Happy New Years Eve!

Can you believe it is almost 2011?? I just go used to writing 2010. I love the start of the New Year and the opportunity it gives you to start fresh. In the past, I have been guilty of making hollow New Years Resolutions like, "lose weight." "get toned (what does that really mean anyway)," "eat healthier." etc. etc. But not this year! I have really been spending some quality brain storming time on this years resolutions, and how I am actually going to achieve them.

This year, I am going to use the S.M.A.R.T method of goal setting (or New Years Resolution making in this case) for all of my resolutions. No more vague, half hearted resolutions for me! I am still fine tuning my resolutions and game plane on achieving them, so that will be included in my next post. But for today, let's talk about how to set S.M.A.R.T goals for 2011.



Specific

Setting specific goals is crucial. Sure, we all want to "lose weight," but technically you could lose one pound and achieve that goal. Setting specific goals gives you direction, and something more concrete to strive for. Try to make sue all of your goals answer these three questions:

1. What specifically are you going to accomplish? (lose 10 lbs, run a 1/2 marathon in under 2 hours, bench press 150lbs)
2. Why is this important? (lower your blood pressure, reduce your risk of diabetes, place higher in your next race, bench more than your older brother)
3. How are you going to do this? (work out 5 days a week, follow a structured training plan)

Measurable

Having measurable goals means ensuring that you can check in on your progress from time to time.
The largest fallback of unspecific goals is that they are hard to measure. And when you can't track a vague goal, you can't see how close or you are to sweet success. This eventually leads to frustration, boredom, and, ultimately, failure. As soon as you've set a specific goal, map out some testing points. If your goal is to run a faster 10K, do a trial run every few weeks. If you want to lose 20 pounds in 6 months, record your body weight at regular intervals to track your progress and adjust your plan as necessary. Being measurable is an extension of being specific. If your goal is not specific, how can you possibly know if you're any closer to attaining it?


Achievable

Now we have specific goals that we can measure, but that still doesn't do us any good if we set goals we can't actually reach. For example, I know I will never run a 1/2 marathon in under 1:30, so making that one of my goals for 2011 is just setting myself up for failure. Creating attainable but still challenging goals will ensure success and ensure you feel successful as well. Setting too tough of a goal will make you feel like a failure, however setting a really easy goal will leave you feeling empty.

"The point of an attainable goal is that it challenges you, makes you commit to it, and produces an overwhelming feeling of success when it's accomplished that you take the new found confidence with you wherever you go - to the bar, to work, to the corner store where you'll run into that hot neighbour two months from now." -Neil Tate

Realistic

This kind of goes along with the achievable principle. Sure, I would love to be a runway model, but the fact that I stopped growing at 5 foot 6 inches, and look more like a linebacker than a ballerina means that it's never going to happen. Even if I could somehow look like a supermodel, do I really want to give up almond butter and wedding cake for the rest of my life? NO I don't! When you are setting goals, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Am I actually capable of achieving this goal?
2. Do I have the necessary skills to do so?
3. Do I really want to do this? (i.e compete in a fitness competition if it means you can never have cake?)

Timely
Just because something is a New Years Resolution, doesn't mean you have to give yourself all year to accomplish it. By limiting the time you have to accomplish a goal you have a fixed timetable to work within and the sense of urgency that will keep you on track and drive you to work harder. I think this is one of the most important principles. If you don't give yourself a deadline, you can always "work out later," or "eat better tomorrow." If there is no end date, how do you know if you ever achieved your goal?

Another important aspect in goal setting, is mapping out a plan for how you are going to achieve it. For each of my New Years Resolutions, I am going to write out three steps I am going to take to accomplish my goal.

For example, if one of your goals is to lose 10 lbs by May (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely), your 3 steps could be:

1. Attend a cardio class 3 times a week.
2. Strength train on my own 2 times a week.
4. Pack my lunch the night before so I have a healthy lunch to take with me to work.
Now you have laid out exactly how you are going to achieve your goal. I know it might sound silly to think that hard about a New Years Resolution, but why set one at all if you don't put the necessary thought behind it?

Have you liked Fun, Fit and Fabulous on Facebook yet? Stay up-to-date on all of the new things going on here in 2011!

Questions of the day
Have you thought about your New Years Resolutions yet?
Do you usually write them down?

In health,

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Happy Thursday!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day so far! I apologize for the late post. I usually prepare posts the night before, but was unable to yesterday due to a very obnoxious headache. I would like to think I have a decent pain threshold, but when it comes to headaches all bets are off. I turn into a baby, and most of the time I convince myself I'm going to die at any moment. Anyways, this is why I am just now getting around to posting.

Before my headache took over my day yesterday, I attended my first Bikram Yoga class ever. Most of you know, that I have done quite a bit of "hot yoga" in the past, but Bikram Yoga is a whole new world. I was so excited when I found a Bikram studio just 15 minutes from my house, and even more excited when I found out they offered a one month trial offer for just $40. Being the adventurous person that I am (well sometimes), I decided to sign up. I grabbed my yoga mat, water bottle, and towel, and I was off to class. I had heard a lot of positive things about Bikram yoga, so I was super excited to try it out. Since I practice yoga almost every day, and have attended quite a few hot yoga classes, I really wasn't too nervous. How much worse can 104 degrees and 75% humidity feel than 96 degrees and 60% humidity? Apparently, a lot worse!!!!

I walked into the room, and was like "whoa what have I gotten myself into?" But of course, I was not about to turn around and walk out before we even got started. Did I mention all Bikram Yoga classes are 90 minutes? So class started, and I slowly started to turn from my normal shade of pasty to a not so pretty shade of crimson! I really don't think I have ever worked so hard, been so hot, or sweat so much in my entire life! It was the butt kicking of a lifetime, and overall I really enjoyed it (minus the dehydration headache that followed). I plan on going back in the next few days and hopefully my body will handle it a little better the second time.

This brings me to the topic of today's "Try This Thursday." Although we might not all have access to a yoga studio (or want to sweat our brains out in Bikram), you can still do yoga in your very own home. There are a lot of days that I don't attend a full yoga class, so I turn my guest bedroom into my own little yoga studio. A lot of people are unsure how to do yoga on their own without the instruction of a teacher, but not to worry it's really quite easy! A great place to start is with the sun salutation.

This 8 posture sequence is a great way to start your own personal practice. The Sun Salutation is traditionally practiced in the morning to greet a new day. Start by performing 2-3 sets and work your way up to 8 or more. The Sun Salutation strengthens your entire body and improves flexibility in your hips, hamstrings, shoulders and back.



1. To begin, stand in Mountain Pose. Distribute your weight evenly over both feet.


2. Next, inhale and stretch your arms out to the side and overhead into Upward Hand Pose.

3. As you exhale, hollow out your belly and fold into Standing Forward Fold, connecting down into the earth. Keep your legs firmly engaged.

4. Inhale and lengthen your spine forward into Flat Back. In this pose, the gaze is lifted, the spine is extended, and the fingertips can stay on the floor or rise to the shins.

5. Exhale and step your right foot back into a low lunge, then bring your left foot to meet your right coming into a Plank. Your wrists should be flat on the floor, shoulder-distance apart, and your feet should be at hip distance. Take a full breath in as you lengthen through your spine.

6. Exhale and lower into Chaturanga (crocodile), keeping your legs straight and pushing back into your heels or bringing your knees to the floor. Your hands and toes (or knees) should be the only body parts touching the floor.

7. Inhale and lift your chest forward into Upward Facing Dog (or cobra). Pull your shoulders back and open your collarbones. Engage your legs lifting your quadriceps off the mat, but relax your gluteal muscles. The tops of your feet should be in contact with the mat.

8. Exhale and roll over the toes (or flip them one at a time), coming into Donward Facing Dog. Think about reaching your heels toward the floor and your chest towards your quadriceps. Allow your head to hang in-between your arms, feeling the strength in your shoulders. You should look like an upside down V.

9. Inhale and step your right foot in-between your hands and then bring your left foot to meet your right, returning to Standing Forward Fold.

11. Inhale, reaching your arms out wide to your sides and coming to stand through a flat back. Feel a renewed sense of energy as you draw your arms overhead into Upward Hand Pose.

12. Exhale and return to Prayer Position. Repeat the entire series on your left side. Right and Left together equal one set.

If you're more of a visual learner, check out this great video from YogaJournal.com!



The Sun Salutation is also a great workout when you are crunched for time or don't have a lot of room to work with. Trust me, after about 5 sets your shoulders and core will be talking!

Questions of the day:
Do you ever do yoga on your own?
Have you ever tried Bikram Yoga? What did you think?

In health,

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Good Morning!

How is everyone's morning going so far? Good, I hope! Since I don't have to go back to work until Monday, I wanted to use my extra free time to try out some new recipes! I am always rushing home and trying to cook dinner in a hurry, so a lot of times I just settle for my go to recipes. But not this week! The first recipe I wanted to try was Pasta Roll-Ups. I found this recipe at Cleaneating.com and changed a few things to add more veggies to my rolls and more meat to Eric's. :) The recipe below is for the veggie rolls, but to make them with ground beef simply substitute the meat for the veggie mixture.

Veggie Pasta Roll-Ups (makes 8 roll-ups)

Ingredients:
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
8 sheets dried high-protein or whole-wheat lasagna
1 large yellow squash
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 15-oz container non-fat ricotta cheese
1 egg
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. In a medium size sauce pan, stir together diced tomatoes, garlic powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.   Turn on to medium-high heat, and allow to simmer covered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Heat olive oil in a skillet, and saute squash and mushrooms until slightly tender. I added an extra little dash of garlic here too. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain, rinse, and allow to cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Squeeze all remaining moisture from thawed spinach and place in large bowl. Add ricotta cheese, egg and a 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese to bowl. Stir until combined.
5. Spread 1 cup of cooked tomato sauce into bottom of a 9" x 10" casserole dish.


6. Lay a cooked lasagna noodle flat in front of you. Use your fingers to spread 1/8 of ricotta mixture across the noodle. Then place 1/8 of the veggie mixture on top of the ricotta mixture and roll up. Place the rolled pasta seam side down, into the casserole dish. Repeat with remaining noodles. (the second picture features Eric's roll-ups)
7. Pour remaining tomato sauce over roll-ups.
8. Cover with foil and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover, and top with the rest of the mozzarella. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
9. Enjoy!

This recipe is fairly easy and very delicious. I promise it will not disappoint. It is a great alternative to traditional lasagna, which can take forever to cook!
Don't forget to "Like" Fun, Fit and Fabulous on Facebook so you can stay up-to-date on everything happening in the world of health, fitness, and healthy eating!

Questions of the day:
What is your go to recipe when you need a quick meal?
Would you say you are adventurous in the kitchen?
 In health,
 

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Hello everyone!

I hope everyone had a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays! I love this time of the year, you know the time in between Christmas and New Year. You have the left over glow of Christmas and the excitement of the New Year to look forward to. This is when I start to brainstorm about what my New Years resolutions will be. I will save New Years resolutions for another post.

Eric and I returned home to Dallas last night, and I wanted to get back into the swing of working out right away. I ran on Friday and Sunday, but took Saturday and Monday completely off (I was getting pretty antsy). I woke up this morning at 9:30am (this is like crazy late for me) and got all dressed in warm clothes to go for a run outside. I put on my shoes, grabbed my heart rate monitor and gloves, and headed out the door only to find that it was raining. Since I was dressed to face the Arctic, I had to go back in the house and change into treadmill clothes. I pounded out 4 miles before I just couldn't take the treadmill any longer.

After a nice warm bowl of oatmeal with blueberries and peanut butter, Eric and I headed to the gym to hit the weights! I did a circuit style workout alternating upper and lower body muscle groups using super sets. Here's what it looked like: (if you are unsure about what a particular exercise looks like, just click on the name)


Warm up: 1 mile run on the treadmill (I felt like I just got off one of these)

Leg press machine
Lat pulldown machine

Seated hamstring curl machine (I prefer the prone hamstring curl machine, but it was occupied)
Chest fly machine

Seated leg extension machine
Assisted pull up machine (I did 3 sets of 8 instead of 12)


Assisted triceps dip machine (I did 3 sets of 10)
Alternating reverse lunges holding a 10 pound medicine ball

Dumbbell bicep curls
Plank with forearms on a stability ball

Overhead shoulder press
Crunches on the stability ball (15)

Skull crushers on the stability ball
Plank with ankles on the stability ball

I performed 3 sets of 12 reps for each exercise (minus the ones noted above) alternating between the two moves. This type of workout keeps your heart rate up the entire time by limiting the recovery time between each exercise. Remember, anytime you life weights you want to use heavy enough weights that you can barely complete your last rep. This entire workout took me about an hour  including the warm up! I like total body workouts that are as efficient as possible!

Questions of the day:
How was your Christmas?
Do you prefer total body workouts, or muscle group specific workouts? For example splitting upper and lower body over two days.
Have you started brain storming about your New Years resolution?

In health,

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season so far!! Yesterday, was busy busy getting ready for all of the celebrations. I started out the morning with a quick run and weights session. I needed a good sweat so I could keep my sanity. After a quick shower and some oatmeal, it was time to fire up the oven!

I started with the Oreo balls. Double Stuffed Oreos + butter (I did at least use Smart Balance) + chocolate candy coating = Heaven for Eric, the cousins and my brothers!


I had a little left over chocolate, so I got creative. Eric loves the Edible Arrangements chocolate covered bananas, and I just happened to have one left over from the banana bread! He also thought it would be a good idea to dip whole Oreos straight into the chocolate. When is more chocolate ever a bad thing??


All of the chocolate goodies went into this super cute tin I found at Target for only $4.00. What a deal!

After the chocolate was all cleaned up, it was time to make another batch of banana bread to take home to the family!


After all of my baking, and a little bit of taste testing, I was ready for a lunch full of veggies to balance me out! I made a yummy veggie wrap that included hummus, mushrooms, spinach, avocados, and low-fat feta with a side of green apple!


I will be MIA until Monday since I will be in College Station with the family! I hope everyone has a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays!!

In health,

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Happy Day Before Christmas Eve!

I can't believe Christmas is just 2 days away! I am so ready so celebrate Jesus' birthday, and spend time with my wonderful family! I wrapped my last present last night, and they are all waiting under the tree until it is time to pack them up and head out!

Yesterday, was nice and relaxing. I went for a quick run in the morning, and then taught yoga at 12:15pm. Unfortunately, I was back inside on the treadmill due to the cold! In the afternoon, I turned into a wrapping machine! My fingers might be sore tomorrow. :) I also went to the grocery store to get ready for all of the baking I have planned for tomorrow. Banana Oat Bread and chocolate Oreo balls are both on the to-do list!

Since most of us will be traveling for Christmas, I thought I would share some of my favorite moves that require no equipment at all. These are easy to do in the guest bedroom, your family's living room, or outside (hopefully post run or walk with the fam). I am not some crazy workout Nazi, so if you take the day (or a couple of days) off just to relax and spend time with the family, I think that is great! But if you are itching to get in a quick workout, here are some new moves you can try!

Charlie's Angel


Stand with feet hip-width apart, elbows bent so that hands are in front of chest, palms pressed together, as in prayer pose. Keeping shoulders squared, lunge diagonally forward with right leg, crossing it to the outside of left leg, bending both knees 90 degrees. As you lunge, extend arms in front of you at shoulder level, palms pressed together, then rotate torso and arms as far right as you can while keeping hips squared. Return to start. MAKE IT HARDER: Do walking curtsies, lunging right leg diagonally in front of left, then sweeping left leg out to side and lunging it diagonally in front of right. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat. [source] This exercise works your core, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps. This is a great choice if you are short on time, but want to hit multiple muscle groups!

Tadpole to Frog


Ballet Bridge


Ballet dancers are known for having incredibly strong, lean legs. This ballet exercise targets the inner thighs, back of the legs, core and butt to help anyone get a ballerina's lower body. How to do it: Lie on your back with your stomach pulled in, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Straighten your right leg, toes pointed up toward the ceiling. Keep your stomach pulled in tight as you lift your hips off the floor, trying to keep your knees together. Lower your hips until you're not quite touching the floor and then lift again. Complete 30 reps with one leg and then repeat on the other side. [source] To make this move harder, come up on your toe (like you see in the picture).

Chaturanga
Start in a Plank, then keep abs tight and bend elbows to lower entire body toward floor as far as you can without rounding shoulders forward, lifting butt up or letting hips sag. Lower all the way to floor, then push back to Downward-Facing Dog, walk feet forward, bend knees and roll up to Mountain Pose. Repeat the sequence. [source] Chaturanga is an amazing arm and core workout! If you complete this series 5+ times you will know you are working hard!

Perfect Posture Slide


Lie face down with arms extended overhead, elbows slightly bent, and a towel under each palm. Contract abs and slowly lift chest off floor while sliding hands in a circular motion out and down toward shoulders, bringing elbows next to rib cage and hands just in front of chest. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then reverse motion back to start to complete 1 rep. [source] Start with 15 reps and then work your way up from there.

I hope you have fun trying out these new moves! Still worried about the effects of grandmas pumpkin pie? Check out this article: Burn off Those Holiday Splurges.

We are beginning our travels tomorrow, so I'm not sure when my next post will be. I hope everyone has a Happy, Healthy, and Relaxing Holiday!!

Merry Christmas!

Lauren G.

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Happy Hump Day Y'all! :)

I hope you is having a fabulous morning! How was everyone's Tuesday? Mine was pretty uneventful, but fabulous non-the-less. I started out the morning with a run OUTSIDE, it was perfect running weather. I did 5 miles and didn't want to stop, but I had to get ready for work. After my run, I refueled with this yummy creation.  I call it a Black Monster. I know it looks a little iffy, but I promise it was delicious! The black color is due to the mixture of blueberries and spinach. The smoothie also contained 1/2 a frozen banana, a couple of ice cubes, and about 1/2 cup of light silk. I had some scrambled egg whites as well.....Yummmy!

I taught a yoga class at 11:30am, did a little work in the office, and then taught a cycle class at 5:15pm. I haven't taught a cycle class in a few months so it was fun to get back on the bike, but my butt doesn't like me too much right now. :) After cycle, I finished up the last of my Christmas Shopping - I think! How is your shopping going?

My run this morning felt amazing! It was one of those runs you live for as a runner. My legs felt light, I had plenty of energy, and the weather was perfect. Unfortunately, not all runs are this good. For example, on Monday I drug myself to the treadmill determined to do 5 miles and felt dead tired after 3! I pushed through until the end, but it was rough. Some days are just better than others, but with a little tweaking we can get the most out of every workout by following these simple tips from Runners World.

GET UP ANY HILL: As you approach an incline, shorten your stride while maintaining the same cadence. Small, quick steps will help reduce the effort. This really makes a big difference, especially during a race as it helps you conserve energy!

FINISH EVERY LONG RUN: Run two minutes per mile slower than your normal easy-run pace. Start with a ratio of three minutes running/one minute walking (or a slower jog). If necessary, drop down to a 1:1 ratio. The important thing, is to keep going so your body starts to build endurance.

BEAT FATIGUE: Low blood sugar can result in an overall feeling of fatigue. Consuming an energy bar and a caffeinated beverage 30 minutes prior to running may stoke your energy. If you're going longer, it's normal to experience some tiredness. Slow the pace and walk more. If I am running more than 6 miles I will eat a small granola bar or banana pre-run to fuel my workout. I usually only consume caffeine right before a run if it's a race, but a lot of people like the extra boost it provides. Make sure you test out how your body reacts to caffeine before you down a caffeinated shot blok mid race.

I hope you have a marvelous day!!

Food for thought:
Are you completely finished with your Christmas shopping?
What tricks do you use to get through a tough workout or run?

In health,

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Howdy!

How was everyone's Monday? Mine was pretty packed but fun. In the AM, I taught a water aerobics class and then rekindled my love affair with the StairMaster. Between all of my cardio classes and training for the 1/2 marathon, I haven't spent very much time with my old love lately. I seriously used to live on this thing! After about 5 minutes, I remembered why I loved it so much...... It is a KILLER workout! When your buns are on fire, you drink an entire water bottle in 30 minutes and you have sweat dripping from your chin, you know you are working hard! After I toasted my buns out on the StairMaster, it was time to teach some yoga! I absolutely love my noon yoga class!

I was glancing through Women's Health today, and came across two interesting statistics I had to share!

1) Exercise Trumps DNA- If your mom is overweight, your own figures isn't doomed. A study in PLoS Medicine found that doing any amount of exercise is linked to a 40% reduction in the genetic risk of being overweight- and people with the most obesity-related DNA sequences saw the biggest benefits from exercises. So no more blaming our DNA!

2) Dieters lost an average of 12 pounds over two years when they got 580 milligrams of calcium from dairy products (the amount in just two cups of milk) every day. If you are lactose intolerant, there are plenty of other places you can find calcium, such as almonds, broccoli, soy milk, figs, leafy green vegetables, and soy beans.

Yesterday, I told you I did a trial run with a new low-fat banana oat bread recipe compliments of The Healthy Apron. I changed around a few things from Erin's original recipe. I was super excited about the results! I made mini loaves and put chocolate chips in 2 of them, although I have to say both Eric and I preferred the bread without the chocolate. I know, can you believe Eric chose the non-chocolate option? Sometimes, something as good as banana bread just doesn't need chocolate!


Ingredients:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup Splenda Blend brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 cup uncooked Old Fashion Oats
3 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce (or canola oil if you don't want a slight apple flavor)
4 medium overripe bananas
1 egg
2 egg whites, beaten
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, optional (I opted out of these, because the hubby isn't a nut fan)
1/3 cup chocolate chips, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease one large loaf pan or 4 mini pans.
2. Combine all dry ingredients, including the oats and cinnamon (hold off on the nuts and chocolate chips).
3. Mash bananas in a separate bowl and add in the whole egg and the applesauce or oil. Mix thoroughly.
4. Mix together wet and dry ingredients.
5. With a hand mixer, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the mixture in three parts.
6. Add in the chocolate chips and/or walnuts.
7. Pour in the loaf pan and cook for 45-50 minutes. If you are using the smaller pans, start with 30 minutes and then use the tooth pick test to see if they are done.
8. Allow 5 minutes to cool, and then remove from the pan.

It's delicious with a little bit of peanut butter mousse (peanut butter + Greek yogurt) on top as well! This bread is perfect to take with you to Christmas parties or family celebrations because it is delicious, healthy and super portable!

Don't forget to LIKE the new Fun, Fit and Fabulous Facebook page so you can stay up to date on all of the new things happening on the blog and in the world of health and fitness!

Food for thought:
What is your favorite piece of cardio or gym equipment?
Are you baking up anything special for Christmas?

In health,

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Happy Monday Before Christmas!!

Yay for a short week!! How was everyone's weekend? Fabulous, I hope! My weekend was jam packed with fun, and quite a bit of work as well, but we will just talk about the fun stuff.

On Friday, Eric surprised me and took me out to see the most amazing Christmas lights ever! The neighborhood is called Deerfield, and literally every other house was decked out in Christmas lights. One house had the lights synched up to Christmas music. It was absolutely beautiful. I took some video, so hopefully I can figure out how to upload it to the blog. Here are some samples of a few of the houses we saw. Please pardon the picture quality, I had to take them on my iPhone.

If you look closely, you can see that the characters in the windows are made out of balloons. I had to do a double take when I first saw them. How creative and cute!

On Saturday, I went for a run in the morning (more like I went to the treadmill for a run, but oh well). Then, Eric and I ran a few errands before heading to the A&M vs. Arkansas basketball game. The game was in the American Airlines Center, and we had a blast! However, I was once again reminded that you can forget about finding anything healthy to eat at most sporting events. :(

After the game, we went to dinner in Uptown at a restaurant called State & Allen. I had the most delicious Portobello mushroom and avocado sandwich on whole wheat bread. It was mmmm mmmm good. The Portobello mushroom was so juicy, I didn't even need to use the red pepper pesto sauce that came on the side. All growing up, I hated mushrooms, but now I can't get enough of them. I think my taste buds must be maturing. ;)


I have to admit, after dinner I quickly morphed into an 80 year old lady and passed out on the couch at 9:00pm while the hubby was watching a bowl game.

On Sunday morning, I had to get up and do some stuff for work, but then we got to go to lunch with Eric's brother, his wife, her sister and her mom who came in for the day. They live pretty far away, so it's always good to get so see them.

Sunday evening, I was a cooking/baking machine. For dinner, I had a tuna steak and a gigantic sweet potato. I definitely couldn't finish it all.

I also made goodies for Eric and I to take to work. Since everyone is itching to go home for the holidays, treats are always a good thing to help the time pass. I made chocolate chip funfetti cake batter cookies, cinnamon cake batter cookies, and low-fat banana oat bread. The first two items definitely fall under the fabulous category, while the banana bread is actually pretty healthy. Eric won't take things with the word low-fat with him to work, so cookies it was for his crew.


I found a banana bread recipe the other day on The Healthy Apron that looked absolutely delicious. Erin's recipes are always yummy. I wanted to modify the recipe a bit, so I decided to give it a test run tonight before I brought it home for Christmas! I'm no Master Chef after all. If all goes well, I will have the banana bread recipe for you tomorrow! :)

Food for thought:
Do you think your taste buds can really "mature" or change as you age?
What is your favorite holiday baked good?
Are you a cookie, cake, brownie, pie or bread person? I would have to say I am a pie or bread person.

In health,

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