Embarrassed...

Wow...I cannot believe that my last post was 1 month ago today. That is slightly embarrassing. I have been so busy since I got back from Canada. Christmas baking has been going full force since the start of December, so the gym is more important than ever for maintaining that waist line. I went after work today and did a light legs and back workout. Tomorrow, I plan on doing 30-45 minutes of cardio and abs.

For now, I will leave off with a nice recipe for quick, easy, healthy french toast.

Berry French Toast:
1 cup berries (I like blueberries)
1 egg
1 slice whole wheat bread
1 tablespoon almond butter
dash cinnamon and nutmeg

-In shallow bowl, whisk egg with cinnamon and nutmeg. Soak bread in egg mixture.
-Meanwhile, heat frying pan over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add bread to pan and pour remaining egg mixture over the bread. Cook till golden brown on both sides.
-Transfer toast to plate and top with almond butter and berries.

This is my go to breakfast when I have time in the morning to make it. It is such a good start to the morning and keeps me going till lunch!

Block Party

The Pepper Place Block Party was fantastic. All the shops in the Pepper Place district of Birmingham stay open late for one night during the holidays. They shops provide complimentary beverages and appetizers, and several have discounts on merchandise for the night! My favorite shop was a little place called Interiors at Pepper Place. The atmosphere was so warm and inviting. We sipped wine and wondered around the store admiring all the wonderful items for sale. They even had a man singing Frank Sinatra songs! We had to get our picture taken with him.

We had a wonderful time. I will definitely be attending this next year.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Sounds weird huh...butternut squash mac and cheese. That is what I first thought when I saw the recipe in Cooking Light magazine. There was something about it that intrigued me and my roommate though, so we made it about a month ago! Today when I was desperately craving some mac and cheese, I knew just what to make.

I added some broccoli to it to kick up my veggie intake for the day. It definitely hit the spot. For those out there who are wanting to live on the wild side and test this out...here is the recipe:

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese:

3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 [1-pound] squash)

1 1/4 cups fat free chicken broth

1 1/2 cups fat free milk

2 garlic cloves

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp fat free Greek yogurt

1 1/4 cups shredded Gruyere cheese

1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese

1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

1 pound uncooked pasta (I used whole wheat shells)

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tbsp chopped parsley

cooking spray

**I also add 1-2 tsp of ground mustard to mac and cheese. I think it enhances the flavor.**

-Preheat oven to 375º

-Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and summer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.

-Place the hot squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, yogurt, and ground mustard (if using). Remove the center piece of blender lid to allow steam to escape; secure lid on blender and blend until smooth (put a clean towel over the blender if desired to avoid splatter).

-Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; stir in Gruyere, pecorino Romano, and 2 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir until combined.

-Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Add pasta to squash mixture and stir until combined.

-Spread mixture into a 13x9 inch baking dish coated well with cooking spray.

-Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko, and cook 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 2 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the hot pasta mixture. Lightly coat topping with cooking spray.

-Bake at 375º for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Serves 8 (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)

Easy enough huh?

Tessie enjoyed some...look at her and her little scarf...she hates me.

Anyway, I am 3 for 3 so far in getting up early to hit the gym before work. Tomorrow I plan to do a cardio workout on the treadmill and elliptical. After work, my roommate, Sarah, and I are attending an event in downtown Birmingham called Pepper Place Market Block Party. Several local businesses in the Pepper Place area will be participating, and they will be serving complimentary appetizers and wine...enough said. I will post a full report in the next couple of days!

Oh Monday...

Today was very productive in my book. I woke up bright and early to get my workout in before work. I did my ol' reliable total body circuit workout. To keep my heart rate up, I do intervals of cardio for 4 minutes before hammering out more strength moves. Here is the workout:

4 minute warm up on the treadmill

Squat to dumbbell press (2x12)
Wood choppers (2x8 per side)

4 minute sprint on elliptical

Back extensions (2x12)
Lat pull downs (2x12)

4 minute sprint on elliptical

Straight leg dead lift (2x12)
Tri-dips on bench (2x12)

4 minute sprint on elliptical

Bench press on ball (2x12)
Sumo squats (2x12)

4 minute cool down on treadmill

I followed up this workout with a protein smoothie and wheat bread with almond butter. I stuck to my guns the rest of the day and did not sway from my planned meals. I did splurge on 2 ounces of dark chocolate...it was worth it.