Dessert for Breakfast! (Sometimes Healthy) Oatmeal Banana Split Sundae

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Sometimes I have to pinch myself :-)!

For those of you lookin for a little something different for breakfast tomorrow, I think I  have a winner….

This morning, I needed a pick-me-up from a long week at work…so I went for a short 4 mile run in beautiful Central Park. Great ideas often come to me when I’m running. It must be my amazing playlists. Anyway, I thought of the oatmeal waiting for me back in the fridge. I made it last night using Almond Breeze to give it a calcium kick and some creaminess. I was feeling very blah about the breakfast that awaited me.

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Posted in: Breakfast \ Tagged: , , , ,

Meeting My Foodie “Idol”

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There was a time, not long ago,  where I hid my love for                                                          wacky food combinations.  Having just entered corporate America, I wasn’t sure if it was ya know, unprofessional to bring a giant kitchen sink salad drenched in cottage cheese, bbq sauce other random toppings to the office. Would they judge me for my eclectic (to put it kindly) food pairings?

And then….I came across Hungry Girl. All of a sudden, I realized there was a potential for my “wacky” to become the norm. After a quick read of her online newsletter, I felt like this Hungry Girl was reading my mind! 5 years, countless books and one television show later, the woman is officially a foodie celebrity. The Washington Post even called her the “queen of processed food” (which I found absolutely hilarious). I genuinely admire those who eat vegan, organic, natural, sustainable, vegetarian, preditarian, saladitarian….BUT in my sometimes UNhealthy lifestyle, none of these are options. Thus, HG works for me!

So you can imagine my excitement when I found out, via my twitter feed, that  she was conducting a book signing for her latest future best seller, “300 Under 300” at a Barnes and Noble a mere ONE express subway stop. There was no way I was missing the chance to meet the Michael Jordan of weird food. And she did not disappoint. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Foodies, Wacky Food Combos \ Tagged: , , ,

A New Yorker’s Kitchen Sink Dinner and the Forbidden Fruit

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Hope everyone had a tolerable Monday :-). It was a long day at work for me so I’ll be watching the b-ball game from the comfort of my cozy little apartment. GOOOO Bulldogs!!

Unfortunately, I find myself getting home from work relatively late at least a couple nights a week. And pretty much all I want to do once I walk in that door is turn on some quality television (you know Real Housewives, Bachelor, etc.), eat something easy and go to bed. Tonight was certainly one of those nights!

Read on to see a New Yorker’s Mexican Kitchen Sink Dinner Continue Reading →

Posted in: Quick Dinners \ Tagged: , , ,

Turn that Monday Frown Upside Down!

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I’d say “Happy Monday” but that just feels so…wrong. Let’s face it, even if you’re lucky enough to have your dream job, Mondays are just plain daunting. If you’re reading my blog, you’re probably just like me (although probably not NEARLY as disorganized): your schedule during the week is absolutely packed and by Friday you’re completely wiped.

So I always try to start my week off with a nice lil morning workout and  a good breakfast. (Please note: This does not always happen) Continue Reading →

Posted in: Monday Cheer \ Tagged: , ,

Wacky Food Combos: I Can’t Believe It’s Not…

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Wacky Food Combos: I Can’t Believe It’s Not…

Indoor Picnic in 2007...the last time I baked a pie!

As you can probably tell by now, I am not quite the “ complete package” healthy living blogger. As mentioned in my first post, I can barely get it together enough to PLAN a meal, much less cook it, much less take a picture! However, as an avid reader and fan of these blogs, I know it is very interesting to see how others eat. I’m still not sure WHY. I just know the first time I read SELF mag’s Eat Like Me blog a couple years ago I was hooked. There is something so fascinating about glimpsing into a healthy person’s daily food choices. Some of my favorites now include PB Fingers, Greek Yogurt and Apple Slices (love her recipes) and Sweet Tooth, Sweet Life

I can’t share any recipes with you…because I don’t have any right now…because I don’t cook very often. However, what I can share are some truly unique food combos that remind me of favorite foods that I’m either A) too lazy to make or B) too worried about the nutrition facts (full disclosure here ALWAYS). In a tribute to my old faithful I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray, here are the “I Can’t Believe It’s Not!” food combos…

**Some of this may not look as good as it tastes…remember, don’t judge a book by it’s cover 🙂 Continue Reading →

Posted in: Wacky Food Combos \ Tagged: , , , , , ,

Pre-Run Procrastination and THE Marathon Playlist

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I Don't Wanna Run! I'd rather hang out with Kelly and Brenda!

Happy Saturday! Are you procrastinating like me right now? Over the past few months of marathon training, I developed a reliable Saturday routine. I would wake up by 7 or 8, think about my long run, stress about my messy apartment and relocate to the couch. From there, I’d spend 2-4 hours devouring a giant breakfast (convincing myself it was fuel for my run) and watching SoapNet’s 90210/One Tree Hill Breakfast in Bed. Next, I’d either walk around the block to Dunkin Donuts or put on a pot of coffee to give me a little caffeine boost. Finally, at around 2:00, I’d head out for my long run.

(Don’t want to read the rest of the post? I understand…it is Saturday after all, click here to link to the marathon playlist in iTunes…maybe read the rest of the post while you download?)

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Posted in: Exercise Motivation \ Tagged: , ,

Friday FLAW-Day!

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Imperfections Make Us Special

The rips make the jeans!

Or at least this is what I tell myself to feel better about all of MY imperfections. Because this mantra would make me EXTREMELY special. Since this blog is all about transparency and “embracing” the little kinks, I feel it is only fitting that I share some of my “flaws” with you every Friday :-). Think about your favorite jeans and what you like most about them: My guess is it’s the rips and worn-in quality, not the perfect fold. In other words, flaws add character. So now that you are on the edge of your seats, here are some of mine:

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Posted in: Friday Flaws \ Tagged: , ,

National Marathon Recap (Part 2) – The Big Day: It’s a Marathon not a SPRINT

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Marathon Day – A Race is a Journey, not a Destination?

Me and my BFF Michelle showing off our beautiful medals

Can you hear the Rudy soundtrack playing in the background? If not, click here, and listen while you read (note: this is entirely optional – I’m just trying to add drama here. Is it working?) Apologies for the lengthy post – I promise, most will be shorter. But seriously, if I can run 26.2 miles, you can spend an extra 5 minutes staring at your screen right?

Anyway, when it comes to long races, I always tell myself a race is a journey and not a destination (thank you Steven Tyler). To me, it’s never really about the finish line or the crowds, but how I can work through obstacles mentally to finish strong. Well, in this race, it was certainly a battle until the end, but it just felt even sweeter when I crossed the finish line. I’m going to break down the race in chunks and recap my thought process at the milestones. I’m hoping the recap will be helpful and entertaining and NOT self-indulgent. Please let me know. I need all the help I can get on this blog. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Races \ Tagged: , ,

National Marathon Recap (Part 1) – Because we ALL Want A Rudy Moment

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Olympics here I come?

Well…the first post might as well be at the top of the mountain because I’m sure I’ll be struggling to climb back up MANY times. I’m on the train home from running in the National Marathon in Washington D.C. and just finished watching Rudy and crying like a little baby. This movie gets me every time, even more than the Notebook. Thankfully, the tears prevented anyone from sitting next to me so I had room to stretch out my sore little legs. So, while my mind is full of cheesy inspiration, without further ado, here’s the National Marathon Recap.. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Races \ Tagged: , ,