Flat-Belly Protein Smoothie

Good Morning!  I have been enjoying breakfast smoothies all week!  I have some with my coffee before I run and then I drink the rest throughout the morning as a post-run snack and way to get me to lunch without snacking on less-healthy options!  AND! So far, I have lost 1 pound :)

I don't think I really need to lose a lot of weight, but I want to be healthy and happy.  Plus, with my wedding coming up, I want to feel great and feel great about how I look.  So, I am training for a marathon while also keeping an eye on what I eat.  I am making sure that I am getting enough calories, but that those calories are all things healthy and good for me.

This "Flat Belly Protein Smoothie" has a ton of protein and is also packed with good-for-you nutrients that help avoid bloating.  It is about 300 calories per serving and I always make a double batch so that I have breakfast for a couple days.  It's really yummy and it seems to be helping me out so far!

Flat-Belly Protein Smoothie
(2 servings - adapted from PopSugar)

Ingredients:6 oz non-fat, plain greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 cups baby kale/spinach
1 tbsp almond butter
1 scoop protein powder (I used Chocolate Light Muscle Milk)
1 1/2 cups water

Directions:
1. Place everything in a blender and blend until smooth.

Enjoy :)

Vegetarian Lo Mein

Yesterday was my first day back at school and today is my first day back with students.  I was super grateful for yesterday because I was able to catch up with my co-teachers and get a bunch of planning done for the week ahead of me.  Also, it means that I only need to survive a 4 day week this week.  

Today I am excited because I am teaching Pre-calculus and AP Calculus and while both of these topics can be intimidating, I like that they are new topics that I have not had a ton of experience with and I love learning new things myself.  I feel totally ready to go and I am pumped.

I am also excited to share this Vegetarian Lo Mein Recipe.  It was super simple to make so it is perfect for a weeknight and it is healthy.  Plus, it's delicious.  Now that I am back, I am all about the quick and simple meals that also make me feel good about myself!

Vegetarian Lo Mein

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen stir-fry veggies

8 oz rice noodles, prepared according to directions

2 tbsp soy sauce (I used low-sodium)

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp siracha (or more if you like it spicy!)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, garlic, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and siracha.

2. In a large skillet, place the veggies and heat over medium.  Pour about half of the sauce over the veggies and toss to combine.  Cook until the veggies soften.  Then, add in the prepared rice noodles and toss to combine.  Pour the rest of the sauce over the mixture and toss.

Enjoy :)

Marathon Training Monday

It is week 2 of winter marathon training!  This week the mileage is 3/3/3/7 and I am excited because on Saturday, for the 7 mile run, I will be back running with my CARA (Chicago Area Running Association) group.  I am super excited to see some of my running buddies from summer marathon training and catch up with them!

Today is also the first day back to school after the two week winter break.  I am excited to see my students, but I am also a little bummed that break is over.  I was getting so much stuff done for the wedding and I was cooking and working out more than usual and it was really nice.  However, school is also pretty great and I'm sure that once I get back into the swing of things I'll be fine.

Combining marathon training with school/coaching is going to be tough.  I am working on a schedule where I don't feel too overwhelmed.  So far, I wake up early (4:45), have a protein shake and drink some coffee, then, around 5:15 I start my run.  Right now I am running on a treadmill indoors because it is too dark to run outside.  Hopefully, as it gets lighter in the morning I will be able to run outdoors.  Then, after my run, I shower, and get ready to go to school.  My goal is always to be ready to go around 6:45/7 in the morning.  We'll see how it goes!  Oh, and get ready to hear all about my protein shakes! I found a ton of good recipes HERE and I'm working my way through them to find a few that I really love!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!

Last night we had friends over to ring in the new year and it was a blast!

My little brother bartended (he even made his own menu!) and we had a potluck sort of dinner!  I made my Build Your Own Nachos with Crock Pot Salsa Chicken and my Lightened up Spinach Artichoke Dip.  Everything was a huge hit.  We also had Crock Pot Barbacoa, Baked Mac n Cheese, and, of course, tons of desserts.

We watched the ball drop, played funny charade games, and had an amazing time.

This morning, I made some french toast for my brother and his friend who stayed at our place and now, after some advil :), I am getting ready to hit the treadmill for a bit.

I'm not a huge fan of new year's resolutions, but I do think it is nice to reflect and refocus at the beginning of a new year.  2015 was great.  I ran my second marathon, got a new job that I love, and did a TON of wedding planning.  That being said, 2016 is going to be crazy epic.  First and foremost, I AM GETTING MARRIED!  I can't wait to say "I do" to my best friend and see all my hard work from wedding planning finally play out.  I am also planning on running marathons 3 and 4 and just generally staying fit and eating healthy.  Finally, tomorrow Bri and I have plans to talk with a mortgage broker about moving forward in the process of buying our own place!! I can't believe all this very grown up things are just around the corner and I could not be more excited.  So, here's to an amazing 2016!  Happy New Year!