Yesterday was a day for the record books. I actually got to spend valentines day with my very own valentine! Hunny, you made the world so beautiful yesterday and took my breath away with your thoughtfulness and sincerity. I am the luckiest girl in the world to have such an amazing man loving and taking care of me. Without you, the world is harder to and dimmer. You brighten my mood by just smiling!
I love a day where we can all forget the hate that daily surrounds our world and become a part of a movement of love. Everyone would gain so much if they could only understand that love can go a long way in making our world a better place.
"At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet."
-Plato
"Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul."
-St. Augustine
For our valentine's meal, we had fondue!
This is what we did:
Lowfat Sharp Cheddar Fondue
6 oz. dark beer
1 cup 2% sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsb worchestershire sauce
crushed red pepper to taste (optional)
1/2 can cannelloni white beans
puree beans and 2 oz beer together.
heat remaining beer and bean mixture in sauce pan.
slowly add in cheese, stirring to melt it in.
add sauce and pepper (if desired).
best served with artisan bread, chicken, cauliflower, apples, pears and grilled asparagus.
soooo yummy and fun to eat! we had such a great night!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Thankful
So much to be thankful for these days:
I got a new job serving at PF Changs for the time being until I can start subbing and, Lord-willing, get a classroom of my own. I cannot wait for the day I walk into my own class with its great decorations and inviting atmosphere.
I got in a great, sweat-pouring run this morning that had me on an adrenaline high for a good amount of time. I feel great for taking care of myself today by exercising with high intensity and nourishing my body with lean protein and whole grains....mmmm, oatmeal with cranberries and cinnamon. I love that comfort food!
AND THE BIGGEST REASON...I get my favorite person in the world back today! We get to spend some time together before he heads off again for a good amount of time. When he is here, things feel so miraculously good. He brings comfort in the chaos of life because he understands me in all my craziness. I love how steady he is. It's such an attractive part about him. He creates such calm and love to surround me with. Ahhh, yay for today!
Here is a great recipe I wanted to try for tonight since we love stir-fry:
Honey Chicken Stir-Fry
(4 servings)
1lb boneless chicken breast
1 garlic clove minced
3 tbs honey
2 tbs soy sauce
3 tsp olive oil (optional!)
salt & pepper
1 16 oz package of stir fry veggies
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbs water
hot cooked brown rice
and...I love to use sriracha hot chili sauce, just a bit though! It can be intense!
1. Cook chicken and garlic. Then slowly, add honey, soy sauce, S&P, remove and keep warm.
2. Stir-fry veggies in pan then, mix in chicken mixture.
3. Mix cornstarch and water then slowly add to mixture and bring to boil.
4. Serve hot over rice!
I got a new job serving at PF Changs for the time being until I can start subbing and, Lord-willing, get a classroom of my own. I cannot wait for the day I walk into my own class with its great decorations and inviting atmosphere.
I got in a great, sweat-pouring run this morning that had me on an adrenaline high for a good amount of time. I feel great for taking care of myself today by exercising with high intensity and nourishing my body with lean protein and whole grains....mmmm, oatmeal with cranberries and cinnamon. I love that comfort food!
AND THE BIGGEST REASON...I get my favorite person in the world back today! We get to spend some time together before he heads off again for a good amount of time. When he is here, things feel so miraculously good. He brings comfort in the chaos of life because he understands me in all my craziness. I love how steady he is. It's such an attractive part about him. He creates such calm and love to surround me with. Ahhh, yay for today!
Here is a great recipe I wanted to try for tonight since we love stir-fry:
Honey Chicken Stir-Fry
(4 servings)
1lb boneless chicken breast
1 garlic clove minced
3 tbs honey
2 tbs soy sauce
3 tsp olive oil (optional!)
salt & pepper
1 16 oz package of stir fry veggies
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbs water
hot cooked brown rice
and...I love to use sriracha hot chili sauce, just a bit though! It can be intense!
1. Cook chicken and garlic. Then slowly, add honey, soy sauce, S&P, remove and keep warm.
2. Stir-fry veggies in pan then, mix in chicken mixture.
3. Mix cornstarch and water then slowly add to mixture and bring to boil.
4. Serve hot over rice!
IT CAME!
Ever since I moved to Hawaii, I have been trying to become a licensed teacher just as I was back in California. In order to move here, I gave up a lot of great opportunities in the school district I did my student teaching and subbing in. Trusting God in this move was one of the hardest things I have had to do. I absolutely cannot wait to get back into the classroom!
Alright, back to the subject of this late night post....I have been hurriedly getting together all the necessary documents needed for my sub application and for the licensing board. The last piece was receiving my transcripts and, believe me, it was such a hassle. It had to be mailed TWICE! Well, today, I looked in my mailbox and lo and behold the beautiful transcript lay there. In it holds so much hope. Teaching is all I want to be doing. As a teacher, I feel blessed beyond a shadow of a doubt. Who else in the world gets to see that lightbulb moment multiple times a day and be responsible for the growth and development of young minds? It's an enormous responsibility but, it is one I truly feel called to. I miss my students. I miss being in front of the classroom. I miss the workload....who says that???
Lord, PLEASE guide me in this process. Help me to achieve success in my new home.
Alright, back to the subject of this late night post....I have been hurriedly getting together all the necessary documents needed for my sub application and for the licensing board. The last piece was receiving my transcripts and, believe me, it was such a hassle. It had to be mailed TWICE! Well, today, I looked in my mailbox and lo and behold the beautiful transcript lay there. In it holds so much hope. Teaching is all I want to be doing. As a teacher, I feel blessed beyond a shadow of a doubt. Who else in the world gets to see that lightbulb moment multiple times a day and be responsible for the growth and development of young minds? It's an enormous responsibility but, it is one I truly feel called to. I miss my students. I miss being in front of the classroom. I miss the workload....who says that???
Lord, PLEASE guide me in this process. Help me to achieve success in my new home.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Rain, rain go away.
AH, the joys of living on a tropical island. I am trying to motivate myself to wake up early and go on a run first thing...still trying to decide before or after breakfast. Well, this morning I woke up to the rain! Instead of running, I did a quick workout inside and decided to hit the gym in a few.
This is what I did two times basically back to back:
50 jumping jacks
10 tricep pushups on knees
20 sit-ups
30 mountain climbers
30 sec. plank
7 burpees
Then, I felt a little better. So, I decided to do one more mini-workout I saw on www.bodyrock.tv, this site is awesome and so motivating! I will get into "diet" plan they suggest in a bit.
Here was the quick 4-min workout they suggested to get your heart rate up quick. It's awesome if you push yourself to the max.
(:00-:15) 180-jumps with floor tap and squat jump (A)
(:15-:20) rest
(:20-:35) 1/2 burpees with in out feet jumps (B)
(:35-:40) rest
(:40-:55) A
(:55-60) rest
then, repeat cycle starting with B and working up to 4 min.
Feels better.
The whole "diet" I am on is pretty simple. It's mainly just simple lifestyle changes.
This is what I did two times basically back to back:
50 jumping jacks
10 tricep pushups on knees
20 sit-ups
30 mountain climbers
30 sec. plank
7 burpees
Then, I felt a little better. So, I decided to do one more mini-workout I saw on www.bodyrock.tv, this site is awesome and so motivating! I will get into "diet" plan they suggest in a bit.
Here was the quick 4-min workout they suggested to get your heart rate up quick. It's awesome if you push yourself to the max.
(:00-:15) 180-jumps with floor tap and squat jump (A)
(:15-:20) rest
(:20-:35) 1/2 burpees with in out feet jumps (B)
(:35-:40) rest
(:40-:55) A
(:55-60) rest
then, repeat cycle starting with B and working up to 4 min.
Feels better.
The whole "diet" I am on is pretty simple. It's mainly just simple lifestyle changes.
-Eat as whole, organic and clean as possible.
-Eat protein with each meal
-Drink 2 litres of water a day (roughly 64 ounces)
-Stay away from sugary drinks, fried foods, processed junk (and yes, that means all chips, crackers, basically yummy stuff), high fat cheeses and limit oil/butter use. I will avoid alcohol except for special occasions.
-I will only eat carbs for breakfast and the two hour window after working out when my metabolism is higher. If I want some more carbs, I will do a quick workout (i.e. 4 min workout) and limit the carbs as much as possible.
-Drink as much green tea as I can!
-Finally, one fun cheat day a week! PIzza Sundays?
Sometimes I Pinch Myself.
I am so happy today to say that yesterday I ran 8 miles and today I ran 5. AND I ran 5 miles in 36:04 up and down Diamond Head Road. I cannot wait for my man to get back so we can start running our routes again. He is my motivation and helps to break me out of my comfort zone emotionally, athletically, spiritually. It's amazing when someone who knows me so well understands the greatness in challenging me. Haha, he always is encouraging me to be more proud of my hard work with my body and my athleticism. When we are walking down the beach, he takes my hand and whispers how great I look. In those moments, I want to see what he sees and look away from the distorted image I see. Confidence comes with time but, I AM determined! I even ran in a sports bra today and walked the beach in a bikini with a good friend. It was liberating!!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Noodless Spaghetti
Tonight, I made an amazing pasta dish. And, no, I don't mean I am any Giada or Food Network guru but, I am pretty proud.
So, what I wanted to do was find a great new way to make spaghetti without the heavy carbs. I have been working on a new diet plan (post to follow) and it includes sticking to lower carbs after breakfast and the two hour window after working out. For me, that meant dinner today since my spin class was this morning.
Here is what I did.
You need:
- Hungry Girl Shiratake noodles (two servings per package)
-Tomato paste
-Small amount of half and half
-Bell peppers
-White onion
-Mushrooms
-Garlic salt
-2 garlic cloves
-1/2 lb 99% lean ground turkey
-Italian seasonings (I use extra oregano in mine)
-2 tsp crushed red pepper
-Shaved parmesan cheese
1. Brown the ground turkey in a pan adding a little S&P to taste.
2. Dice up the bell peppers, garlic, and white onions. Sauté them over med-high heat with a little cooking spray.
3. Once those have cooked for a little, add the mushrooms. These cook up pretty fast. Add a little S&P to taste and some garlic salt.
4. In another pot, heat up the tomato paste and the half/half so it is not as thick. Once that has heated up, add the sauteed veggies and turkey.
5. Add crushed red peppers, oregano, italian spices, and let simmer.
6. Open package drain and rinse noodles well. Heat up noodles for one minute in microwave as directed on the package.
7. Add the noodles and sauce together and top with the shaved parmesan cheese. I am particular to fresh shaved cheese because it melts so nicely. Enjoy!
So, what I wanted to do was find a great new way to make spaghetti without the heavy carbs. I have been working on a new diet plan (post to follow) and it includes sticking to lower carbs after breakfast and the two hour window after working out. For me, that meant dinner today since my spin class was this morning.
Here is what I did.
You need:
- Hungry Girl Shiratake noodles (two servings per package)
-Tomato paste
-Small amount of half and half
-Bell peppers
-White onion
-Mushrooms
-Garlic salt
-2 garlic cloves
-1/2 lb 99% lean ground turkey
-Italian seasonings (I use extra oregano in mine)
-2 tsp crushed red pepper
-Shaved parmesan cheese
1. Brown the ground turkey in a pan adding a little S&P to taste.
2. Dice up the bell peppers, garlic, and white onions. Sauté them over med-high heat with a little cooking spray.
3. Once those have cooked for a little, add the mushrooms. These cook up pretty fast. Add a little S&P to taste and some garlic salt.
4. In another pot, heat up the tomato paste and the half/half so it is not as thick. Once that has heated up, add the sauteed veggies and turkey.
5. Add crushed red peppers, oregano, italian spices, and let simmer.
6. Open package drain and rinse noodles well. Heat up noodles for one minute in microwave as directed on the package.
7. Add the noodles and sauce together and top with the shaved parmesan cheese. I am particular to fresh shaved cheese because it melts so nicely. Enjoy!
Saturday, February 4, 2012
The Start.
Wow, I have not been on a blog since college when it was mandatory of my major. Being a communications major kinda wore me out for a piece there but, I have always been a fan of journaling. SO, I am back.
Recently, there have been some major changes in my life. I moved to an ISLAND (haha) to be with the man I love and no, I do not regret it. He is beyond a doubt my best friend and the one I am truly amazed by. Though I left a place I knew so well, some major career prospects, and my awesome family, this change was a leap in the right direction even if my feet aren't firmly grounded yet. Aside from moving, I just became a teacher and now am looking for a job! Go figure. I cannot wait to make an impact on my corner of the world. I'm also on a quest to make myself over...this means overhauling my current workout routine, trying new things in my new place, and learning a ton more about nutrition and healthy eating! So far, I have really enjoyed cooking for myself (and occasionally the man) and getting plenty of vitamin D and endorphin highs!
Whew, so now that the first one is down....let's see where it takes me.
Recently, there have been some major changes in my life. I moved to an ISLAND (haha) to be with the man I love and no, I do not regret it. He is beyond a doubt my best friend and the one I am truly amazed by. Though I left a place I knew so well, some major career prospects, and my awesome family, this change was a leap in the right direction even if my feet aren't firmly grounded yet. Aside from moving, I just became a teacher and now am looking for a job! Go figure. I cannot wait to make an impact on my corner of the world. I'm also on a quest to make myself over...this means overhauling my current workout routine, trying new things in my new place, and learning a ton more about nutrition and healthy eating! So far, I have really enjoyed cooking for myself (and occasionally the man) and getting plenty of vitamin D and endorphin highs!
Koko head....BEST view on the island. Maybe I am biased because it's one of the best workouts.
Whew, so now that the first one is down....let's see where it takes me.
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