.:the new Fall fad - spaghetti squash:.

am i the only one who feels like spaghetti squash is everywhere right now, especially Pinterest?

well, i have officially hopped on the spaghetti squash train! i have always loved squash, specifically acorn squash served with butter, brown sugar and 'mallows, but spaghetti squash has intimidated me (and i NEVER thought drew would eat it). until now.

as i learned last night (and have been seeing on Pinterest), spaghetti squash is extremely versatile - whether, you want a low-carb substitute for your favorite pasta dish, create a fall favorite stir-fry or indulge in a new dessert.

fun facts about spaghetti squash:.

>> low calorie: 42 calories per cup of cooked spaghetti sqaush (compare that to a heavy 221 calories per cup of cooked pasta)
>> low carb: 10 grams of carbs per cup vs. 42 grams of carbs in pasta
>> nutrient-dense: beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin C, K and B-6
>> high water content - read this as "i get full sooner and not just by eating fast'
>> naturally gluten free
for more information on the benefits of spaghetti squash, visit livestrong.com

believe it or not, but spaghetti squash is just as easy to make as pasta (and as cheap too!) - there is only one extra step. i watched a youtube video and Google'd several times how to cook a spaghetti squash, so let me paraphrase what i found....

oven:. you can bake your spaghetti squash until it is soft, but it can be more time consuming. cut your squash in half (lengthwise) and scoop out the seeds/pulp. place the cut side down in a casserole dish or cake pan - whatever is big enough to lay them down FLAT. fill the bottom of the pan with at least 1/2 inch of water and bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. i'll be honest and say that i tried to do this, but i did not have a pan big enough to lay the halves flat and it did not work, so i resorted to the...

microwave:. again, cut the squash in half (lengthwise) and scoop out the seeds/pulp. in one half, fill the hollowed middle with 1/2 cup of water. place the other half on top - essentially putting the cut squash back together. place it in a dish that will support the squash while it turns in the microwave - i used a loaf pan. microwave at 5 minute increments until the outside is soft (use an oven mitt to test squish it). i had a large squash, but after having it in the oven for 30 mins, it still needed 10 minutes in the microwave to soften.

i used a 'spork'...i have no idea where it came from

shredding:. once your squash is soft and 'squishy'on the outside, pull out the stringy flesh with a fork - it will naturally come out like spaghetti (hence, SPAGHETTI squash). feel free to shred right down to the skin, it's all good!  since the squash is already cooked, you just need add it to your dish or top it off with sauce and you're done!

last night, i sauteed garlic, pine nuts, mushrooms, broccoli and tomatoes in coconut oil while the squash was cooking. i also browned lamb sausage with garlic and basil in a separate pan - mainly for drew because he can NOT have a meatless meal, but i also added it to mine, it had great flavor! once my squash was done cooking, i pulled it out with a fork and threw it in my big wok with the sauteed veggies. once mixed, i squeezed in 1 lemon, added a blob of butter and sprinkled in parmesan cheese to add more 'sauce'.

that's it - it was incredibly good (a new favorite), cheap and made 4 LARGE servings. to put it in context for you, we ate this after getting home from the gym (hangry mode) and we both have a tupperware FILLED for lunch.

i have another spaghetti squash sitting on my counter at home and while i LOVED this recipe, i am trying to decide something fun and different to do with it - maybe mac n' cheese? i plan to pick up a few more while they are in season!

please share any of your favorite spaghetti squash recipes - this rookie needs more ideas!

always striving for more,
dee b.

p.s. i apologize for not taking more pictures throughout the process - i was in a rush to eat, i was STARVING after the gym.

pumpkin goodness and goals:.

'tis the season, right?! for pumpkins, that is!  i am a big fan of pumpkin, but i can't go too overboard since drew doesn't help me eat ANYTHING pumpkin - it's just not his thing, yea, weirdo, i know! i have been anxiously waiting to have some free time to try these pumpkin muffins - my plans were pushed back even further when i realized the canned pumpkin in my cupboard was expired. i found this recipe thanks to Daily Garnish - a great blog that i found for recipes a couple years ago. most of the recipes posted on her blog are easy and all of them are healthy.

per usual, i adapted this recipe to better fit me (and my cupboard), but they turned out great and i am kicking myself for not making a double batch!

pumpkin pecan muffins:.

>> 1.5 cups of whole wheat flour (or flour of your choice)
>> 1 teaspoon baking soda
>> 1/2 teaspoon salt
>> 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
>> 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
>> 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
>> 1/4 teaspoon allspice
>> 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
>> 1/4 cup brown sugar
>> 2 whole eggs
>> 1 cup canned pumpkin (or however you get your pumpkin)
>> 1/2 cup maple syrup
>> 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
>> 1 teaspoon vanilla
>> 1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

preheat the oven to 350 degrees. start by mixing all of the dry ingredients from the flour to the sugar(do not add the chopped pecans, yet). in a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients from eggs to the vanilla. be sure that you are ready to mix in the melted coconut oil as soon as you take it out of the microwave - it hardens pretty quick! add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well mixed (obvi). add the pecans or walnuts. plop the mixture into your favorite muffin pan (or in my case, the cheapest muffin pan in the world). be sure to spray or grease the pan to make your life easier. bake for around 25 minutes - this may vary depending on the size of your muffins and oven.

that's it! the original recipe calls for walnuts, but i prefer pecans (they were also 1/2 the price of walnuts at Trader Joe's). the original recipe also calls for crystallized ginger - maybe someone can enlighten me, but i CANNOT find crystallized ginger. i have looked at Target and Trader Joe's before i decided it wasn't necessary - i know not very diligent, but i am not a big fan of ginger anyway.

i am slightly bummed that i wasn't able to taste these when they were fresh out of the oven - forgive me, i was very full from an awesome dinner of grilled teryaki chicken and sauteed, garlic-infused asparagus and green beans which was followed up with leftover cheesecake from date night at the Cheesecake Factory (wow). i promise that i did try these before i decided to post about them JUST to make sure they were as good as they sound (you're welcome) and let me know tell you, they are pretty darn good! they are filling, but not heavy like regular muffins. i may have to make this into a loaf of bread next time....

i haven't done or set any goals lately because, well, i haven't just haven't felt compelled. with the transition of seasons, i am feeling a little more motivated!

1. take care of my body:. i am obviously passionate about wellness and taking care of my body, but i need to take extra special care. i have been having back issues off and on for the past 2 months
along with an insane case of plantar faciitis. i resorted to buying a PVC pipe to roll out my IT bands at home, along with constant hip flexor stretches and breaking up my plantar fascia. glamorous
and sexy, i know, but if it is going to keep me on my yoga mat and in the weight room on a regular basis than i will ask drew to rub my feet with a butter knife every night - he truly loves me! :)

also, about this time last year, i was recovering from either my 3rd bout of strep or the stomach flu - remember this post? drew has already fired up our economy size humidifier, but i still need to be REALLY conscious of getting enough sleep, eating right, drinking fluids, the works - here is hoping for a much healthier hibernation season!

2. get myself on new budget - drew is REALLY good at budgeting and moving money. i used to be when i was at my old job, but i have let that slip. we have a big trip to Playa del Carmen this winter
for my brother's destination wedding (SO exciting!). we have the flights taken care of, but we are staying at an (expensive) all-inclusive. also, drew and i are staying a couple extra nights to have a mini-vacation. that is a main reason for getting back on a budget, but there are many other reasons (like, i still have an insane amount of student loans). for instance, every pay day morning, i pay ALL of my bills that are due during that period, put some in my savings and most likely, treat myself to a bottle of wine or something special. on monday, 2 short days after pay day, i wonder where my paycheck went and instantly start planning how i am going to make it through the next 11 days on scraps - getting KINDA tired of it.  to help jump start this whole budgeting thing, i just bought "Pocket Your Dollars" on my iPad. seems counterproductive to BUY a book on budgeting, right? well, from now until October 27th, the e-book is on sale at Amazon for $3.49. $3.49!!! i couldn't resist - plus, the author is local, from Mpls, so even better! i will let you know how this goes.....

3.  i may just be adding this to the list so i can immediately cross it off. i have been wanting to clean out our front hallway which stored all of our camping stuff, our bikes and our accumulation of "Goodwill" things. my girlfriend from college comes over every Monday to watch Teen Mom - do not judge - we have done it since we met our freshman year of college and it makes us feel better about our lives. anyway, for about the past 3 weeks, i had to warn her before she came over 'still haven't gotten around to cleaning up our front hall, good luck climbing over everything on your way in - i suggest stretching before!". drew and i tagteamed the hallway this weekend - i did my part while he played FIFA and he continued while i went yoga - we are so good at compromising. all of our camping stuff is in storage and the Goodwill bags are in my trunk (i promise i drop them off......tomorrow). doesn't it feel so good to get rid of 'junk'?!?!

4. give my blog some love - i would like to figure out how to categorize my posts (mainly, my recipes), so they are easier to find (mainly, for myself). i also have been working with drew on another cool feature - i don't want to give too much away, but it will help you put your own workouts together! i have had several people ask me to put a workout plan together for them - i'll be honest, i have a hard time putting my own workout routine together, but i'll see what i can do! and, i truly love talking about fitness or nutrition so here i just another avenue for it....

ok, that is all for now - geez, i don't post for a month and suddenly i think you want to read 'all about me'?!

i guess i will get back to work and check my ego on the way.....

always striving for more,
dee b.

.:overnight oats:.

after a long and much needed hiatus, i have decided that it was time to give my blog some love. while it was a nice break, i truly enjoy blogging and have missed it! i thought no one would really notice my absence, but since taking a break, i have had many people asking and wishing that i would update. thank you to those who appreciate my blog, i appreciate you!

how is it already the end of AUGUST?!?! summers in MN are short and much appreciated, but the emphasis on short creates almost a scrambling effect to fit in as much as possible before we hibernate for 6+ months. like past summers, drew and i have been BUSY - busy with family, friends, birthdays, soccer (him playing and me watching), weddings, house work, work and our new hobby, camping! more on all of that later, i wanted to write a (quick) post on a new healthy, staple for me that is incredibly easy for on the go!

mornings to me can mean a 6 am yoga class, biking to work or simply cherishing every minute of sleep that i can before facing the day. either way, i find myself running around the house trying to put myself and food together. while i am OK with going to work with wet hair or no makeup (although i try to avoid it), i refuse to compromise my food, especially breakfast! overnight oats have made my mornings easier, WAY easier. while this concept isn't new for many, it is to me, so i wanted to share the recipe for those who haven't seen the light!

overnight oats:
>> 2/3 cup coconut milk (or milk of your choice: almond, regular, etc)
>> 1/2 cup oats (i use Trader Joe's gluten free rolled oats)
>> 1/2 cup greek yogurt (i use a regular Chobani either vanilla or plain)
>> toppings: berries, cinnamon, pure maple syrup, raw honey

1. the night before, mix together all of the ingredients in a travel-friendly container - i use a short mason jar, very hipster (i'm told). if i know that i will have 5 minutes to spare in the morning, i may hold off on the toppings.
2. refrigerate the mixture overnight - they will be ready in 3 hours, but taste best overnight
3. throw it in your purse, work bag, gym bag and off you go!
                                
why overnight oats are so awesome -
>> they are versatile for your taste and you can even change it up so you don't get tired of the flavor
>> full of protein (hello greek yogurt - you can even hide some protein powder in there)
>> travel easy
>> oats are great for metabolism
>> it's filling! i LOVE breakfast and i love having a breakfast that keeps me full until lunch
>> you can make a few servings at once and have breakfast ready for several mornings!

i promise to give updates more frequently now that i think things are slowing down....

always striving for more,
dee b.

buffalo chicken quinoa:.

i'll be honest and let you all know that i saw this recipe on Pinterest - who doesn't get inspiration from Pinterest?

i seriously LOVE anything related to buffalo chicken, so i was excited when i came across this recipe. i changed up a few things to not only make it easier for me (we were trying to watch The Office at the same time......priorities) and i wanted to make sure that i used up some produce that was on the edge of going bad!

so, here is what Pinterest and i came up with.

>> 1 cup quinoa
>> 1 chicken breast
>> broccoli
>> shredded cabbage
>> shredded carrots (i just cut up carrots really thin - who buys shredded carrots?)
>> kale (i have to throw kale in everything....drew hates it)
>> 1/2 cup hot sauce - i used Frank's hot wing sauce because i put that sh!t on everything
>> 1/2 cup olive oil
>> blue cheese crumbles - i skipped this since i was on my last day of .;get balanced:. and also because i hate blue cheese.

cook the quinoa as you normally would (if you need help check this out). cook the chicken in a separate pan with a little bit of olive oil and in another pan or wok, start to cook all of your vegetables - you want them tender, yet still pretty firm because the sauce is going to make them even softer. while everything is cooking, whisk together the hot sauce, olive oil and a dash of salt. when the chicken is almost done cooking, cut it up into bite-size pieces, put it back in the pan with 1/4 of the hot sauce mixture - this will allow the chicken to soak up some of the hot sauce. once the chicken is completely done, the veggies are tender and the quinoa is cooked, combine all of it in either a big wok or bowl and add the rest of the hot sauce. stir until evenly mixed. top with blue cheese crumbles, if you're into that.

as with most of the recipes that i post, please feel free to mix things up - add different veggies, use more or less sauce, add more chicken, use beef or tofu, add ranch seasoning or dressing - literally whatever you think would be good with buffalo sauce (almost anything) would go well with this recipe.

let me know how you've decided to make it your own and as always, enjoy!


always striving for more,
dee b.

.: pomegranate salsa :.

i wanted to throw this quick post together for a few reasons:. 1. i truly feel bad for slacking on my blog lately, i just can't seem to find the brainpower to do this at the end of my days right now. 2. i have been a little out of control with posting Instagram pics of my food lately (see right) and i have had a lot of requests for the recipes 3. it is the middle of dead fricken winter - i don't know who doesn't need a little spring in their step and this recipe just may do it!

i got this GREAT recipe from drew's mom - she's an awesome lady and forwards me a lot of good recipes to try and this one was no exception!

pomegranate salsa:.

>> seeds from 2 pomegranates (i cheated and bought package of seeds, but feel free to seed your own!)
>> small onion chopped (i used about 1/4 of an onion)
>> 10-15 sprigs of Cilantro, finely chopped (surprise, i cheated and used about 8 tsp of the dried stuff)
>> finely, finely chopped hot peppers to taste (i used 2 serrano peppers without the seeds and that was plenty for me!
>> 2 Tbsp of honey
>> juice from 1-2 limes : i had a crazy juicy lime so 1 was plenty

>> salt to taste (extra for me!)

mix it all together and voila! salsa that is all sorts of fancy and 'churched up'. i have heard that this salsa is better once it sits over night - there is a lot of juice that needs to be absorbed, it is still SO yummy the same day!

you can serve this simply with tortilla chips, on top of bruschetta bread, with quinoa (seriously, what doesn't go with quinoa?) and i am going to bring it to work the next couple days on top of a bed of spinach. this isn't the type of salsa that i could hammer in one night, but who knows? play around with it!

****this calls for 4 asterisks and more!!!! serrano peppers are SUPER hot - i figured that out, not only when i had a coughing attack from inhaling the fumes, but also when i went to take out my contacts 3 hours later! i even researched it once i could see again - do yourself a favor and rub some olive oil onto your hands before and after cutting up the serrano peppers. the juice will literally stay with you for hours - i may not even attempt to put my contacts in tomorrow morning.

enjoy! let me know what you think and what else you serve this fun salsa with!

always striving for more,

dee b.

.: taco chili with quinoa :.

i had intentions to post this shortly after the fried rice quinoa recipe, but in all honesty, last week was FULL of celebrating drew's 27th birthday!!! between celebrating with his family and just us two, the week went by quickly, too quickly to get this sucker up!

this recipe is unbelievably easy and healthy (aside from using canned products versus fresh). i made it while drew and i were under the weather and we were feeling some soup - yea, it's that easy! i think i will definitely be making this again soon.

so, here we go:.

taco chili with quinoa:.

>> 1 lb ground beef or turkey (i used ground beef that was stocked in our freezer)

>> 1 can of tomatoes (diced, stewed, whatevs) - about 15 oz.

>> 2 cans of Rotel diced tomatoes with lime juice and cilantro (pictured below)

>> 1 package of taco seasoning

>> 1 package of hidden valley ranch dressing - the dry powder stuff

>> 1 can of pinto beans - about 15 oz.

>> 1 can of chili beans or black beans - whatever you prefer! - about 15 oz.

>> 1 can of whole kernel corn

>> 1 cup quinoa,  cooked

1. brown the meat - once brown, add the taco seasoning and hidden valley ranch dressing with about 1/4 cup water.

2. while the meat is browning, combine all the canned ingredients in a big pot - don't drain them first! i only drained the beans because the liquid they sit in freaks me out, but the rest of the juices are great for flavor!

3. once quinoa and meat are cooked, add them to the big pot.

4. let it simmer for about 15-30 minutes, stirring occasionally (really it just needs to heat and mix up, so you can skip this or let it simmer for longer depending on your time frame).

5. enjoy!!!

                 

that's it! seriously, so, so good! i ate it for dinner that night, lunch and dinner the next day and then lunch again the day after that!

side note** feel free to add or take away ingredients as you prefer. for instance, i left out a chopped onion, but added extra corn. also, i topped ours with cut up avocado, but sour cream is another option. this recipe is simple and pretty generic, so feel free to make your own!

always striving for more,

dee b.

p.s. aside from the whole new design and revamp (please let me know what you think, i am trying to make it more reader friendly, easier on the eyes, etc.), i am working on a new feature that i am SUPER excited about.....stay tuned!

.:happy humpday!:.

humpday is quite an exciting checkpoint for myself and my surrounding cube-mates. it's not only allows us to see the light of the weekend, but it also means payday is tomorrow and, let's be honest, humpday jokes break up the day as well.

i am proud to tell you all that i made it to the gym last night and worked out for an entire 1 1/2 hours burning over 700 calories. i have not worked out like (or felt this sore) in a long time.

my workout routine included:.
-30 min run on the treamill, starting out at 6.0 speed and increasing every 5 mins until i reached 7.8 speed. lucky for me, this was another run where my legs wanted to out run my heart regardless of the fact that i spent most of the time with a heart rate over 175 bpm. heart, i am sorry that i'm not sorry.
-weightlifting-i am hoping for this to become more methodical, so i can share some secrets with you until then, i just do basic squats, benchpress, incline dumbbell press and more squats....
-abs-my mf decided we should do the ab workout from p90x together. after about 2 sets, he got distracted by intramural soccer (soccer being his main love) that was going on. before we started he heeded a warning, do what you can, so i was glad to have only done 2 sets. :)
- we ended up playing in a game of intramural soccer, so i guess that counts as working out, right?

before working out, i tried out a recipe like i promised! i made eggocupcakes (egg cupcakes). the recipe is cheap and the procedure is simple:.

.:eggocakes:.
>approx 10 eggs
>approx 1 cup of milk
>salt or seasoning salt & pepper
>veggies:. peppers, mushrooms, whatever you like in your omelets
>cheese
>cupcake pan
>non-stick cooking spray

preheat oven to 375°. in a mixing bowl, create scrambled egg mixture with eggs, milk, and salt  & pepper. pour mixture into the cupcake pan (sprayed with the non-sticky stuff). cut up your choice of veggies and sprinkle them in with the cheese. bake for 30 mins. pop them out of the cupcake pan and refigerate. they're easy and healthy for breakfast on the run or quick post-workout protein. i made mine with almond milk and quinoa (for a little extra protein kick). now, this was my first time playing with quinoa, i am pretty sure i made it right, but i am going to have to play with it a little more before i know for sure. i soaked it in cold water for about 7 mins before draining it. i used 1 cup quinoa: 1 1/2 cup cold water, brought it to a boil and let it simmer for about 15 mins, essentially, until all the water was absorbed. next time, i may try this recipe with skim milk and skip the quinoa....

pictures of the recipe will be on later tonight (i can blog at my cubicle, but cannot upload pics)

anyway friends, i am off for a night of basketball practice and hopefully a few drinks to celebrate humpday (i'll be honest, a workout tonight is not in the forecast)

always striving for me,
dee b.

what is the point???

hello friends:.


here i am starting my first blog! i have followed various blogs, some religiously, some in passing, always wondering if i would ever be interesting enough to start my own blog. well, here's a leap into the unknown world of blogging with fingers crossed!


what is the point to this blog??? well, i guess i'm not sure, a little bit of this and a little bit of that! i am a recent college grad trying to find my way in this crazy game of the "real world" unsure of where i will end up. here is what i am sure of, i am a yogi, runner addict, cooking and baking extraordinaire (perhaps more of a wanna-be), germ-a-phobe, member service rep (what up ucare), basketball coach, 'that's what she said' joke expert, momma (to the naughtiest cat), coffee-phene, animal lover and recently added, blogger! along with many more and not necessarily in that order. :) 


i do hope to accomplish a few things with this 'virtual journal':. 

1. help keep in touch with friends, family and whoever has an interest in following events in my life
2. organize my thoughts, aspirations and maybe, a recipe or two. my brain is always working and as a result, i am always having a random thought or writing a 'to-do' list (which my boyfriend and friends can attest to). this seems to have become worse after finishing college as my brain doesn't quite know what to do with the extra energy!
3. to inspire and be inspired. my life has consisted of obstacles, triumphs and more obstacles. i hope my experiences may bring hope those who are facing adversity and in a selfish way, feed off my 'followers' in my moments of weakness. 
4. to decompress. although this time in my life is very fresh and exciting, it is also stressful. i am young and educated, poor yet happy, anxious yet laid back. 
5. last, but not least, to cherish the simple things that happen day to day. i have never been one to live in the present moment and here is my modest attempt to begin that today.

i am a big fan of goal setting. my motto=if you don't chase your dreams, who will? shout out to my mom for always reminding me of this in times of uncertainty and despair! by her stashing this quote on post-its around my room, bathroom and car, it has helped make me who i am today and even inspired me to get it inked along my side so i will never forget where i've been (i may post of pic of this tattoo, if you're lucky....). i'd like to share with you a few of my goals, some short term while others are long term (again, not necessarily in this order) and let you get a better feel of who i am:.

• **run the boston marathon-which means i must qualify, which means i must run another marathon, which means my knees have to cooperate for training (at the rightful age of 22, i have expensive knees that still suck, more on that later....i suppose)
• get up tomorrow morning at 6:15 and go for a run. 
• start practicing yoga at least 3 times/week 
• figure out what the heck i want to do with my life (career-wise), more on that later as well....i suppose. 
• clean my room
• be a good momma and tame my kitten somehow.....
• become a certified yoga instructor 
• volunteer 

i'd love to hear anyone and everyone's goals!

with the much needed prelude out of the way, i'd like to share my first recipe with you! after sitting in my cubicle all day long, i decided to take my night of no plans and cook with the acorn squash that my grandma gave to me fresh from her garden (thanks grandma!). after work, but before i got to cooking, i rushed to a yoga sculpt class at the local Corepower and got my butt kicked! not only was it HOT, but the speaker system was broken which made it harder to play music at the appropriate level. for any of you who have not taken a yoga sculpt class, that means LOUD! inevitably, i left the studio sweaty and full of gratitude for all my body still allows me to do even with bad knees (still not ready to talk about those). 

and the cooking began.....here is what i started with....

....and this is what i ended up with, acorn squash bisque! although the process to achieve these results may seem daunting, it was extremely easy and included ingredients that almost every kitchen has! another bonus, it's healthy for you! thank you everydayhealth.com for this recipe ---->http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-recipe/acorn-squash-bisque.aspx 

this bisque is very savory and sweet, but does include onions. i enjoy onions, but in moderation, so maybe next time i'll try it without onions and more brown sugar and/or cinnamon!

well friends, to avoid turning this first blog into a novel and setting the bar too high for future blogs, all this must come to end for the evening. i am off to attempt 2 of my goals, cleaning my room and getting up before work to run (which means bedtime must be soon), thank you for starting this journey with me, i will be back for more!

always striving for more, 

the 'dee' list