hostess with the mostess - cheesy spinacy & squash au gratin

my mom is a pre-K teacher and still on her holiday break, so she and my aunt (her sis-in-law) came over to hang out, sleepover, and keep Chiso company with us. which means, i get ta' COOKIN'!  whipping up healthy, tasty food for my family gives me life (add that to the phrases we should stop using in 2014 :roll: ) but it best describes how i feel while i'm doing my thing in my kitchen.  now can i do all this again tomorrow?  you bet! playing hostess is FUN. what we chowed down on today:

lean turkey burgaaaaaas for lunch!  super easy recipe can be found on my instagram post from earlier today (look for this same photo).

i topped the patties with cheddar style rice cheese,

and i found those sprouted grain buns at Sprouts Farmer's Market recently.  i was looking for the Ezekiel ones but these were cheaper and by Alvarado Street Bakery.  heard a lot about them and was not disappointed.

no lettuce or avocado in the house, womp. but i did have condiments, tomatoes, and plenty of pickles. stuff your burgers with your fave toppings and toast your buns (makes a big difference in taste and texture).  everyone enjoyed their burger except for you-know-who.

he touched it like he was going to pick it up and then faked everybody out.  i'll try again tomorrow.

i've been playing around with a squash casserole type recipe for the past few days and finally just went for it today since i was all up in the kitchen anyway. turned out better than i imagined, whoa.   Sonny says it tastes just like Boston Market's squash casserole side and well, i won't argue with him!

cheesy spinach & squash au gratin

the stuff:

• 2 large zucchini, raw, coined & halved (see pic above)
• 2 large yellow squash, raw, coined & halved
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 eggs
• Earth Balance Organic Whipped Buttery Spread
• 2 tbsp liquid aminos
• 1 cup frozen, thawed spinach
• 1/2 cup cheddar style rice cheese
• 1/2 cup skim mozzarella (you may use mozzarella almond cheese as well)
• 1/8 cup light parmesan cheese

breadcrumbs:

• 3 slices Sara Lee 45 Calories & Delightful bread, toasted until crispy
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 cup light parmesan cheese

do this:

1. spray your casserole dish with no-stick cooking spray and pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. make breadcrumbs by combining listed ingredients in your food processor and pulsing until you achieve a breadcrumb-like consistency.
3. in a large skillet over medium heat, saute the garlic, onion, zucchini, and squash together for 4-5 minutes or until translucent.
4. add spinach, garlic powder, onion powder, liquid aminos, parsley, and cracked black pepper to pan; mix.
5. cover pan and let cook down for 10 more minutes before shutting off the heat and pouring your squash mixture into your prepared casserole dish. set aside.
6. in a separate bowl, whisk eggs.
7. to the egg mixture, add 1/8 cup of parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup of breadcrumb mixture, 1/2 cup of cheese, and the 1/2 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
8. if your squash mixture has completely cooled by now, go ahead and add the egg mixture to it in the casserole dish and mix WELL. if it's still warm, temper the eggs by adding a little bit of squash mixture to the egg mixture (in that order, please!)  at a time to prevent making scrambled eggs.  the cold almond milk should help cool the squash mixture down faster too. once all combined, set aside.
9. add the last 1/2 cup of cheese to  1/4 cup of the breadcrumb mixture and sprinkle it on top of your casserole evenly.
10. bake for 40-45 minutes or until the casserole no longer jiggles when you shake the dish.
11. let it cool then dive in.

i divided my dish into 8 nice size servings and here are the stats for 1 serving: 162 cals, 6g fat, 14g carbs, 15g protein, 4 g sugar.

have a seat, Boston Market :lol:

lastly, for dinner, i heated up some leftover chicken & veggie stir fry and mixed it with some marinara sauce to revive the flavors. very yummy!  i also baked two pans of swai for tonight and for Sonny's lunches tomorrow.  i don't add ANY salt to the swai cause it doesn't need it at all like tilapia.

  i topped these with onion powder, garlic powder, and salt free Southwest seasoning from Mc Cormick (found at Walmart and HEB) and cooked them for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. that's it!  roasted brussels sprouts on the side.

 thinking about all the crazy business ideas in my head and on my heart for 2014 and it overwhelms me.  i'm determined to make 2014 NOTHING like 2013 though. one day at a time.  ok, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

le

The Color Run 5k - Houston

what.a.BLAST this morning!  this was my first time participating in the The Color Run 5k and imo,  everything was set up perfectly.  because i have a goal of hosting my own 5k one day, i took special note of well, everything.  instead of just showing up to run, i tried my best to pay attention to all the minor details that go into making a 5k (or any distance really) so great, fun, and memorable.  and BOY am i overwhelmed!!! but hey:

:shock:

never settle for good, mediocre, or average because you weren't created to do good, mediocre, or average things!

packet pickup was at Rei and i had never even been inside the store until then.  there was soooo much Color Run paraphernalia to choose from it's not even funny!  shorts, fanny packs, drawstring back packs, tanks, frisbees, bandanas, socks,

and sunglasses!

pre-race breakfast was an egg-white omelette (with some shredded and melted parmesan cheese that was thrown on top as it cooked), fresh spinach, tomato, and honey mustard on Nature's Own double fiber wheat bread.  no oatmeal this time as it can come back to haunt ya real quick if you know what i mean, especially on longer runs.  no pun intended. L O L.   however 5k's are over rather quickly.

that's my sweet, fab, supportive friend Kara!

our driver (Sonny) so graciously snapped some pics of us right after we jumped outta the truck and headed to the start line.

i met up with more great friends on our way to the start line- hey Roberto, Ana, and Kara's fingers! *waving*

i had NO idea how popular this run was!!!  our team was set for takeoff at 9am, but we didn't make it all the way to the front as it was just too crowded.  to avoid so many people on the course at once, they created several 'waves' and our start time was unexpectedly pushed back more than a little bit.  this was terrible because somebody had to drive back across town to teach class in less than 2 hours. yep....me. when i signed up for the race i was so excited about participating i forgot about my class!!!! pushing it, yes, but i knew both could be done.  i can't and won't let my members down. or waste 50 bucks :lol:

i heard somebody was not feelin' the weather change this morning. it dropped to around 50 degrees outta no where.

but we finished strong. it was bob and weave, stop and go the entire way. this was the first untimed race i've ever participated in and it was a true fun run with an emphasis on fun! people were clearly not concerned with breaking any PR's lol.   it's a huge, family and friends type event for sure, and i DEFINITELY recommend this race for anybody's very first 5k.

the Fit Foodies meant business though! we turned on our heart rate monitors and did our thing. Kara and i pretty much have the same running pace, so we started and finished together.

Kind Bars! i see these guys in Whole Foods all the time and they look scrumptious, right? they were giving out these two flavors and OH BOY...

this peanut butter and strawberry flavor was uhhhmazing. tasted like a sticky, chewy, pb and jelly bar sammich.  these are the only samples i could get my hands on before having to head out.

going and coming, literally. i missed out on tons of pictures and good ol' fashioned color fun and could not stay to meet up with and party with the other runners at all:(  you live and you learn. this was our first Fit Foodies event and we have only just begun to scratch the surface.  so seriously,  NO WORRIES if you weren't able to make it this morning, there are too many races coming up to dwell on one!  just know that plenty of advanced noticed will be provided next time, you have my word.

we sped across town and made it just in time.  did i shower first? heck no! i didn't have time anyway! 1 hour of total conditioning and a family shoulder workout later,

(alternating punches with dumbbells for 1 minute straight w/ Kara, my bro Brian, my hubby, and i )

TOAST was not the word.

  i'm gonna put this in the side bar over there, but the Green 6.2 will be held on April 27th, 2013. that's next month yall! email me if you'd like to run with the Fit Foodies team. the earlier you register, the cheaper the price.  set a goal and let's go for it, together.  le@fitfoodiele.com

alright...had this dressing tonight and it's  definitely gonna be added to the FFL approved list!  Walden Farms Raspberry Vinaigrette.  it's great as a salad dressing, but i'm positive it would work as a marinade for fish or chicken too.  try it! i like.

250mg of sodium per 2 tbsp and you know the rest: calorie, gluten, fat, sugar, carb, and cholesterol-FREE.

 more q & a in the upcoming posts, fyi.

start this week off STRONG!!!

le

WFM KATY <3

feast your eyes on the awesomeness that is Whole Foods Market............. KATY, TX.

i pulled up like 3 minutes before go time and hopped my butt right on in line.

they had some great grand opening deals, and fresh wild salmon was one of them!  they were selling like hot cakes under that tent up there for 5.99 a lb.

as i neared the door, i heard....music?  there was a live orchestra back there, even though you can't tell at all from this pic.  that's how WFM does it!  it didn't make the weather any warmer, but it was a nice touch.

this is the very first pic of the madness once i stepped foot in the store.  this is NOTHIN!  there were still a ton of peeps behind me.

:shock: the freshest produce ever in life :shock:

beautiful berries!

how can you not want one of everything?

so i was caught on camera using my own camera. (l)  #awkward!   i have no idea what station he was affiliated with but i do hope it was a major network LOL

beans, beans, the musical fruit!

the beloved bulk bins.  i couldn't pass up getting a couple scoops of pumpkin flax granola.

this is THE cleanest this area will ever be in life. lol

ok i have a confession.  my phone straight DIED a few minutes after i took this pic and i was devastated. seriously.  i went to bed with a full battery and did not put it on the charger and because i have soooooo much crap on my phone these days and have yet to order an SD card.  which means my battery is toast in a matter of hours. soooooo, i sped through the store and came back a few hours later with my bro for lunch.  hey i had a dr's appointment and was out anyway ;)

 i'll pick back up where i left off-

fresh

meat!

would i like a sample?  do you know who i am?

'air chilled' is a new term i said i'd google later. the tender was super juicy!

right, Matt?

and wow, that camera man was still there.

 these were so cute. and true.

we rounded a corner of the store and walked past the gourmet grilled cheese and specialty beer station.

it was a little after lunch time here and the store was CRACKIN'.

and then we saw a walking banana and had to get a pic!  and yes...i've officially been #photobombed by the lovely shopper behind us.

twice, smh!!!! who does these types of things!? i thought you only photobombed people you know!

we kept going and passed the delectable desserts...

just looking!

they had pizza samples left and right, mmmmm.

next up was the prepared foods section.

man...food presentation at its finest. *DROOLING*

this was matt's incentive for coming with me. free lunch!  he got a sammich at the sammich station.

gettin' mo samples...sushi samples.

it was a shrimp, avocado,  multigrain rice roll; lovely combo!

we turned around and saw several fresh food bars like the olive one above,

and this multicultural one.  variety is something WF never lacks!

so many overwhelming options to choose from.

 and uuuuuuuuweeeeeeee that 8.49 per lb. hurts my HEART!  especially when i remember when it was 2.99.........

last thing on this side of the store was the cool coffee bar.

more samples on the way to checkout- this tasted like kombaucha soda. not bad!

i meant to get some canned tuna while i was there so i cut through the frozen foods aisle and ran into this thing-  i thought it just rotated commercials and advertisements all day long, but nope, i touched the screen and was wowed immediately!

'touch a produce item for recipes and information.'

um, OK!!!

recipes, ideas, and tips galore! what a fantastic tool!

wait, how did i end up here?  focus!!!

got the tuna and headed to checkout, but not before passing up the to-go bakery case.... YUMMERS

seating area was CRAY-CRAY so we went home to eat.

i'm sure this area will be boomin' once Houston weather warms back up.

more samples outside!? of course! just some grilled fillet mignon, no big deal.

they even have their very own food truck(s).  i'm not surprised!

smelled amazing...

i'll save it for the next trip.

OH, a lady was standing at the door on our way out with a basket FULL of free grocery bags!  i loved this pattern the second i saw it.

juuuust expanding my grocery bag collection.

see, i didn't do too bad at all! this was nothin.

tuna, kettlecorn, bell peppers (5 for 5 dollar deal), pumpkin flax granola, and a loaf of seeduction bread for my mama.

aaaand the very last #foodie shot- half of Matt's reuben flat bread wrap. delish!

i think ALL but like one of my friends can stand grocery shopping lol!

Q: have you ever attended a store's grand opening? any store!

le

chicken PB2 pad thai + TJ's trip

let's pretend today is yesterday, ok? ok.

i made pb chicken pad thai for an Instagram challenge last night for dinner.  IG can be so addictive! i've been seeing a number of 'i need to get away from technology and focus on my life and the plan God has for me....etc.' posts lately from some of the health and fitness peeps i follow.  it's admirable, long as it's not a publicity stunt or anything.  it takes a LOT to step away from technology for a few hours, days, or even weeks nowadays.  anyway, i get it.  what is IG to you though anyway? a 'likes' contest? are you secretly competing with someone? a business opportunity?  marketing tool? searching for who can flex the hardest?  seeing what celebs are up to? seeing who can make their plate of food the prettiest? finding who can wear the least amount of clothes? lmbo (not really).  i said all that to say it's cool to be inspired and build off of what you see in your feed, but stay true to YOURSELF.  after all, it's your account.  it's tough to be original once your mind has been tainted with what everybody else is doing.   on top of all that, IG can be a huuuuge distraction, like facebook.  sometimes you gotta put the phone down,  log off your computer and just live.....  technology-free.

*inhale....exhale*

so i adapted this from my own PB2 Shrimp Pad Thai recipe, but i used chicken breasts and fettucine miracle noodles instead of kelp.

aaaand i added a yellow bell pepper along with the red.  everything else is the same.

ooooh these noodles are simply amazing and went PERFECT with this dish i tell you, perfect.  my relationship with kelp is officially OVER, thanks to my affair with miracle noodles. *chunks deuce*

eye-popping color and freshness goin' on up in that pot!

letting the flavors marry for the last few minutes...

and bam! plated up! no cashews....i used pistachios and it was an even exchange.  ok, the pistachios really was the last thing i altered, whoops.

yummay &  healthay.

i worked the leggies at the gym this morning! how do i get my calves to pop?  4 x 25 of calve raises in between leg press sets.

flexin' in btw squat sets.

afterwards, my Stank Tank and i had lunch in the Life Cafe that started out with some Snikiddy grilled cheese puffs.

we're fans of Snikiddy all natural snacks-  they sell the huuuuge bags in sams and costco, fyi.

i ordered half a cheese pizza with whole wheat crust 2% mozzarella for Chiso (yes more cheeeeese),

and a turkey avocado sammich on Udi's gluten-free whole grain bread for moi.  this was my first time having Udi's bread and i liked it cause it was thick and actually kinda sweet, like challah bread or even a coarse pound cake!  however, like Ezekiel, the slices are kinda small, and the price is kinda big. Natures Own and Sara Lee have the regular size bread and for less cals and price.

nevertheless, both halves were gone in about 2 minutes.

the weather was GORGEOUS, so we took to the courtyard for a little bit to play.  funny, i remember bringing Chi out here and all he could do was crawl and watch the other kids play and jump over him.  yeah, i had a moment.

 our next stop- Trader Joe's Houston numero TWO!!!! i took this pic from the car so i wouldn't seem like an, i don't know...TJ's stan?

 they said it was coming...and it's here.  crunchy cookie butter. *shakes first*

i walked down this aisle for f...o...r...e...v...e..r.  TJ's  literally has chocolate covered everything you can think of.  some of THE oddest combos just go together.

i didn't do too bad- walked away with only a handful of items i don't need, like these. cinnamon sugar (15 cals per tsp) and sugar chocolate coffee bean (calorie-free) 'sprinkles' or dust, or whatever you wanna call it.

first victim - PB2 topped whole wheat toast.

so...how are yours coming along?

  whether short-term or long, sow your seeds NOW and as often as possible, and knock'em out one by one.  happy to be sharing some of mine very soon!

le

breaky and biceps

i had a hot date with Sonny last night.  *whistles* Chiso came too though.  and it was only hot cause we were sweating at the gym.

i have a few of my leg workouts already posted, but it's high time for some upper body.  symmetry is a great thing!

what happens when we gym together? instant camera man, whoop, whoop.

so because i work at different gyms, i come across all sorts of different equipment, which is a great perk.  this particular gym uses Hoist machines- have you used them?? i LOOOOOVE them! especially this bicep machine.  i really feel the burn where i'm supposed to because the rocking motion mimics the natural movement of a standing bicep curl without involving my lower back. sweet.

that 'dynamically rocking technology' (the rocking motion that occurs during use):

• aligns and maintains joint position throughout the motion
• reduces shear-stress forces within joints by creating multiple segment movement
• provides small, yet appropriate proprioceptive challenges to the lumbopelvic hip complex (in layman's terms, that big hip joint)
• improves stability and provides greater muscle pre-stretch or loading to overload muscles

uh huh, yeah. all that.

biceps, triceps, & shoulder circuit:

Hoist machine bicep curls 12 R, 12 L, 12 together - 4 x 12

tricep dips with 25 lb lap plate - 4 x 12

*

dumbbell hammer curls 3 x 12

EZ bar skull crushers 3 x 12

dumbbell curls out to side 3 x 12

*

machine shoulder raises 4 x 12

shoulder shrugs 4 x 12

*

forward dumbbell raises 3 x 12

T (make a T with your arms/body, palms facing you) 3 x 12

Stability ball overhead presses 2 X 25

aaaaaaand collapse!! right there. on the floor :lol:

use a challenging weight.  'heavy' is a relative term! what is heavy for YOU?  once you really start to struggle and feel the burn around rep 8-10, that equates to heavy to me.

build those upper bodies...racerback season is upon us.

we tried out the Sara Lee 45 calories & delightful whole wheat w/ honey bread last night for our post workout snacks.  that's egg whites, red bell pepper, and honey mustard up in my sammie. great stats, and great bread.

45 cals, 0.5g fat, 9 carbs, and 3g protein per slice. nice.

before i hit legs this morning, i made some dark chocolate chip banana pancakes to go with our eggs.  i used the base of my banana recipe but added a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 packet of stevia granules, and even a few drops of chocolate stevia.  all drowned in WF pancake syrup....the only way to eat these babies.

Q: what's your favorite sammich bread?

le