
3/4 Cup Almond Flour, Coconut Flour or Other Gluten-Free Flour (Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour works great)
3/4 Cup Uncontaminated Oats
1 Large Banana (sliced)
2 Tbsp Coconut Butter
1/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1/4 Cup Organic Light Coconut Milk
2 Whole Eggs OR for Vegan substitution - 11/2 Tbsp Flax Seeds in warm water (allow to sit for 5 minutes until gelatinous)
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Coconut
10 Medjool Dates (chopped)
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
60-75 Drops Vanilla Creme Stevia
2 Scoops Vanilla Protein Powder of Your Choice (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line muffin tins with paper cups (or grease them really well with coconut oil)
2. In a food processor, combine the oats and gluten-free flour of your choice and blend to a powder consistency, then add all of the remaining ingredients - except banana, dates and coconut - and blend to a thick batter consistency.
3. Stir in banana, dates and coconut by hand into the batter. 
4. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and cook for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean!   Serve warm OR store in an airtight container for up to 6 days.
Zain’s Coconut Banana & Date Breakfast Muffins
***Gluten-Free and Option for Vegan***
3/4 Cup Almond Flour, Coconut Flour or Other Gluten-Free Flour (Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour works great)
3/4 Cup Uncontaminated Oats
1 Large Banana (sliced)
2 Tbsp Coconut Butter
1/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1/4 Cup Organic Light Coconut Milk
2 Whole Eggs OR for Vegan substitution - 11/2 Tbsp Flax Seeds in warm water (allow to sit for 5 minutes until gelatinous)
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Coconut
10 Medjool Dates (chopped)
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
60-75 Drops Vanilla Creme Stevia
2 Scoops Vanilla Protein Powder of Your Choice (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line muffin tins with paper cups (or grease them really well with coconut oil)
2. In a food processor, combine the oats and gluten-free flour of your choice and blend to a powder consistency, then add all of the remaining ingredients - except banana, dates and coconut - and blend to a thick batter consistency.
3. Stir in banana, dates and coconut by hand into the batter.
4. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and cook for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean! Serve warm OR store in an airtight container for up to 6 days.

Going Green

Today is another new week!! I am so glad for the weekends. They give us a time to refresh our minds and body's! I hope your weekend was great.

We left Friday for a weekend retreat at "Hunting Camp."

I was very aprehensive. The drive was long and it was cold. We got there right around dark. Thank goodness our friends were there already and had dinner ready!!Even better they like to eat clean!! Wahoo!! Then right to the hunting lol

My DD shot her firtst deer Sat. morning and another that evening!! She was so happy!! She got right in there with her dad gutting and skinning. She disected the stomach, she just had to know what her deet had been eating!! went through all the organs one by one, she loved every aspect of the process!! She will make a great vetranarian some day!!!

Sun we cleaned up and made it home just in time to watch the Texans and Pats play some ball!! Sat by the fire cuddled up with my puppies and rooted on my team!! GO PATS!! Winner!!!

Enough of my weekend recap and onto the funner stuff!!

We are gonna talk about the color of the year. I am still not in love with it, but i found a few pictures. Let me know what you think!!!










So, there you go! Just a few of the things i thought looked fun in the color of 2013! 

Thanks for stopping in.

Dream

PS:  I just realized i hit save instead of publish!! Sorry this is a day late!!

Friday, January 11, 2013

R&R

Headed out to camp for the weekend.

Maybe i will do some serious brainstorming/soul searching on finding my blog voice!!!

What do i really want to accomplish with this blog?

Everyone enjoy your weekend.

DREAM

Thursday, January 10, 2013

THANKFUL THURSDAY

Here is  a quote i found, i just had to share! I am definitely thankful for laughter!!


I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.
Woody Allen

It is funny however, when somebody else blows milk out their nose!!


Take time to be thankful today.



Wednesday, January 9, 2013



COLOR OF 2013...





EMERALD GREEN

Not my fave, but my birthstone!!

Guess my mom got rid of her old icky carpet just one year to soon. HAHA

Not sure how i feel about this color yet. So i will keep you posted on that.



I will have to experiment with it i guess.

Enjoy your Wed!!

Keep it GREEN!

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Inspired, Junkin', Workout Must

Inspired! My first Junkin' experience and an insight to my work out.

Last night i got home and heard all kinds of calamity going on next door. I thought to myself "Great now i have to listen to all that commotion all night." I went on about my business and tried not to be the nosey neighbor. Well, we all know that didn't last too long!! I was in the bedroom upstairs and couldn't help look out the window to see what it was they were doing. To my great and happy surprise they were replacing an old fence!! My heart did a flip flop pitter patter as i pondered, what were they going to do with all the wonderfully worn wood??? 

I watched GOCKED AT what they were doing for a while. I thought of all the things i could do with the worn planks!! Then i said, "OK Ms. Chipped, it's time to face this fear of talking to people you don't know. Get out of your bubble. You NEED that wood or at least a few pieces of it. Whats the worst that could happen." So, i puttered around outside doing this and that trying to work up the confidence to talk to them.

First attempt. FAIL.

Second attempt. Better i actually talked to them to see if they could give me an estimate on how much it would cost me to have my fence fixed. FAIL.

 Third attempt. I told him my name, the only logical reason i could ponder for going out yet a third time, and asked what they would be doing with the old wood they were tearing down. He said "TRASH." My heart jumped and i did it!! I actually asked if i could have some!! I know this sounds so trivial to most. This was a huge step for me with an epic WIN!!  I now have a pile of old wood laying in my back yard and the possibilities are endless! So glad i went out for a third conversation. I feel i grew a little more confident as well. My first ever junkin' experience was heart racing, the rush was indescribable!

I completed my canvas as well. It didn't turn out exactly how i wanted but for my first time it wasn't too bad. No pictures because i have no idea how to attach them to this post yet. :(

I thought on my way to work today that i need a new play list for my work outs. How maybe that would get me motivated to get off my rather muscle-less rump and work out. I am tired of running up the stairs only to feel every movement twice because things are bouncy that shouldn't be. So i googled (my fave pass time these days) top work out songs of 2012. According to "HUFFPOST  HEALTHY LIVING" there are several things that factor into a workout play list. Taste, beats per minute, and duration. I feel a workout play list is a crucial part of my work out.  it helps my endurance and enjoyment without a doubt! Not to mention if its a real go getter my intensity is higher!

Its a very personal list for sure! Mine varies so much! I like so many different genres. When working out i may start my warm up with Journey Faithfully, then to Kesha to get my beat on, then to Disturbed and to cool off maybe some Rascal Flats. Of course there are several others in the mix as well. I have to have a good beat to get me going and to keep me there lol

Here is the first list that "HUFFPOST HEALTHY LIVING" has for us as "Best Workout Songs of 2012":

  1. Xoxo - Cherub
  2. Climax - Usher
  3. Rack City - Tyga
  4. Let Me Love You - Ne-yo
  5. Transport - Lolove

There are the first five. Usher and Tyga are a few of my faves for sure! Ne-yo is good and the others i will have to research (not sure I've ever heard of them).

Whatever your taste. Lets get our sweat on!!

Trash and Sweat and of course...

 Dreams xoxo

Monday, January 7, 2013

Hello Second Week Of The New Year!

Date Night was great! Dinner with a friend is always a good time!  Hubby and DD went to the new Quentin Terantino movie (YUCK LOL).

Sat was a good day as well. It rained all day!! I love the rain. So serine. Went on a date with DH and DD went to the mall with her friends!!

Sun was a lazy dazy day!! I love Sunday. Football a fire and nothing to do but relax (and check out all the blogs i've been missing for a while)!

Now it's Monday again. Time to hit the ground running!! Late i might add lol.  Wanted to stay in bed as long as i could. PA is where DH will be headed for the week. DD starts class tomorrow, lucky!

Did pretty ok with the health part of my new years goals. I didnt eat every three hours like i should. Most of my choices were pretty good though! I hope to start a food diary soon too. Never done one before so we will see...

No reading or working out YET!!!

Tomorrow i will try to post some pics of a bling canvas!! FUN FUN FUN

So we are off and running this amazing Monday morning!! Keep up your ambition and keep striving for your goal(s) what ever that (they) may be!!



Dont forget to "DREAM"

Friday, January 4, 2013

Finally Friday!

So the date night is a go!! Only its a Girls Date Night!! I am so excited. Not sure what we will do yet. Rest assured it will be fun.

I am also so excited (call ma crazy) to get my Christmas decor down and cleaned up!! I am ready for a clean sltae to deocorate and fun in. I am into the white thing this year! I want everything to be old, used, chippy, and white!! I have so many ideas floating around in my head right now it hurts!! I will be posting pictures as soon as i figure out how HAHAHAH!!!

My resolutions are going so so and its only 4 days in. ha

I am three days in and sugar free so far!! My carb count is down and only one sip of DDP (diet Dr. Pepper). It almost made me hurl it was so bad!! Im glad for that for sure! 

My fitness well is yet to be put into action. I just can't seem to get past the fact that i am going to have to join a public gym (BLECK). Back in our old place we had a gym where my Dad worked and nobody ever used it much. So i loved it!! Worked out all the time!! I am sure this hudle won't kill me but wow i feel like it might! I also get up very early and go to my J.O.B. by 6. finding a 24hr gym is a chore in itself.

I have my book for my reading!! I hope to start it this weekend.

There are so many things i wanna add to my resolutions as i read everyones goals for the year!! I may have to do a monthly resolution list. Thats an over whelming idea.

I hope everyone has a fabulous Friday Night and a great weekend!!

Dont forget to "DREAM"

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Thank goodnes for Thursday!!! That means tomorrow is Friday!! Wahooo

I hope everyone has plans for a great weekend!!

I will be putting away the Christmas decor and lights outside. Not a fun chore by anymeans, but has to be done.

I hope to make a trip to the Antique Gallerie!! Havent been since before Christmas. Maybe there is some new fun thing that i just can not live without! (There usually is)

Maybe you have a big Friday Night date! I think i may plan one of those too!! I havent been on a date in a while. Life seems to get so busy. Thats it, its settled! Tomorrow is DateNight at my house. What will we do? I'm not sure but i will figure it out!

Enjoying Thursday hope you are too!

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

REFLECTION REDEFINING 

Its the kick off to 2013!! who is ready to rock this new year!!!

Show me that "SASS" ladies!!!

I am ready for a new year and new beginning! ITS SO TIME!!

This year i beleive i am going to title "DREAM"

This is my first ever blog!! I know nothing of what to do or where to go with it. But i am very excited to see where it takes me!!

I am doing a lot of researching about blogging and how to go about it. This is baby blog and i am sure in time it will grow to be amazing (or at least that is "OUR" goal)

As i learn new and wonderful things about the blog world i will keep you posted and share everything. Right now TODAY our goal is to dream!! As the saying goes "If you're going to DREAM, DREAM BIG!!!!

SO,  what do you love? Not what are your interests. But what do you Love?  What are you passionate about?? Take time to truely answer this great question.

This Blog will evolve if not just help to create a better one in time.  So stay posted for updates and newness!!

Now onto the new year part.

First Reflect:

This was a huge year!! BIG things happened that have changed my whole world. Started out the year like every other year really. Nothing big to report, in the beginning that is.

I did however renivate my kitchen! took out an old bar and painted everything!! I loved the out come! When I get this whole blog thing going and figured out, I will try to post some pictures!!

As April rolled around things started to get pretty intense! My Son was going to be a graduated high school student by the end of May! Where did the time go???

June and July were somewhat simple nothing big to report.

But then, August got to be very how should i say...

CRAZY

We took a small trip to see if we might like to relocate? Sure people do this all the time right!? No big deal! Within less than a month and no time to really ponder the idea we relocated in about three weeks. over a thousand miles from everyone and everything we ever knew. We left our Son the graduate, everything bout our clothes mostly. What an adventure!!

My Daughter not to keen on the idea. My husband ready for a knew beginning and i was somewhere inbetween! Love the thought of a fresh start scared of the unknown.

We are several months in and adjusting still. I am ready to start looking to buy a home.

The big thing for December, My husband surprised me with a new car!! I LOVE IT!!!!

The new year now holds such promise and i am ready to see whats instore! I am going to start the year by refinding "ME". I think everyone will benefit. Or at least i hope!

I am no t a real resolution kind of girl. I feel its just setting myself up for failure. This year i want to accomplish a few things. So i guess you could say i have a few resolultions/goals!

1.  I want to grow in knowledge.

             So, i plan to read a book a month and take some classes at the local college

2.  I need to work on my fitness and health.

             So, i plan to start a membership at the gym and working out again (something i have not done really since our big move in August:( but love). I also plan  to cut all sugars (again) and no more carbination (again). There are a lot of other things as well that will be removed from my diet, but i dont want to totally bore you to death!!!

Those are my two for now. I never thought when i sat down and started typing that i would go this long!! Geesh you probably are bored out of your mind if you are even still reading!! So, i will say good dat to you and Happy New Year!!!

DREAM, Laugh, Live
2013