Springing Springity Spring Sprang

Hi There

Happy Wednesday :)

The weather in New York is getting better and better.  We didn't have a real winter (not a problem) and spring is here early! Today is was so warm that all of the patios were full at all the restaurants near my apartment - loved it. 

I stopped by a local produce stand near my place and picked up some goodies. I grabbed 2 boxes of strawberries, 3 red peppers, an avocado, and a bag of romaine  for $7. 

I threw together a little platter for dinner with strawberries, avocado with hot sauce and red peppers to dip in the greatest hummus on earth.

Ridiculously garlicy

To keep my healthy lifestyle "balanced", I poured myself a hefty glass of wine. After a long day at work I absolutely needed this.

It felt good to have a totally raw dinner. I rarely find myself eating entirely raw meals but it definitely left me feeling fresh and healthy :) In an effort to get ready for bikini season, I need eat this type of meal more often!

Today was I crazy busy at work. I've started my new role and it is pretty intense. I really like what I'm doing BUT it is totally different than my previous role. Let's just say it's a steep learning curve and I could use a corporate jet pack to get to the top. I have a lot to learn about being in sales: being bold, aggressive and extroverted is not totally natural for me. Day by day!

How do you get through a steep learning curve? 

What are your favorite raw dinners?

For your Wednesday enjoyment, a photo of Eloise on my messy table.

New things!

Hi There!

I've been MIA lately - super busy at work with my new position and having lots of fun on the weekend :)

I thought I'd share a few great new things I've discovered lately (and 1 not so great item!)

1) Gardein Lightly Seasoned Chick'n Scallopini - This 5 pack is a great go-to when I need to throw together a quick lunch for work. Since they're not heavily seasoned, they taste good with pretty much any type of sauce + veggies. They cook up in about 5 minutes and keep me full through the afternoon. At 90 calories, these are a great addition to my Get Skinnier in 2012  plan. Check them out! 

 

2) Citarella Puttanesca Sauce (literally, "whore's style" spaghetti sauce source, teehee) - This rich tasting pasta sauce comes from my local Citarella grocery store. I love going in there; everything is so fresh and has a homemade feel. This sauce is made of whole tomatoes, black olives, canola oil, extra virgin olive oil, anchovies, fresh garlic, sea salt, fresh basil and spices. Puttanesca sauce is so good, I don't even mind that it's a bit sluttly.

3) Yogi tea -  I go through phases of drinking up to 6 cups of tea a day and phases where I drink zero. Yogi has a wide selection of interesting blends that I decided to try. I bought a cold prevention pack and a box of stress relief. Although some of them taste a little funky, I believe in the placebo effect of their claims. Even if they don't do what they say, at least I'm staying hydrated.  Before buying these, I had only ever tried their "Smooth Move" herbal *ahem* digestive tea while doing a cleanse. It works pretty well (teehee again)

 

Now for something I wasn't so thrilled about...

4) Marinated Coconut Curry Tempeh - Maybe I didn't cook these properly? Maybe I just don't like tempeh? Or maybe, or likely, they suck. They tasted terrible. Don't buy these. Just don't.

 

Have you tried any of these products? What about tempeh? Did you like it?

I went to pilates today and it was just as tough as I remembered. Tomorrow I'll either do some cardio or perhaps a bit of yoga. I have been getting into the groove of making exercise a priority. Having the vacation (and daunting idea of being seen in my bikini by coworkers....:S) has really made me stick to my promises to myself. I have been cutting carbs during the week and working out extra hard as often as possible. On the weekends, I still do what I want ie) drink beer / eat pizza / stay up late, but I think I'm making moves in the right direction!

Happy Monday!

Sometimes, BF makes me dinner

I'm a lucky girl - my boyfriend is a good cook. 

Last weekend he made me dinner and it was amazing. We had lots of chopped veggie, chilli tempura shrimp (I can kiss those goodbye from now on:S) and delicious baked salmon.

incredible chilli sauce from Whole Foods & some Pinot Grigio

Who was the last person to make you a meal? Who do you like to cook for?

Spring is in the air :)

Thanks so much for your 'kicking it into gear' tips - I really appreciate the advice :)

Although it's rainy & gloomy in New York today, I noticed something exciting on my way to the subway:

Flowers are coming!

Soul Cycle was just as I expected it to be - extra intense. I had a new instructor named Matt and he wasn't messing around. Needless to say, I'm a little sore today. Maybe a little yoga is in order this evening.

Whats the weather like where you are? Any other words of advice for my bikini body goals?