Monday, January 31, 2011

January Re-cap

I can't believe its January 31st! Only 11 months left in 2011. I thought I'd do a re-cap of my month and check in on how i'm doing with my goals so far this year. 2011 started on an exciting note. I went to my first Titans-Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium. I love the Colts!! It was an amazing experience. I really couldn't have asked for a better start to my year:

After the Colts game, I headed back for my second semester of law school. New classes, new professors, and an awesome 90s party to get it all started:

I also decided 2011 was my year to really get healthy and be an overall better me. I'm going to do a goal recap at the end of each month to see how i'm doing.

Daily Goals
  • Drink more water-I'm definitely doing well here! I drink one Diet Coke every morning, but other than that its all water except for the occasional hot tea or coffee. I still miss Diet Coke, but feel sooo much better when I drink water.
  • Eat 3-4 servings of fruits or vegetables a day-I do pretty well on this one each day. Weekends are definitely harder especially if we eat out, but overall I'm doing a lot better.
  • Eat Breakfast-This one is definitely a success! The only bad thing is I may be obsessed with Kashi Go Lean and Puffins.
Weekly Goals
  • Work-out 3-4 times a week-I've done really well the last two weeks with this goal, but our weeks and weekends are about to get a lot busier. That will be the real challenge!
  • Spend more quality time with Hunter and Cordy-This one has been hard just because we've been so busy lately. We're going to start trying to actually set aside time for just the two (or three!) of us.
Monthly Goals
  • Keep in better contact with my friends-Okay, so this one turned out to be a little bit of a fail. I have e-mailed one of my really good friends in the last couple of days, but I have several phone calls to return. I'm going to hold this goal over to February and hope I do better.
  • Make my race schedule-While I don't have my full year mapped out, I am signed up to run two 5ks in the upcoming months-one in March and one in April. My dad is coming down to run the race with me in March which I'm really excited about!
So my goals are going okay, some better than others. Hopefully February will be even better!

What about you, how are your new goals going?

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Kitchen Fail

Something occurred last night that has never happened. EVER. I ruined dinner. Ruined as in Hunter ate at Krystal's and I sulked by eating 3 chocolate covered pretzels and french fries. EPIC FAIL.

It started out well enough. I decided that I wanted to make homemade ravioli. I had seen some posts about roasted squash lately and wanted to incorporate it into a recipe. I'm all about eating seasonally/locally and squash is a great winter ingredient. I was going to combine the squash with some spinach, ricotta cheese, and sage and create my own ravioli. Since I live with a carnivore, I figured I'd make some with sausage, spinach, and sage. I was trolling the internet for the a good homemade ravioli recipe. I've never made my own pasta before mostly because I don't have a stand mixer with a pasta attachment. Most of the recipes on the internet required that, so I figured I was stuck until I found several sites that suggested using wanton wrappers as the ravioli base. I decided to try it. Everything was going fine at first. I went to the store and got all my ingredients. I even ventured into the Asian Supermarket down the street to get the wanton wrappers. I was super excited for Hunter to get home so we could start cooking.

I started by cutting the squash in half and seasoning it with salt and pepper. I let it roast in a 375 oven for about an hour or until the inside was tender. Meanwhile I chopped up my fresh sage and cooked the sausage and spinach. Once the squash was done, I scraped out the flesh into a bowl. I added the spinach and half the ricotta cheese. Using a handmixer I mixed everything together until it was smooth. In another bowl, I combined the sausage, sage, spinach, and cheese. I was ready to make my ravioli. And that's when things started to downhill. Rapidly.

I started with one wrapper and put about a tablespoon of filling in the center. I then placed another wrapper on top of that filling and sealed the edges with an egg wash. Only, the wantons weren't sealing. They were super sticky and mostly falling apart. Hunter tried to crimp the edges with a fork, but things still weren't working very well. We decided to boil the ones we'd already done and see how it went. The good news is that they stayed together pretty well in the boiling water. The bad news was that they tasted awful. The filling was good. I really loved the taste of the squash and spinach. I will definitely be making squash more. The problem was really the wanton wrappers. They were super soggy and just had no taste whatsoever. It was gross.

So lesson of this post? Don't use wanton wrappers for ravioli even if the internet tells you its possible! I'm going to try to find a homemade ravioli recipe that doesn't need a stand mixer and try again. The filling was really good and I think this recipe can be salvaged, but I was pretty disappointed last night.

Have you ever ruined a meal?

Thursday, January 27, 2011

I think the Girl Scouts Are Trying To Kill Me...

I found my husband rummaging through our spare change today. I asked him what he was doing and I heard what may be the scariest words ever "I bought some Girl Scout Cookies." Let me explain. I LOVE Girl Scout cookies. All of them. I was a girl scout for nine years and i'm pretty sure I stuck around for the last two just for the cookies. My particular weaknesses are Thin Mints and Peanut Butter Patties, but i'm not really that particular. I just love to eat them. So of course, I'm trying to do this whole "healthy lifestyle" thing and I'm not sure how Girl Scout cookies fit in. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for small indulgences. I'm not afraid to have a glass of wine or a couple of mini-Snickers. I'm just not sure I have enough will power to eat one or two Girl Scout cookies at a time. I'm debating if I should just skip out on the Girl Scout cookies altogether this year or if I should get one or two boxes in the supreme test of my will power. What do you think avoid the temptation or test my self-control? What are your biggest temptations?

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Works For Me Wednesday...

works for me wednesday at we are that family

This is linked-up with "Works For Me Wednesday" over at http://wearethatfamily.com. Check it out for great tips on all sorts of subjects! One thing that is working for me this week is mobile fitness apps. I'm a smart phone junkie, I admit. I have all kinds of apps, but i've used two recently to keep track of what i'm eating and how much i'm working out. I've previously used "Lose It" on my husband's Ipod Touch. I really liked this app, but it wasn't available on Android (my current phone). Since I didn't want to carry an Ipod and a phone, I switched to using Spark People Diet and Food Tracker. It took me a little while to get used to it, but now its probably my favorite app on my phone. It keeps track of my calories, my work-outs, and even how much water i'm drinking.

There are a lot of advantages to keeping track of everything on my phone. First, it keeps me accountable. I can look back and see exactly how many vegetables, fruits, protein, and carbs i've eaten for the day. I can also look back and remember what meals were really filling or which ones I really enjoyed. Secondly, when i'm out and about, I can find nutritional information for a lot of restaurant meals so I can make smart choices. Through the food search, I just put in the restaurant and the meal and a list pops up with those terms. I chose my meal and view the nutritional information including calories, sodium, and other important facts.

These aren't the only two apps for sure. I've just used these two personally. Find one that works best for you! Even if you don't have a phone, there are lots of free online ways to track your calories and exercise. If all else fails, get a small notebook and write it down! There have been a lot of studies that have shown keeping a food diary greatly increases weight loss or weight maintenance. Writing down my food works for me!

P.S. I didn't receive any compensation for this post. I just really like both apps a lot :-)

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Tilapia with Chimichurri Sauce

Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day here! It was 50 degrees and sunny, so I took advantage by going for another run on my newly discovered trail. I'm glad I did because it is now cold, rainy, and supposedly going to snow tomorrow! Since I was stuck indoors for my work-out today and I was pretty tired of the treadmill. I did this:

I've had this DVD for almost a year now although it has been several months since I used it. I started out on Level One since it had been so long. I guess my working-out is paying off because it was the first time I finished this DVD and didn't feel like I got a great work-out! I don't mind though. I'll make sure to do Level 2 next time which i'm sure will pretty much kill me.

For dinner tonight, I made one of my favorite fish recipes: Tilapia with Chimichurri Sauce. I'm not sure where I first found this recipe, but it has quickly become one of our favorites! The sauce in this recipe is not as heavy as authentic chimichurri. It is a lightened version which still maintains the fresh taste of the cilantro. For this recipe you will need:


Tilapia Filets
1 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro
1 Tablespoon Fresh or Dried Basil
1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Cajun Seasoning (optional)
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

On an interesting note, I was out of Lemon Juice. I did a quick Google search for Lemon Juice substitute and found that I could sub half the amount of White Vinegar in place of the Lemon Juice. I threw in 1/2 of Tablespoon of White Vinegar and it worked perfectly!

The first thing you want to do is chop your cilantro. If you don't have a pair of herb scissors and you like to cook, you are missing out! They are by far one of my favorite kitchen gadgets!


It even comes with an attachment that gets the little bits of herbs out from in between the shears. It saves a lot of time especially if you like to use fresh herbs.


After your cilantro is chopped, add in the Basil, Olive Oil, and Lemon Juice. Salt and Pepper to taste. Set aside. Next season your fish.


I use Cajun Seasoning because I like a little spicy kick. You can also use salt and pepper. I think crushed red pepper would be a nice addition. Once the fish is seasoned, brush the sauce on one side of the fish. Heat a skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Place fish sauced side down.
Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until desire doneness. Then serve. I served ours over a bed of Basil and Herb Couscous with a Spinach Salad. This is a great weeknight recipe because it only takes around 30 minutes to prepare!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Rad 90s Party!

The 90s party was fantastic! We had such a great time. I was really pleased with my costume...



Cher from Clueless! I loved this movie in middle school and I thought Alicia Silverstone was soooo pretty. It didn't hurt that I had 90% of my costume in my closet. I got Hunter a flannel shirt at Goodwill and he went as a Grunge kid. That was a pretty common costume for the guys at the party.



We spent all night dancing! The DJ had a great 90s playlist with songs like Ice, Ice Baby, Whoomp There It Is, I'll Be Missin' You, and even The Macerena. I was wearing high heels and by the end of the night my legs were killing me! It was still so much fun though. Thanks guys for a great time!

Friday, January 21, 2011

I Love The 90s

One of the best things about law school? Awesome theme parties! Seriously, future lawyers know how to party. This weekend (in celebration of the start of the new semester) is our Rad 90s party. I've been reminiscing all week as I searched for my perfect costume. I had to share some of my favorite 90s things!

Alternative Rock

Seriously what's not to love about 90s music? Not the pop stuff that dominated the last half of the decade, but the whiney, melodramatic alternative rock of the early and mid-90s! I love 90s music. In fact, up until some friends of mine introduced me to new music last year (Hello Avett Brothers!) I was still listening to those mid-90s bands. Specifically the best band of the decade, Counting Crows!



I love this band! They weren't the only ones though...Matchbox Twenty, Third Eye Blind, Jane's Addiction, Better Than Ezra, Red Hot Chili Peppers...the list goes on and on.

Awesome Teen Shows/Movies

Maybe it was because I was a teenager in the 90s, but I personally think it was a pretty great decade for teen soap operas. 90210, Melrose Place, and of course, my favorite:


Seriously, what is not to love about that show? Also for the record, I'm a total Pacey fan! And of course, you can't talk about the 90s and awesome teenage love stories and not talk about:


I thought this was the most romantic movie ever made when I was 14. My 26-year old self still thinks its pretty awesome! I'm halfway tempted to go as Rose to the party tonight, but I think its too late to find a giant hat. And i'm not going naked.

Ridiculous Trends

Another reason to love the 90s? Ridiculous trends! I still laugh at some of the stuff that was popular then. I mean who really wanted to wear these:




I did, however, own at least 27 pairs of gap overalls in the 6th grade. Including yellow, pink, and green. Yes, as a matter of fact, I was awesome.

And then the mother of all ridiculous trends. This dance:


I mean really America?

That's my time warp through the 90s. We're going thrift store shopping for costumes, so i'll post pictures of the party tomorrow!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Run Lola Run

As I mentioned last post, one of my goals for this year is to run outside more. Since we moved in August, I haven't been able to find a good place to run. My neighborhood is right by a busy street and I don't want to run around campus. As I was on my city's track club websites looking for races to run in the upcoming months, I saw a link for suggested running trails. I pulled it up and the top one turned out to be in between school and our apartment! Perfect! The trail follows the river and goes through one of the nicest neighborhoods in town. I went this afternoon. It was great! The whole trail is 2.6 miles. I parked at the 1 mile mark, then ran to the end and back. I ran for 3.2 miles which is a perfect start for me! There were a ton of people running, walking, biking, etc so I felt really safe. My only problem is that I don't have a running watch....so I have no idea how fast I ran. It's okay though, I'm just glad i've found a good place to run. Here's one of the views of the river. It was really pretty when the sun was still shining, but by the end of my run clouds had moved in. Trust me though, the river and the homes make the run very pretty!


Wednesday, January 19, 2011

I think I can...

I suck at New Year's Resolutions. I'm definitely a Type A person which you would think would help me stick to my guns. What happens every year though is I stick with my resolutions for two weeks and then something happens. My perfectionism takes over and if I can't do it perfectly, I don't want to do it all. Makes sense right? Yeah it doesn't make sense to me either. But....this is a new year right? The year I want to do things differently! So i'm not making resolutions. I'm setting goals! But since I'm still super Type A, I've divided them into daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. I'll post them now and update each month.

Daily Goals
  • Drink more water- I am a recovering Diet Coke addict (seriously...it was bad). I'm hoping to drink water 98% of the time, but i'm still reserving one Diet Coke a day.
  • Eat 3-4 servings of vegetables or fruits-I'm lucky. I love fruits and vegetables, but i'm not great at incorporating them into my every day meals.
  • Eat breakfast!
Weekly Goals
  • Work out 3-4 times a week-I really want to get serious about running this year, so I know i'm going to need to focus more on well...actually running. I've been running on the treadmill pretty consistently but I want to work more on running outside.
  • Spend more quality time with Hunter and Cordy-The two loves of my life, my husband and my dog respectively! I'm a chronic multitasker. It is not uncommon for me to be watching t.v., doing homework, and Facebook chatting all at the same time. I need to make our family time a priority and unplug sometimes!
Monthly Goals
  • My general monthly goal for the year is to try to keep in better contact with my friends. I have AMAZING (seriously amazing) friends from high school and college. I have sucked over the last few months when it comes to staying in touch! I need to get my act together, so my goal is to call these friends at least once a month.
  • For January specifically, I want to get my racing schedule figured out for the year. I'm a major planner. I know that if I have my races scheduled, I'll be much more motivated. I need to find some races in my area to run and go ahead and sign up for them if I can.
Yearly Goals
  • Run several 5Ks, at least one 10K, and a half-marathon-I ran my first two 5Ks last year and I really enjoyed it. I want to continue that this year and work up to a half-marathon. I'm thinking about the Haunted Half-Marathon which is near my hometown (lots of support!) and on Halloween. It gives me lots of time to train and I think the weather in October will be ideal.
What about you? What are your goals for this day/week/month/year?

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Introducing Me...

Hi! Welcome to my blog. Here are a few random facts about me...

I'm a law student, a wife, a dog mom, and a wannabe runner. I love cooking, Colts football, and traveling.

I just turned 26 and I have big plans for my golden birthday year! I want to run a half-marathon, eat better, and all and all be a better me in 2011. I hope you'll follow me as I record my ups, downs, and everything in between.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes:
"All the world is made of faith, trust, and pixie dust" (J.M. Barrie)