Yesterday I started my first day of work at my mom’s design center. While I’m home, I’ll be helping her company out on the social media/marketing front as well [...]]]> I’m starting to get into the Winnipeg swing of things. Now all I have to do is get that whole driving thing underway, and I’ll be set!

Yesterday I started my first day of work at my mom’s design center. While I’m home, I’ll be helping her company out on the social media/marketing front as well as on some special projects. 

For lunch I went to Safeway and did a “build your own sandwich”. My mom and I split one – I forget what kind of bread it was on – something wheat-y. And it had lettuce, tomato, green peppers, provolone, honey mustard and guacamole! It was TASTY!

For dinner my mom decided she wanted me to make the Mushroom Broccoli Quisotto (quinoa risotto) from the quinoa book she got me.
 
It was pretty simple to make – just satueed the veggies, cooked the quinoa in veggie broth, mixed em together and added it some shredded parm. It definitely tasted very similar to risotto and took so much less time to prepare and was much healthier with the quinoa instead of white rice.

As an appetizer I put out some wild caught smoked salmon along with rye toasts. There was also an unpictured yougurt/dill sauce to go on top.

I actually wasn’t a huge fan of this smoked salmon. It was WAY too salty.

This morning I took some inspiration from Oh She Glows and decided to make an oatmeal parfait. I am going to try her vegan overnight oats  soon, but for now, the parfait will have to do!

I like to called this my Dreamy Blackberry Oatmeal Parfait
 
It contained layers of whipped banana oats, goats milk yogurt and fresh organic blackberries. 
 
And maranatha almond butter and a blackberry on top!

Creamy, dreamy and DELICIOUS!
 
What a lovely way to start the day!

On the fitness front my mom let me know about a hot yoga studio that was literally right down the street from her design center. We went and took a look the other day. It looks AMAZING! I am thrilled to begin doing hot yoga again. And lucky for me they have student prices

My mom is also interested in doing it – however she has never even done regular yoga before let alone HOT yoga. I’m a bit concerned because heat + my mom = bad news. 

Do any of you hot yoga people have any tips for her???

It’s supposed to be a HOT ONE today! I wish I had a bike. Perhaps I will play some tennis today… I realy don’t feel like going to the air conditioned gym when it’s so nice out! Maybe this evening I’ll try for a run? I am so needing to get my fitness on, it has been nowhere in site for the past week!!!!

Have a fabulous weekend!!!!  – Any fun plans???

Have you ever done hot yoga? If yes – what are your thoughts? If no – would you ever want to try it?

I had a super eventful day yesterday, so I’ll try to keep the words to a minimum and the pictures plentiful!

Dinner the other night consisted of roasted rainbow carrots from the greenmarket! How amazing are these colors??!!    All I did was sprinkle [...]]]> Happy Friday!

I had a super eventful day yesterday, so I’ll try to keep the words to a minimum and the pictures plentiful!

Dinner the other night consisted of roasted rainbow carrots from the greenmarket!
How amazing are these colors??!!
  
All I did was sprinkle on EVOO, S&P and some dill and roasted them at 400 for 30 mins!

Roasted and delicious! How crazy are those purple carrots??!!!

And…We bought a new plant! Remember Bill the dill plant? Well this is Betsey the basil plant. I’ll try and take better care of her than I did Bill  
 
I used the fresh basil in our main dish, Penne with Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese from my favorite lady Giada!
  
Our dinner!
 
I topped mine with toasted walnuts. Mmm! I also used brown rice penne instead of white.
 

Yesterday morning I ventured to BROADWAY to get some student tickets for Promises, Promises. 
 
I am a HUGE fan of Broadway and musicals, so seeing at least one more was on my NYC Bucket list! But to see my absolute FAVORITE Broadway actress Kristin Chenoweth. Well… I was pretty excited! 

As you can see from the above photo, the Broadway Theatre is right next to a Crumbs. Another thing on my list was to get one last Crumbs cupcake! So, of course I did! And I got my favorite – Red Velvet. I’m going to try and savor it throughout the weekend.
We’ll see how long that lasts

I also stopped by a dance store in the area to pick up a new leotard. I found one that fit perfectly , so I bought it in 2 different colors!
 
Then, I went home, relaxed for a bit and then I headed to Alvin for my first ZUMBA class!  
I LOVED IT! Our instructor Ben was unreal!! And I had SO much fun and got SO sweaty. Definitely going back!

And then it was off to the show!!!!

We were a little far back. But I guess that’s what you get for student prices
 
It was great! I mean, like I said to my show companions Rosie and JH, I would think Kristin Chenoweth standing on a stage doing nothing for an hour would be great But actually, I really enjoyed it and Sean Hayes was wonderful and there were a couple other standout performances as well.
 
Sean Hayes after the show!

Didn’t get a great picture of Kristin So many swarming fans!
 
But I did get her autograph! Special thanks to Rosie and her GIANT heels!

Yesterday was so much fun and just reminds me why I love New York so much!

Are you a Broadway/Musical fan? Have a favorite show?

Good Afternoon! It is a scorcher out there! I woke up early this morning and decided to take advantage of it by going for a run before it got too HOT out. I got washed up, slathered on some SPF, got into my gear and then realized [...]]]> Welcome to Vegan For a Week day #5!!!

Good Afternoon! It is a scorcher out there! I woke up early this morning and decided to take advantage of it by going for a run before it got too HOT out. I got washed up, slathered on some SPF, got into my gear and then realized “Crap, I didn’t charge my iPod OR Garmin”. I’m so used to running with them that I feel naked without em!

Feeling a bit defeated, but still wanting to run, I plugged in my running electronics and waited it out. While waiting, I snacked on half a banana with almond butter and drank a big glass of H20 to prepare for the heat. Mr. Garmin was actually not as low in battery as I had thought, but my iPod took awhile. Unfortunately I didn’t get out the door until almost 9am! It was already 77 F (25 Celsius) out!

But I was ready to rock the heat!

After almost 45 minutes in the heat, I made it home. OH MA GAWD! That was a TOASTY run! I don’t think I’ve sweat that much in a LONG time.

My stats, counting 2 walking breaks were:

4.29 miles in 43:18!

My mile splits were:

Mile 1: 9:05
Mile 2: 10:08
Mile 3: 10:41
Mile 4: 11:07
Mile 4.29: 3:17

I took a short walk break during mile 3 and a longer one during mile 4. The heat really got to me by mile 4, my face felt like it was burning up!

What kept me going strong through the first few miles was Rachel’s Gymnertainment podcast!

After the run I literally stumbled into my apartment and lunged for my coconut water!

Then I had a big glass of regular water, sat for a couple minutes to catch my breathe and then hopped directly into a cold shower!

~The Vegan Eats~

After the run I was craving something savory. Eggs weren’t an option since I’m vegan for the week so I thought I would try out some veggies for breakfast! I whipped up a quick lentil salad and dug in!

 

With some whole wheat flatbread and hummus on the side and another glass of water!

Yeah, I eat my hummus right from the tub Watcha gunna do!

~Interview with a Vegan~

Today’s vegan blogger is Jessie of Bites and Pieces!

How long have you been vegan for? About 4.5 years now.

Why do you eat a vegan diet?  I eat a vegan diet because I do not want to support factory farming or the dairy industry. I do not agree with many of the practices used, the improper treatment of animals, and the negative effects on our environment. Aside from that, I think it is a very healthy way of eating.

Do you think a vegan diet is "healthier" than a vegetarian or omnivorous diet? As much as I would like to say that the vegan diet is healthier than others, it really depends on the person. A vegan who eats nothing but potato chips and processed foods is probably less healthy than an omnivore who eats tons of fruits and veggies on a daily basis. I think I do a pretty good job eating a balanced vegan diet though.

Do you take any vitamin supplements? I try to get the majority of my vitamins through the foods that I eat. When I feel like I am slacking in this department I will usually have an Amazing Grass shake, which is full of vitamins, greens, and all kinds of other good stuff.

Do you miss anything about not being a vegan? The biggest thing I miss is the convenience of being able to eat wherever I want. I don’t live in a very vegan friendly city, so going out to eat with friends can become quite an ordeal. I really miss going out for breakfast on Sunday mornings and ordering pancakes. All of the restaurants here use eggs and milk in the batter, so I am out of luck with this one.

Do you think you will be vegan your whole life? Yup! Unless I suddenly develop an allergy to all forms of plant protein, I’m vegan for life!

What are some of your favorite vegan dishes? This is definitely the hardest question to answer since I love so many different things! When I go out to eat, I usually go for ethnic foods such as Indian, Thai, and Mediterranean. At home, some of my favorite things to make are scrambled tofu, barbecued seitan, pizza, pasta dishes, all kinds of salads, veggie burgers, and sandwiches. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!

Thanks so much Jessie, I’m getting hungry too reading about your favorite meals. And I love that you love ethnic foods, I most definitely do too!

Today my plans include a little laundry, a little shopping and JH’s website launch party tonight! I can’t wait to share it with you!!!

Alright, I think that other half of my banana with some more almond butter is calling my name! Have a great Friday!

Question: What are your favorite pre workout and post workout eats???

I cooked broccoli, summer squash and shitakes in some EVOO and topped with some S&P 

Then I cooked up some quinoa   I heated up some Puttanesca Sauce and added veggies to it. Then I topped a bowl of the quinoa with the [...]]]> I started my week off right with a wholesome dinner last night:

I cooked broccoli, summer squash and shitakes in some EVOO and topped with some S&P 

Then I cooked up some quinoa
 
I heated up some Puttanesca Sauce and added veggies to it. Then I topped a bowl of the quinoa with the veggies and sauce and finished with a generous dollop of hummus
 

I’m not sure the hummus went with the rest of the dish, but it was still tasty nonetheless!
I also had another small bowl of quinoa plain afterwards. LOVE quinoa!

Dessert was a few (large) squares of orange dark chocolate.

Computers and Us

So, I had 2 things happen in the past 2 days that got me thinking about the “health” of computers. Us bloggers spend A LOT of times on computers…though, so do most people of our generation. But, I think that for people like us who promote “healthy living”, a HUGE amount of our time is spent doing something that is pretty unhealthy.

1) The first thing that got me thinking was this article in the NY Times. It talks about the fact that scientists are saying our ability to focus is being undermined by bursts of information from e-mail and other “digital” interruptions. They wonder if being online and stimulated by so much media is rewiring our brains and disconnecting us from those around us.  – I mean, this sort of thinking isn’t exactly new. We’ve all heard about the negative effects  of spending a lot of time on a computer. But I do think it is something to always keep in mind, especially as a blogger. I know that BF is concerned about the amount of time I spend on my computer. And I do try and disconnect as often as I can. But it truly is difficult! And I’m sure you can all agree with me about that

2) During my workout at the gym yesterday I was approached by a trainer who offered to help me correct my form for a strength move I was doing. After showing me the correct form, he asked me what my goals were at the gym. I told him that I go to the gym to be healthier, in shape and develop muscle tone. He told me that those were good goals…but he thought that based on what he saw my main goal should be to work on my posture. REALLY? Me, a former ballerina, needed to work on my posture? He told me my shoulders rounded forward and it appeared as though I spent a lot of time on a computer! Truthfully, I wasn’t shocked, as I already knew I had weak upper back muscles. He was nice enough to show me an entire workout focused on correcting my posture. So, instead of the push up challenge, I am going to try to incorporate these new exercises into my routine 2-3 times a week. I will post them on my fitness page!

Another thing I am going to do is try to limit my computer/TV time. It’s going to be really really difficult. But I think I need to time myself on the computer and shut it down when I am not using it.

What are your thoughts on computers and health? Do you think you spend too much time “connected”? Or do you try to limit your computer/TV time?  

Greetings, readers!

So, it turns out that Just Flourishing is Just Studying for the next couple weeks so, JH is here to offer a little guest posting to alleviate some of that academic chaos! Woo!

Last Sunday, May 16th, marked the 25th anniversary of AIDS Walk New York and I was lucky enough to be part of [...]]]>

Greetings, readers!

So, it turns out that Just Flourishing is Just Studying for the next couple weeks so, JH is here to offer a little guest posting to alleviate some of that academic chaos! Woo!

Last Sunday, May 16^th, marked the 25^th anniversary of AIDS Walk New York and I was lucky enough to be part of the action. That is, me and 44,999 other participants. YOWZA! Better yet, the 10K walk raised $5.7 million dollars for GMHC and other local AIDS service organizations in the tri-state area. That’s waaay more than expected!

I decided to join the AIDS walk this year in order to get in on a major NYC experience as well as to honor the lost lives of my favorite musician, Freddie Mercury, favorite artist, Keith Haring, and a family friend. Me and my walker two pals enjoyed gorgeous sunny weather, music and dance performances along the route, and inspirational praise from event staff, cheerleaders, and drag queens from start to finish. And did I mention there were SNACKS at every checkpoint?! It was amazing to make our way through scenic Central Park and vibrant streets of NYC surrounded by this seemingly infinite sea of dedicated walkers; many of which wearing flashy paper crowns signifying that their team had raised at least $1,000. The positive energy was palpable and so contagious!

Truth be told, I am a major “walk-aholic” and have participated in walks for the ALS Association (which I also help coordinate), COTS, and American Cancer Society for many years. It’s amazing to see so many people rally together over a single cause and actually get results; not only in terms of raising funds but also spreading awareness and creating a sense of community. Plus, I love the opportunity to do anything semi-athletic and out-of-the-norm!

 JH and Fam at the Walk to Defeat ALS

Further, walking is a great form of exercise! That’s right-you don’t have you run a race to be charitable or improve your own health. And it’s a low-impact work out and super safe for a range of ages and fitness levels!

So, ready to walk? There are ton of walks for a variety of causes that may interest and inspire you to get out there helping others and yourself! For your convenience, I’m providing a short listing of sites for upcoming walks nation-wide. Use the site to locate a walk near you! Best of luck and hope to see you out there!

AIDS Walk: http://www.aidswalk.net

Alzheimer’s Memory Walk: http://www.alz.org

Autism Speaks Walk: http://www.autismspeaks.org

AVON Walk for Breast Cancer: http://www.avonwalk.org

JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes: http://walk.jdrf.org

American Heart Association’s Start!HeartWalk: www.startheartwalk.org

The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life: http://www.relayforlife.org

Walk from Obesity: http://www.walkfromobesity.com

Walk MS: http://www.nationalmssociety.org

Walk to Defeat ALS: http://www.alsa.org

Have you participated in any walks/runs or fitness events for charity?

But if you have any tips [...]]]> So, I seriously have an organization/cleaning problem. No matter how much I seem to clean, all my stuff is always everywhere! Maybe, that’s just the way I am. I guess I’ll never be one of those Type A neat freak people (as much as I may want to be!!!).

But if you have any tips on staying organized and cleaning (especially for a tiny NYC apartment) LET ME KNOW! Please!

30/60/90 was INTENSE yesterday. My body (more specifically my back, glutes and arms) are killing me today. Seriously, if you need to give yourself a good kick in the pants fitness-wise, 30/60/90 is the way to go. I was out of breath and red in the face within 10 minutes. And by end of the class I looked like I had been sitting in a steam room for an hour! My shirt was soaked and my hair was insane. It was quite a site to see

We did a fair amount of push-ups in the class yesterday, so I was NOT going to make myself do anymore for the Day 2 of the push-up challenge. Even if I wanted to, I don’t think I could! My arms feel like jelly. I think I’ll have to do Day 2 tomorrow! (Hopefully my arms won’t be too sore!)

Onto the eats:

Last night I knew exactly what I felt like for dinner. I had been wanting to make it for a while but never got around to it – Kath’s Cheesy Bean and Rice Casserole.

I used quinoa instead of rice, used some different veggies and only a bit of cheese (goat cheddar)

I cooked up some quinoa and steamed some veggies

Mixed them together with curry power, cumin, herbes de Provence and s+p.
And put everything in a small casserole dish. Then I topped it with the goat cheddar and baked at 350 for 30 minutes
  
Mmm mmm good. I ate it with lots of hot sauce!

It could have used more cheesiness, but I used all I had! Next time I’ll try the original recipe with the rice and see how it tastes!

This morning I finally tried out my regular rolled oats. All I have to say is:

Creamiest bowl of oats EVER.
 
Look at that creaminess!

I topped it with my standard goat milk yogurt and raw almond butter after the photo was taken.

For lunch today I made a wrap out of the leftover casserole (with some romaine added in)

Is it just me, or are Ezekiel wraps, particularly hard to make wraps with? My fillings ALWAYS fall out and my wrap never wraps properly unless I put only a little bit of filling in. And who wants a little bit of filling? NOT ME!

I’m due for some yoga tonight to stretch out my poor muscles! And also… an attempt at cleaning and studying!

Do you have a favorite pita or tortilla brand to make wraps with??
What is your favorite wrap/pita combo?

I used to love getting the cheddar pita from Pita Pit with tons of veggies, PINEAPPLE (!), cheddar (of course) and tzatziki.
Mmm. I might have to recreate that wrap soon!

I have lots of studying to do today, so I just wanted to share a quick update with you and then leave you with some of my favorite fitness links from around the web this past week!

I did my initial test for the push up challenge! Ouch! My arms are killin’ me [...]]]>

I have lots of studying to do today, so I just wanted to share a quick update with you and then leave you with some of my favorite fitness links from around the web this past week!

I did my initial test for the push up challenge! Ouch! My arms are killin’ me I managed to do 20 “good form” push ups in a row. Now, if you’re impressed with that, don’t think these were an easy 20, I literally collapsed in a heap afterwards!

I’ll be starting week one tomorrow! Want to join in? It’ll be fun I promise!!!

FITNESS INSPIRATION LINKS:

Get Your Exercise Mojo Back – Healthy Tipping Point

Core Fusion Lean & Toned Review & Giveaway – Dori’s Shiny Blog

Yoga Pose May – Carrots ‘N’ Cake (watch for my pose on May 16th – it’s a good one )

The Bar Method Opens in NYC – Marketwire

6 Reasons Why Your Workout Isn’t Working – Tina at Health.com

Can Laughing Give You a Workout? – CNN

Ways to Get Hooked on Weight Lifting – Shape.com

Who is your fitness inspiration?

Right now, Caitlin at Healthy Tipping Point, is mine. She completed 26 races before her 26th birthday and now is training for a CENTURY (100-mile bike race) on May 23rd! She always gets out there and just does it, very inspiring!

My Saturday has consisted of Chemistry class, oatmeal, napping, shopping and a painful (but wonderful) strength training class!

lucy:

My mom is a very stylish woman. So, every time I go home to Winnipeg I come back with some brand new (cough:stolenfrommymom:cough) clothing. My mom is used [...]]]> Good Evening! Hope your weekend is going splendidly!

My Saturday has consisted of Chemistry class, oatmeal, napping, shopping and a painful (but wonderful) strength training class!

lucy:

My mom is a very stylish woman. So, every time I go home to Winnipeg I come back with some brand new (cough:stolenfrommymom:cough) clothing. My mom is used to me raiding her closet, I actually think she hates when I take her stuff, but she pretends not to mind Thanks Mom! 

When I was back home recently, I was browsing Mom’s closet looking for a pair of comfortable pants when I found a pair that looked very similar to Lululemon, but were not. Lululemon pants do not look good on me. I like the leggings and tops….but for some reason the pants do not flatter my body. I tried on these Lulu lookalikes and low and behold – they looked quite good! I discovered they were lucy. They were so comfortable too! And right then and there, I knew what  I was taking home from Mom’s closet My mom was very sweet and even offered to let me have one of her lucy tops too!

These are my “new” pants  and this is my “new” top. I love them both!

I would definitely recommend lucy workout wear if you are looking for some new stuff.
You can see if there’s a store in your area or shop online. Online, you can save 20% of regular merchandise by entering the coupon codes: 0410ESAVE or 0410DCOTTON!

Naturally Flourishing:

I needed some new facial cleaners/moisturizers and after seeing it on Fitnessista‘s blog and reading some rave reviews, I decided to get Juice Beauty products.

I’m excited to try it! I’ll let you know how I like it in the next few weeks.

Alright off to shower and get ready for some fun in Brooklyn tonight – bowling may be involved!

Have a fun night!

What is your favorite brand of athletic wear? What is your favorite workout clothing item you own?

But…it’s not the mini eggs I’m talking about

Strawberries and eggs are 2 foods I haven’t had in a long time, that [...]]]> Hmm…doesn’t sound like the best combination now does it? Unless of course it’s strawberries and chocolate Easter eggs! Oh man, I used to LIVE for those mini eggs!

But…it’s not the mini eggs I’m talking about

Strawberries and eggs are 2 foods I haven’t had in a long time, that I had TODAY! I try to limit my egg/dairy intake, but was CRAVING eggs today. And I saw the Strawbs at Whole Foods (when am I NOT at Whole Foods!) and noticed they were actually reasonably priced. Woo Hoo! Strawberry season is (almost) here!

Strawberry season is actually from April to September, I believe. So we’re definitely close!

[If you want to know what other yummy food items are starting to SPRING up in season now, check out this link.]

Anyway, like I said, I was CRAVING eggs this AM! My favorite way to eat eggs is to poach them (and it’s one of the healthiest ways too!). I had mine on an Ezekiel English muffin (so yum!) topped with some Cholula hot sauce.  

Don’t know how to poach an egg?

Simple:

• Bring 2-3 inches of water to boil in a medium pot
• Crack your egg(s) into a separate small bowl
• Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer (you don’t want to add in the eggs to rapidly boiling water, or they’ll break!)
• Gently slide the eggs into the water
• 2 minutes = runny yolk, 3 minutes = medium yolk, 4 minutes = firm yolk
• Scoop the eggs out with one of these types of spoons:

• Place the egg over a paper towel to remove excess moisture (I usually leave it in the spoon and hold it on the paper towel so it doesn’t stick to it)
• Once most of the moisture is removed… ENJOY!

One of my favorite ways to enjoy poached eggs used to be Eggs Benedict (without the meat).

The traditional Eggs Benedict sauce, Hollandaise sauce, is not very healthy. It’s made with lots of egg yolks and butter. But I feel like a yummy alternative could be made with some Earth balance, lemon juice and plain yogurt (and perhaps some nutritional yeast or tumeric for color). Maybe I’ll give it whirl one of these days!

And as a snack later in the day I had a mug full of sliced organic Strawbs, which were surprisingly sweet!

Also, I have some fun Fitness info for all of you New Yorkers:

The 17^th annual SELF Magazine Workout in the Park is taking place Saturday, May 8^th at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 P.M. Tickets went on sale this Monday, March 15^th, and they usually sell out fast!

Tickets are available at www.SELFworkoutinthepark.com, they are $20 in advance, and include a year subscription to SELF (a $10 value).  The proceeds benefit Cancer and Careers, Susan G. Komen for the Cure. 

It sounds like it will be a lot of fun, so be sure to check out www.SELFworkoutinthepark.com for more info!

Do you like eggs? What is your favorite way to eat eggs?

That question always reminds me of the movie Runaway Bride. Julia Roberts’ character would always just have what her current fiancé was having, without ever making her own decision. Finally, she actually sits down and tries a bunch of different types of eggs and realizes that she likes Eggs Benedict and doesn’t like all the other kinds!