one day at a time...

each day is a new day to recommit to our goals and a chance to eat healthy and get a good work out in.  and of course do it all with a smile and remember all that we are grateful for.

valentines day weekend...

i feel like we have had a weekend long celebration of valentines day.  neither of us are big on gift giving, and i told jarad that all i really wanted to do was take a walk by the beach in the evening since we have been experiencing such beautiful sunsets lately.  our valentine's day started early on friday when jarad and i got lunch at a great sandwich spot and took it to the beach to enjoy. 

the weather was warm and the sky was so blue, and we sat in the back of his truck and enjoyed our lunch.  it was perfect and that alone would have been the perfect valentines day celebration.  but the rest of the weekend was just as good.

saturday we had a family dinner at my parents house to celebrate my grandfathers birthday.  since this was actually valentines day we made it extra special.  i made some yummy appetizers and my mom made an awesome steak, smashed potato and ceasar salad dinner.  then for dessert i made my grandfathers favorite, flan and of course valentines day couldn't be complete without chocolate covered strawberries.  the dogs played, we enjoyed dinner and finished off the night with card games.  and jarad was so sweet to get flowers for my grandmother and mom (i helped arrange them and decorate the vase).

and it was a perfect lazy sunday and we ended this amazing weekend with a walk on the strand to catch the sunset and ran into our best friends who had the same idea, followed by a delicious home made dinner.

true love...

wishing you a happy valentine's day that is full of love, laughter and fun!  let those you care about know how much they are loved and appreciated.

and for the lovers celebrating today...may you never recover and stay madly in love.

high protein snacks...

i am a lover of all things carbs, but unfortunately my body doesn't feel the same way.  i have learned that foods high in protein keep me fuller longer and are what my body needs and craves.  i am always on the hunt for a good high protein snack or breakfast option. i have been eating "quest bars" on and off for the last year and a half, but lately they have been my favorite quick and portable breakfast. 

i've tasted a lot of power bars and i think these are best, and they have a lot of good things going for them:

~20 grams of protein
~160-190 calories a bar (depending on flavor)
~gluten free
~2 grams of sugar
~high in fiber (about 17 grams per bar)

they have a ton of flavors to choose from, but my favorite ones so far are the "cookies and cream" and the "white chocolate raspberry."  if you buy them individually at the gym or convenience store they will run you upwards of $3.00 a bar, but i find that the best deal is on vitacost.com and it is $25.00 for a box of 12. 

 and for a high protein snack under 100 calories during the day, my favorite options are beef jerky (krave brand, which is also available on vitacost.com for a good price) and cottage cheese, both 90 calories per serving.

recommit to your goals...

marinade...

just because you are eating clean doesn't mean your food has to be boring and bland. we always have plenty of frozen chicken and fresh veggies on hand for easy and quick week night dinners. i like to get the frozen chicken tenderloins from trader joes, they are all white meat and defrost and cook up quickly. if possible, i try to defrost and marinate my chicken in the morning (or even the night before) so that it has great flavor. marinades that you buy in the store have a lot of extra sugar, but you can make a really great one with pantry ingredients, here is my new fav.

1 T lemon olive oil
2-3 T worcestershire sauce
1 T whole grain mustard
1 t crushed garlic
3 t of your favorite poultry seasoning (i am using "sunny paris" from penzy's spice shop)
pepper to taste

**this marinade could also be used on pork, fish or steak, although i would probably substitute regular olive oil instead of meyer lemon olive oil**

this sums up my feelings today...