What I Ate Wednesday and More November 29, 2012

Happy Hump-Day! Sorry this is so late; this is the first time I’ve had a chance to sit down in front of my computer all day! It was a busy one, to say the least! Keenan woke up past 8:00 a.m. which was nice, but he also woke up at 3:00 a.m., calling frantically for my husband. I think he had a bad dream because he just wanted to be held and sung to when my husband went into his room. Fortunately, he went right back to sleep, but my husband and I had a hard time going back to sleep. Needless to say, we were tired this morning!

Today was cleaning day (not one of my favorite days, especially with a cold!), so after Keenan and I ate breakfast, I  did a little cleaning downstairs while he played (which included some cuddle time on the couch with his critters!) before we got ready to head to the box. I met a couple of my fellow athletes to do some skill work, back extensions on the glute ham developer, light deadlifts and box cleans. It was good to get some extra work in before the evening class.

Snuggling with his blanket and critters!

Tonight’s WOD was challenging: run 400 meters and 3 rounds of 15 pullups and 15 hand release pushups for 20 minutes, doing as many rounds as possible. The pullups were tough on my arm and the running is always a challenge. I’m slowly working on a faster pace. I was able to complete 2 rounds and 200 meters, not bad, but definitely not the best. After class, I helped coach the beginner’s class, which was fun, as always! It is fun to meet new people who have just joined and those who have been coming for a while and are continuing to get stronger!

Since it’s Wednesday, you know the drill! I’m linking up with Jenn at Peas and Crayons for What I Ate Wednesday!

Here are some of the things I ate the past few days:

Breakfasts:

• No Oat Oatmeal with spinach
  

  I just love this breakfast!

• My husband’s famous “cheesy eggs” (with feta, for a change)
  

  My husband’s scrambled eggs are some of the best I have ever eaten!

• Pumpkin Pie Latte with my husband’s leftover homemade whipped cream (a nice compliment to my breakfasts!)
  

  So yummy; perfect for cold and rainy mornings!

Lunches:

• Turkey wraps with spinach, tomato, avocado and pepperoncinis
  

  One of my new favorites!

• Egg whites in a mug over a bed of spinach, tomato, avocado, pasta sauce and roasted pumpkin seeds
  

  I just can’t get enough of this!

• Egg White Florentine in a Mug with avocado and pasta sauce on top
  

  So easy to make and so satisfying for breakfast or lunch!

Dinners:

• Mediterranean Chicken in the Crock Pot
  

  Such a good dinner and super easy to make!

• Crock Pot Pork and Apples with roasted broccoli, cherry tomatoes, red onions and feta cheese
  

  Such a hearty and yummy meal!

• Thai red curry stir-fry of baby bok choy, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and chicken
  

  A great meal for a cold night, thanks to my husband for making it!

Well, it is time for a nice hot shower and then bed! I’m exhausted! Have a good night!

Questions: What have you eaten the past few days? Are you still eating turkey leftovers? Have you tried any new foods or recipes lately?

REMINDER: There is still time to enter a chance to win a stylish and comfortable workout headband from Simple-Trends! Giveaway ends Monday, Dec. 3rd at 8 p.m. PST!! Click here to enter.

Giving Back and Simple-Trends Headband Review and Giveaway!! November 27, 2012

Well, I definitely have a cold. My throat is not as sore as it was yesterday, but I definitely have a lot of post-nasal drip. When I woke up this morning, everything had moved into my head. Ugh…I just hate head colds, because I feel like one giant nose (like in those cold medicine commercials)! Fortunately, Keenan woke up late this morning, at 8:30, so I was able to sleep in a bit, which helped. My husband doesn’t seem to be as affected, so far, and Keenan seems to be okay. I’m hoping he doesn’t get it.

My husband was very sweet this morning and fixed us a nice breakfast of his famous “cheesy eggs” with a pear and a latte. It was nice to come downstairs and have breakfast all ready!

After breakfast, Keenan and I headed to our local retirement home for my MOMs Club service project. As part of my duties as the Vice President, I have to plan at least one service project for the year. Since we haven’t done any work with retirement homes, I thought it would be nice to coordinate some activities during the holidays with them, especially since many of the residents don’t have any family. Today, we did holiday arts and crafts: making cards, pictures and ornaments with the residents. We are going back in a couple of weeks to attend their holiday party and give a card and picture or ornament to each resident while singing Christmas songs. The residents were so happy to have us there today. Some of them enjoyed helping the kids color and glue, while others just enjoyed watching. They kept talking about how they were looking forward to having us come back for their holiday party, as well as starting a regular story time. In January, we are starting a monthly story time where the residents will read their favorite stories to the kids. Overall, it was great morning, both for the residents and for our kids. I look forward to going back, soon!

It feels so good to give back or help those in need, which is what the holidays are all about (or should be). It shouldn’t be so much about shopping and giving gifts to friends and family members; the real gift of giving should be volunteering your time (or money, if you have it) to those who are less fortunate (or don’t have anyone in their lives, like the residents of the retirement home we visited today). Maybe for every gift you buy for someone, you donate money to your favorite charity or donate your time this holiday season–just a thought.

On another note, I’m excited to host a giveaway, just in time for the holidays!

Nicole at Simple-Trends kindly sent me a couple of headbands, one to try and one to give away. They are just what their name implies, simple, but comfortable (and versatile) headbands that you can wear for working out, when out-and-about, or simply spending the day at home. You can wear their bands wide, or tuck them in to be thin. You can also wear them with your hair up or down. All of Simple-Trends headbands are handmade in the U.S. and come in a variety of prints.

I wore my band to CrossFit last week and I have to say, I loved the style and fit (so comfortable, I practically forgot it was on my head!), but as soon as I started my WOD, it slid right off. The band doesn’t have any material underneath to make it stay on your head, so it is definitely a band to wear for low-intensity activities, only, such as yoga, pilates or walking. I love the style and how it feels on my head, so I will definitely wear it out and about, but I just can’t wear it for CrossFit. If you are one who does yoga and pilates, Simple-Trends is the band for you, or if you just want a fun and stylish band to wear out-and-about, I highly recommend them!

Since Nicole was so generous and sent me an extra headband to give away, see below on how to win it!

To enter the giveaway, please follow the steps below:

1. Leave a comment on this post stating how you would wear your headband.

(Optional) Earn an extra entry by:

1. Like Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy’s Facebook page

2. Follow Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy on Twitter: @FitNWellMommy

3. Follow Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy by email

4. Post on YOUR Facebook page, or Tweet, “I want to win a headband from Simple-Trends and Fit ‘N’ Well Mommy!”

*Make sure to leave a second comment on this post with your Facebook post, Tweet, like or following, in order for your extra entry/entries to be counted!

The giveaway ends Monday, December 3rd at 8 p.m. PST!! Good luck!

Well, it is time to get ready for CrossFit and finish preparing dinner (crock pot pork and apples with roasted broccoli) so it is done when we get home. My piriformis and rhomboids feel pretty good today, but I’m still not going to go 100%, to make sure I continue to feel better (in addition, my energy is low due to my cold). Enjoy the rest of your afternoon!

What I Ate Wednesday and Two New Recipes! November 14, 2012

Since it is Wednesday, it is time for another What I Ate Wednesday, hosted by Jenn at Peas and Crayons!

Instead of just focusing on today, I thought I’d highlight some of my eats from the past couple of days, including two new recipes!

Breakfasts:

• We have enjoyed No Oat Oatmeal with spinach and strawberries the past couple of days.

• This morning we had something special (thanks to my husband for preparing them), Paleo Pancakes with Almond Flour, a new creation! We topped them with a little pumpkin butter and maple syrup, SO good!

Lunches:

• Egg whites in a mug on top of a bed of spinach with tomato and avocado. Since we had some leftover oven-baked sweet potatoes fries from Monday night, I added them to my salad yesterday (along with a little splash of my husband’s special ketchup). It was tasty!

• Today, I made a nice hearty chicken salad with roasted pumpkin seeds and feta cheese on top!

Dinners:

• Chicken burgers with oven-baked sweet potato fries and my husband’s special ketchup on Monday night. My husband mixes in balsamic vinegar, Tapatio hot sauce, cumin, pepper, garlic salt and garlic no-salt seasoning into regular ketchup. It is really good! It is hard to go back to regular ketchup after having his.

• Last night was our Crock Pot Pork and Apples with roasted Kabocha squash.

• Tonight, we are trying a new creation: Mediterranean Chicken in the Crock Pot with sauteed kale. The chicken smells so good, I can’t wait to taste it!

Here are the recipes for Paleo Pancakes with Almond Flour and Mediterranean Chicken in the Crock Pot:

Paleo Pancakes with Almond Flour: (makes 6 pancakes)

Ingredients:

– 1 1/2 cups almond flour

– 1 banana (mashed)

– 2 tsp vanilla

– 1 tsp cinnamon

– 1 tbsp flaxseed

– 1 tbsp chia seeds

– 2 eggs

– 1/2 tsp baking powder

– tbsp olive oil

– 1-2 tbsp water *depending on the thickness you want

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together (except for water).

2.  Slowly add water until the batter is slightly thick, but not too thin (otherwise the pancakes won’t cook right).

3. Heat a griddle or nonstick pan to medium heat. Spread a little olive oil on the griddle or pan and cook pancakes (a couple of minutes per side).

4. Top with you favorite toppings and enjoy!

Keenan enjoying his pancakes this morning!

Mediterranean Chicken in the Crock Pot (serves 3):

Ingredients:

– 3 frozen chicken thighs or breasts

– 1 can chopped tomatoes

– 1 cup chopped artichoke hearts

– 1/4 cup sliced kalamata olives

– 1/4 cup pasta sauce

– 2 tsp Italian seasoning

– 1 tsp garlic no-salt seasoning

– 1/2 tsp oregano

– 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Place frozen chicken at the bottom of your crock pot.

2. Top chicken with tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, pasta sauce and spices. Mix and cover.

3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

4. Divide chicken amongst 3 plates and place on top of a bed of sauteed or steamed spinach or kale topped with the tomato mixture. If desired, sprinkle with feta or Parmesan cheese!

*Notes: You can also serve the chicken over a bed of whole wheat pasta, quinoa or other grain, if you like.

Before I forget, I have received a couple of questions in regards to Keenan’s bib and I keep forgetting to talk about it. My husband and I call Keenan’s bib “the hazmat bib!” We were introduced to it by my sister-in-law, who used it for my niece. It is like an art smock; it has two sleeves and a shelf at the bottom to catch any food that drops. I have to say it is the best bib EVER! It keeps Keenan’s clothes clean while catching any loose food and it washes up nicely. We just toss it into the wash and let it hang dry. Sometimes I even hand wash it while I am doing the dishes, and it dries fine without leaving any smell. We have used a couple of different brands, but our favorite (due to quality and not smelling bad after a few wears) is the one at Ikea: KLADD PRICKAR. They are $4.99 for a two-pack, very reasonable! Also, the bib is a great art smock, so we use it when we are painting, too. It is a great buy!

Well, we are off to CrossFit, so have a great rest of your day!

Questions: What have you enjoyed eating the past couple of days? Have you tried any new recipes? If so, what were they?

A Tough Tuesday and An Easy Crock Pot Recipe!

Well, today was just one of those days! This morning, while I was making breakfast, Keenan was “helping” me make coffee and as I was getting ready to put the coffee in the French Press, it tipped over and broke into a hundred pieces! Glass was EVERYWHERE and Keenan and I were in the middle of it (not a good situation!). Keenan started crying and all I could think of was making sure he wasn’t cut and cleaning up the glass. Luckily, Keenan was fine and I was able to clean everything up. But, we were extremely late for our play date with our friends in Roseville, Giselle from A Healthy Happy Home and her cute little guy, Ayden.

Once we met up with our friends, we had a great time! Giselle is so sweet and her little guy is adorable. We walked through the farmer’s market, played a bit and even went on a little train ride (which Keenan absolutely loved!). As we got closer to lunch time, Keenan was getting tired and cranky, so we headed to Whole Foods to pick up a quick bite to eat before heading home. As we were getting food, Keenan was so tired that at first he wanted something and then he didn’t, getting more and more cranky. So, I got something quickly for him and we ate outside before getting in the car to drive home. Since he was so tired, he ate very slowly and took forever to swallow his food. I kept telling him to swallow, but  he just kept his food in his mouth for the longest time!

Having fun on the train ride! Keenan supplied our “sound effects,” because he kept saying “Choo Choo” during the entire ride!

Enjoying the train ride together!

As I expected, Keenan fell asleep as soon we drove out of the parking lot. Thinking that he would transfer well (he usually does), I transferred him to his crib, but after a few minutes, he woke up and didn’t go back to sleep. I let him sit in his crib (in hopes he would fall back asleep), but it didn’t help. He kept talking to his animals and then eventually calling for me. Needless to say, today wasn’t the best! I definitely don’t feel like I’ve earned the “best mom” award. I can’t help but feel bad about the whole day: broken glass everywhere, staying out too late this morning, thus causing Keenan to act out in frustration, and keeping him in his crib in hopes of him falling back asleep while I got some work done. The lesson learned is I need to learn to take a step back and reevaluate the situation and let things go. I also need to not worry about getting “everything done,” and just appreciate these moments (good or bad), because they go by so quickly.

Well, on another note, I survived yesterday’s extremely challenging WOD, “Murph“, yesterday. I finished in 49minutes and 24 seconds! I was SO relieved when it was over! I have to say that was one of the most mentally challenging WODs I have done. It was  hard to stay focused when there were so many reps to do! At least today’s workout wasn’t too bad. We had a small WOD of 15 hang clean and jerks of 65 lb and 15 box jumps, completing as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes. It was a nice change from yesterday! In addition, I did 100 burpees after class, as extra work our coach is having us do in preparation for our upcoming competitions (and for being a few minutes late…).

Before I forget, tonight we made Kabocha squash for the first time! We quartered it, added spices and roasted it in the oven for 45 minutes. When it was ready to eat, we just scooped it out with a spoon. It was really good! I’ll definitely be buying it again!

So yummy!

To go along with it, I made pork with apples and onions in the crock pot, a recipe I found online. It was good, though a little too acidic. I accidentally added too much apple cider vinegar. With a little less vinegar, it would be much better. Here is the recipe. It is super easy, since you throw in frozen pork chops or country style ribs!

Good (though it doesn’t look that great)!

Crock Pot Pork and Apples: (serves 2-3)

Adapted from Frugal Foodie Mama

Ingredients:

– 2-3 pork chops or boneless country pork ribs (frozen)

– 1 medium red onion, chopped

– 2 medium apples (any kind), cored and chopped

– 1/4 cup apple butter

– 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

– 1 1/2 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard

– 1 tsp salt

– 1 tsp pepper

– 1/2 cup apple sauce

Directions:

1. Mix apple butter, vinegar, mustard, apple sauce, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.

2. Place apples and onions at the bottom of the crock pot.

3. Place pork on top of the apples and onions.

4. Top with mustard mixture, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

After a day like today, it is time for a much needed hot shower and heading to bed early. Have a good night!

Question: What kind of “bad mom” moments have you had? What did you learn from them?

**The winner of the Fiber Gourmet giveaway is: Heather! Congrats!! Please email me your address at fitnwellmommy@yahoo.com