Regroup

So, last night, I posted a blog during a weak moment. I was embarrassed, disheartened and very sad. I felt it was important to share that moment because I know I'm not the only one that has those moments or feels that way after them. I don't want anyone to think that I have this dialed in or I don't struggle...because, I do struggle. This is hard and I have to work at it every day.

Today is a new day, I will try and treat it as such. Yesterday is the past,leave it there. I will make the most of today. I will focus on the good in this week.

I made some awesome food, my Sunday Sweet Potato Salad and quite possibly the Best Soup in The World.

I had a good run on Tuesday:



I did some Yoga this morning and during meditation I reflected on why I might have binged, then I decided to just let it go. Because the past is the past.

I read my horoscope this morning and I think it reflected the situation perfect!

Aries for 5/5/10

Not everyone knows that we make our own luck, but it's a fact that you count on every day. If some recent setback has brought you down, don't think of it as failure -- instead, see of it as a lesson to help aid your future success. What will you know to do for next time? Once you've figured it all out, you can go back and tweak your original formula. You're sure to like your results next time.

Tonight I am looking forward to a relatively "unplugged" night at home with the husband. Maybe I'll take the dog for a walk. Tomorrow I have the day off from work, a 4.5 mile run planned and then I might relax pool side for a bit. I feel like I need to just relax and I'm going pay attention to that feeling.

I hope everyone is having a good week!

A weak moment.

 

Sometimes we try our best and sometimes…NUTS!

Yes, I did finish off the entire container. I’m not proud of it, but I learned from it.

I learned that this doesn’t make my husband, my Mom or my dog love me any less. All of whom I spoke to in tears after my binge. I am not a Super Human. I will fall. The feeling of total fullness and bloat does not bring me the lulled satisfaction it once did. Sometimes I will make mistakes. I learned that I probably shouldn’t bring trigger foods into my home because they do just that. They trigger me to binge eat. I know this. I guess I just needed a reminder.

We all have bad days, nights or weeks. It happens, I know that. I just wanted to be honest with you about mine.  Weak moments can be just as important as great ones, we can learn a lot from them.

Have you had a weak moment recently? Did you learn anything from it?

The husband was not harmed in the making of this blog post. He was safely away from allergens at work.

Meatless Monday – My new favorite soup

 

First off, for this recipe, you’ll need a blender. Check out mine, I think it’s older than ME! I inherited it from my Mom and I can’t bring myself to replace it. My Crockpot happens to be from the same era. Vintage rocks, get over it. :)

 My blender is more badass than your blender.  

Last night wasn’t cold by any means, but I was craving soup.  I wanted something hearty but light. I have been wanting soup a lot lately, so I took to the kitchen and this is what I made:

White Bean and Spinach Soup with an Italian Twist (4pts per serving, 2 large servings)

Ingredients

1 tsp vegetable oil  
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped   
2 garlic cloves, minced  
16 oz (1 can) Cannellini (White Kidney) Beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup canned diced tomato - Italian Style 
7 oz Fat-free vegetable broth  
1/2 tsp black pepper  
1 tsp ground thyme  
1 tsp Italian Seasoning  
1/2 cup water   
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped 
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

In a large saucepan, heat oil. Cook onion in oil until tender. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring continuously. Stir in beans, broth, diced tomato, pepper, thyme, Italian seasoning and water. Bring to a boil, reduce and then simmer for 15 minutes.
With slotted spoon, remove 1 cup of the bean mixture from soup and set aside.
In blender at low speed, blend the remaining soup in small batches until smooth.***
Bring blended soup to a boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach, reserved bean mixture and cook 2-3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Stir in lemon juice, remove from heat and serve.

On the side, I served some Baby Crostinis that I made using 1pt hot dog buns! Aren’t they adorable!? I just cut them into the appropriate shape, sprayed them with non-stick spray, used a little Parmesan Herb seasoning and toasted them in a 400 degree oven for about 4 minutes per side. Watch it closely though!

I also added a little bit of red pepper flakes to the soup, but I left that out of the recipe because I know everyone doesn’t like the heat like I do. I can’t tell you how much I love this soup because I would seriously just sound insane, but I LOVE this soup. I am going to make a giant batch of it and freeze it so I can have more than 2 servings. It’s THAT good.

*** I feel it’s important to say, when blending hot liquids in a blender, ALWAYS use a towel to hold the lid of the blender on. Never turn the blender on High right away, pulse slowly and then carefully remove the middle part of the top to let the steam out if the lid wants to come off on you. I in no way shape or form speak from experience here….

Go make this soup. Now. Go. It’s amazing. I promise!

Original inspiration and cooking instructions came from this recipe at AllRecipes.com.

No regrets.

 

I had an amazing weekend. I ended up taking Saturday off and spending the weekend celebrating my friend Kelly’s birthday as well as her father’s birthday. She had family and friends in town from all over the east coast. We ate, we drank and we were very merry. I didn’t make the best food choices, I went terribly overboard at times, and I didn’t make the time for my workouts, but I have no regrets.

This did not derail me. I indulged, relaxed and now I will let it go. A weekend with that much happiness, love and laughter can in no way shape or form be bad for me.

That being said, it’s Monday. Life is back to normal as I know it. So I will start this morning off at the gym for Alternate Cardio & Weights,* followed by work and a Meatless Monday dinner tonight. Here is my meal plan for the week:

Meatless Monday – White Bean & Spinach Soup (with some tweaks)

Tuesday – Greek Quorn Pita Sandwiches

Wednesday – Whole Wheat Couscous & Kidney Bean Salad

Thursday – Grilled Ranch Chicken

Friday – Leftovers

In case you missed it yesterday, I posted a recipe for a Sunday Sweet Potato Salad that I threw together last night. It’s what I have for lunch today and if you like sweet potato you will love this recipe.

Yesterday I also planted a Topsy Turvey Tomato Grower on my porch. I filled the 3 growing pods with Tomato, Zucchini and Bell Pepper. Cross your fingers, I’m not the best green thumb in the world! My little herb garden is growing well this year and I also prettied up the porch with some new begonias and impatience. It looks so nice out there! I also think that gardening (even if in containers) should be considered exercise. I had to carry a very heavy bag of potting soil on my shoulder up a flight of stairs! My arms are actually a little sore this morning!

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Sorry the pictures aren’t very good…I took them at 5:40am this morning because I didn’t think to take any yesterday afternoon!

What did you do this weekend?

*Gym update: I made it to my amenity center this morning, noticed all of the flat screen TVs (5 total) were missing, cables dangling. I did 10 minutes on the elliptical and moved to the weight room to find some wall damage, the chair used to hoist the thieves up still in place, gloves on the chair and a generally creepy vibe. Since I had no phone or anything on me and there isn't one in the center, I left, mildly freaked out, came home and reported it. My little corner of the world has always been crime free. :(

*Gym update 2: The HOA called me back and the break in actually happened on Thursday night, the marks on the wall were from a messy finger printing job by the sheriffs department and since they are still investigating, they haven't cleaned up the place much. Supposedly there was a letter to this effect hanging somewhere in the complex, but it wasn't on the main door because I looked. Oh well, serves me right for skipping the gym for 2 days. ;)

Sunday Sweet Potato Salad

 

This time of year brings around Cookout or Backyard BBQ (depending on where you’re from) season and I have a twist on potato salad that is as kind to your taste buds as it is to your health!

Sunday Sweet Potato Salad (3pts per serving, 2 servings)

1 large cooked sweet potato, cut into cubes, boiled until just tender and drained
1/2 Tbsp honey   
1 Tbsp onion, finely chopped  
2 Tbsp raisins  
2 Tbsp lemon juice, canned or bottled  
2 tsp sugar substitute  
1 Tbsp Kraft Miracle Whip Salad Dressing  
1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except potato, mix well. Add sweet potato and stir to coat.

Serve room temperature or cold. 

This whips up fairly quickly and has a nice sweet and savory flavor! This will probably be my “go to” dish for cook outs this Spring and Summer. So, all my friends and family have been warned!

I hope you all had fantastic weekends! I will check in tomorrow with a proper update. I just couldn’t wait to share this recipe with you!