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Happy Waffle Wednesday!!!
Yup! I ate that whole stack :)
Fear not, for they are Van’s Mini Waffles.
This is the other kind of waffle I chose to buy with the free coupons the company sent me. I love mini foods (mini bagels also come to mind).
Nutritionals aren’t as great as the gluten-free Apple Cinnamon waffles, but they are mini, so I will cut them some slack.
I had my pile o’ waffles dipped into a syrup/almond butter mix and a side of egg whites for protein.
Thoughts on the waffles? They were sweet! I felt like I was eating little waffle cookies! If you like dessert for breakfast, then they’re the one for you.
I ate this while reading the responses on my last post on muscle toning shoes. Some great thoughts were shared! Just a snippet:
Those shoes. First off, I despise the word “toning”. Ugh! And, they are just another gimmick to get people to think they can be exercise-free and get in shape. However, if they actually get people to put them on and move about, it’s better than nothing.
I’m so glad that you wrote about those shoes. It proves again that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
My mom had a pair of MBTs when they first came out and she thinks they helped her posture, but that’s about it!
I actually participate in a Reebok ‘new products’ forum to test the water. They recently sent me a pair of these goofy shoes to try.
I agree with everything you’ve stated above. I am supposed to wear them for 3 months, and I can’t stand them. It feels like ‘corrective shoes’ for being pigeon-toed, or something, but…worse than that.
They’re uncomfortable, and they don’t do anything.
There are no shortcuts to fitness and health.
Good reading!! Thanks for all the feedback!
After breakfast, I drove 20 minutes to the other side of town (okay, technically, a different municipality) just to go to a spin class. It’s a really nice gym – worth the drive!
I do not like those particular Star Trac spin bikes though.
The class was great! It was only 40 minutes long, and the instructor chose music I actually enjoy and would listen to outside of class. Because it was shorter than I’m used to, I went straight across to the gym’s yoga studio for a 60 minute yoga class. Very strange to go from a high-energy spin class to a very mild and gentle yoga class. It was very easy and more about the breathing, still fun though!
Busted through the door once I got home because I was staaaarving. Started throwing ingredients into a frying and pan and ended up with this:
I did however stop to snap photos of the funny looking veggies as I chopped them up.
Long red pepper.
And a baby carrot with a core??
It was like a chopstick in the centre of my carrot. Weird.
Anyways, back to the stir-fry at hand.
Other notable veggies included celery, broccoli, mushrooms and collard greens. Protein was two scrambled eggs, flavoured with feta cheese and hummus.
Oh yeah, and bacon. Bacon makes everything better ;) Hit. The. Spot.
Polished off with a Newfoundland chocolate.
Milk chocolate. With something in the centre – marzipan? Whatever, it was good.
Oh, and there may have been a few sugar-free Mr. Freezes today.
And by a few, I mean four.
I was struck with inspiration this afternoon while reading Naomi’s blog. She made Dreena Burton’s Super Charge Me Cookies. I’ve been hearing how amazing these cookies are for what feels like years now, and I still haven’t tried them! I glanced at the ingredients and saw my mom had them all on hand. Score! It was finally time to get baking :)
1 cup
quick oatsrolled oats
2/3 cupspelt flourwhole wheat flour
1/4 tsp (rounded) sea salt1/4– 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 cupunsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 –1/3cup raisinsor chopped dried fruit
3–4 tbspcarob orchocolate chips (optional; or use more dried fruit, nuts, or seeds)
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup flax meal (not flax seed)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
3 tbsp almond butter (may use cashew, peanut, hemp seed butter)
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp organic canola oilPreheat oven to 350°F (180°C). In a bowl, combine oats, flour, salt, cinnamon, coconut, raisins, and carob or chocolate chips, sift in baking powder, and stir until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine flax meal, syrup, almond butter, and vanilla and stir until well combined. Stir in oil. Add wet mixture to dry, and stir until just well combined (do not overmix). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon batter onto baking sheet evenly space apart, and lightly flatten. Bake for 13 minutes (no longer, or they will dry out). Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 1 minute (no longer), then transfer to a cooling rack.
The recipe says 11-12 cookies, but I got 18 decent-sized ones out of the mix,
I licked the bowl clean – baker’s rights!!
I didn’t think the cookies looked quite done after 13 minutes, but I trusted the recipe. Plus, being vegan, there were no raw eggs that needed to cook anyways.
Sure enough, they came out perfectly!
I was going to save one for after dinner, but my mom suggested having one for an appetizer. Who am I to argue!?
Verdict?? Heckyes. These are good! Plain ole’ chocolate chip cookies with eggs and butter will always be my favourite, but these are definitely a fun alternative. I love how you can really taste the maple in them too.
And they get the thumbs up from my three step-siblings, who are definitely tough critics.
While my cookie business was going on, my mom was working on dinner beside me.
We seem to have a plethora of tortilla chips in this household. Which clearly called for a mexican dip
Mom dug out her recipe from the 1970s for this one. Made with buffalo meat, black beans, salsa and spices. The cheese-free section is mine :)
Mom also made a smooth guacamole, which I did not partake in because I can’t digest avocado :(
Instead of dipping the chips in the dip, I assembled a salad, then put the good stuff on top.
With extra salsa for good measure ;)
Solid meal!! Well done mom :)
Tamzin tagged me in a questionnaire for getting to know bloggers a little better. I thought it would be fun to do! Here are my answers:
Where would you be able to spend hours and be happy?
My bed. In fact, I have spent hours there and been perfectly happy doing it ;)
What’s your favorite kind of doughnut?
Chocolate glazed donut from Tim Horton’s. These days though, I limit them to the Timbits ;)
Do you have any tattoos or piercings?
Just my earlobes! I’m scared of needles, and didn’t get the guts to do my ears until I was 18 years old.
What is your favorite movie?
High Fidelity. John Cusack + Nick Hornby + Good Music + Top 5 Lists = Perfection.
Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?
My mom! I called her while I was out today.
Are you still friends with the people you knew in middle school or high school?
Yes, my closest friends are those I’ve had since childhood. My BFF in Halifax I just visited went to kindergarten with me. My other best friend and old roommie, Meghan, as known me since Grade 1.
What is the last thing you ate?
The above salad! Although, there will be a microwave protein cake in my belly very soon.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Everything. When I was really young, I wanted to be a veterinarian. Then I wanted to be a rock star, high school English teacher, flight attendant, journalist, and now personal trainer. I don’t think anyone ever figures out what they want to be when they grow up!
Name three things that are close to you right now:
My camera, Women’s Health Magazine, and Rudy.
What was your best subject in school?
Surprisingly, Chemistry! I took Level 1 Math and Chemistry and got 90s in both. Actually, I got 98% in grade 12 Chemistry. And then I went to a Liberal Arts university…
What is your favorite restaurant?
Any hidden talents?
I just asked my mother this and she says it’s my wicked sense of humour. Hm. How bout that!
What is your middle name?
Elizabeth. Common, but I still like it :)
What is your favorite website?
Gmail!! Ha! I go through phases, right now it’s 1000 Awesome Things and The Pioneer Woman.
How old were you when you had your first kiss?
I was in Grade 7… sooo…12 or 13?? It was sloppy.
Chocolate or vanilla?
If it’s flavour we’re talking about, then vanilla. But I will choose a piece of plain chocolate above all else at any time.
What is your favorite girl’s name?
I’m holding on to the name Wendy in case I ever need it for a baby. It’s my mom’s middle name and I LOVE Peter Pan!
Favorite store?
The Running Room.
Would you rather be a rock star or a famous athlete?
Rock star (see above)
Favorite food?
Chocolate chip cookies (see above)
What are you wearing right now?
Jean shorts (not cut-off!!) a flowery top and a black cardigan. See, I get out of my yoga pants sometimes ;)
What is your favorite animal?
Elephants are number one, owls are number two.
Did you graduate from college?
Yes, although in Canada colleges and universities are two different things.
What does your last text message say?
“Haha…of course.” From a friend when I told him I expected pictures of his upcoming Vegas trip on Facebook :)
Do you have any nicknames?
Sus, Susie and Susie Q. Nothing fancy!
And now I’m off to get ready to snag a ticket to the Healthy Living Summit!!
Questions of the Day:
1. What’s your favorite kind of doughnut?
2. Any hidden talents?
3. What is your favorite girl’s name?
When life gives you a giant coconut…
After two glorious days off in my hometown, today was my back to work “Monday.” It all started innocently enough with some pancakes and my favourite almond butter-syrup.
Then, my wonderful morning came to a crashing end. Literally. If you follow me on Twitter, you already know that a beautiful 2007 Mazda 3 was the victim of my “built Ford tough” Focus. There’s lots of blame to lay here. I didn’t properly scrape the ice off my back window, I didn’t look behind me enough before I swung out of my driveway. The Mazda was parked on a narrow no-park street, on the opposite end of my driveway. Blame will only get you so far. Bottom line is, my life became a lot more stressful in a split second.
Luckily, the Mazda owner was very nice about the whole thing. My insurance can cover it. It’s my first ever accident. And my daddy is an insurance litigator to boot ;) But man, I know we’re supposed to make lemonade when life gives us lemons, but what are we supposed to do when it starts throwing us limes? Grapefruits? Giant coconuts?
Sometimes it feels like just when I’ve maxed out on responsibilities and things to stress about, life piles on more. It reminds me of these impossible assignments my boss sometimes likes to give me. He’ll schedule me to cover two events happening at the same time. I’m expected to get interviews and stories from both, because apparently, I can split into two people and do that. However, each time I’ve managed to do the impossible and cover both. One time, even being to three places at once. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed at the thought of being poor, unemployed, getting out of my lease, finding a new place to live, etc, that I forget what I’m capable of. Dammit, I can be in three places at once! I can snap my life into order, right? Don’t ask me to clean my dishes and do my laundry though – cause that’s just asking too much :P
Sometimes I need to step back and remind myself life is like a to-do list. One by one I check all my stressors off. Soon all the above responsibilities will be taken care of, and new ones will emerge. I’ll continue to check them off, and try my best not to drown in the thought of doing them all at once.
And it is important to find little things to bring us joy in each and every day. These little things are going to be what gets me through these next several weeks at work. Hopefully some day my daily joys won’t be so little, but expand to become much larger things :)
On that note, I’m joining Holly and Angharad for their November yoga challenge. There’s a few of these going around blogland, but I love that they’ve chosen three days a week. Currently, I’m only going to yoga class at my gym one evening a week, but I would love to increase the amount that I practice. I think a little extra yoga could be JUST what I need at this time in my life. Whether it be through finding the time to make it to extra classes, or rolling out the mat in my living room. Feel free to join us as we stretch and flow our way through November! ;)
Today’s little joy:
My mother’s leftover taco dip on top a garden salad. Healthy food with no preparation necessary ;)
Oh, and I counted. The votes for tea and coffee were split down the middle. Each had equal representation in the comments :)
Question of the day: Name one thing that brought you some joy today.
Home Cookin’
Hello blog friends! I am currently blogging from my mother’s living room. It’s fabulous. This guy is currently curled up next to me keeping my feet warm.
Hi Archie!! What my mother doesn’t know is that I’m packing him up in the Focus and bringing him back with me tomorrow ;)
Would you believe it if I told you I got another 8 hours sleep last night? I know! Three nights in a row. That’s a record. I was awake after my usual 6 hours, but was actually able to fall back asleep when I tried to this time. Led to oversleeping, but I’ll take it! :D
I wanted to hit the road before noon, so I went to the gym right away. Turned into a pretty good workout!
Warm-up:
5 minutes on the elliptical
HIIT:
on elliptical:
0:00-1:00 – sprint @ level 16
1:00-3:00 – recovery @ level 14
3:00-4:00 – sprint @ level 18
4:00-6:00 – recovery @ level 16
6:00-7:00 – sprint @ level 20
7:00-9:00 – recovery @ level 16
9:00-10:00 – sprint @ level 18
10:00-12:00 – recovery @ level 14
12:00-13:00 – sprint @ level 16
13:00-15:00 – recovery @ level 12
Strength:
3 sets front squat push press – 10 reps @ 30 lbs
3 sets Romanian deadlift to row – 10 reps @ 40 lbs
3 sets lunge w/ forward reach – 10 reps @ 10 lbs each hand
3 sets YTWL – 5 reps each letter @ 5 lbs each hand
HIIT:
on treadmill:
0:00-1:00 – 3.0 mph
1:00-3:00 – 3.5 mph
3:00-4:00 – 8.0 mph
4:00-6:00 – 3.5 mph
6:00-7:00 – 8.5 mph
7:00-9:00 – 3.5 mph
9:00-10:00 – 9.0 mph
10:00-12:00 – 3.5 mph
12:00-13:00 – 9.5 mph
13:00-15:00 – 3.5 mph
Cool-down:
5 minutes stretching
Phew! I was going to tack on abs at the end, but this took me exactly one hour so I decided to call it a day.
Rushed back home and filled my hungry belly with a big bowl of savoury.
Savoury oats! I was reeeally craving a bowl.
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup water
- pinch salt
- 1 tsp Earth Balance
- 1 breakfast sausage,sliced and stirred into oats
- 1 fried egg
- lotsa saaaahlsa
Runny eggs are a thing of beauty, right Sophia? ;)
I know I harass you guys about this every time, but you really gotta try savoury oats if you haven’t yet!! The protein, fat, and fibre in this dish always holds me over forever. Close to five hours today, which is almost unheard of for me!
My 90-minute drive home was rather boring. I arrived home and my mother popped this wonderful taco dip in the oven for me.
It’s a mix of lean ground beef, black beans, kidney beans, homemade salsa and cheese.
While it was heating I prepared this:
Which then turned into this:
Hm. Looks gross there, but I know you’ll trust me when I say it was delicious ;)
Then I went searching for the Halloween stash. I knew it was somewhere! Found it hiding in the pantry closet.
I went for the Reese’s pieces and savoured every little piece.
I also arrived home to a house that smelled of turkey! My mom had one roasting in the oven all morning, and we were treated to it this evening.
My mom forgot the cranberry sauce, so I put some plum sauce on it instead. We also had stir-fried veggies in a gravy made with soy sauce and mustard. It was delicious!!! And then I swiped a few french fries that were made for the kids.
And I maaaay have attacked the candy stash again for dessert.
I like these little chocolate balls because I suck on them until they melt in my mouth. I actually suck on Reese’s pieces the same way too. Makes them last longer!
Now I’m just tucked in with my mom, Mark (her boyfriend, although that term is a little silly applied to their situation. Life partner? Common-law?) and the doggies. I’m just happy to be home and in their company. Tomorrow my mom and I are going to the gym together, then meeting my dad for lunch, visiting my Nana and then Costco!! Woot! See ya after!
Question of the day: What dishes does your mom always make? My mom is famous for her vegetarian chili. She also makes a mean hummus and vegepate :)
