Friday Recap & Healthified Pizza

I apologize for skipping yesterday’s post.  I just wasn’t feeling it and after running a couple errands after work I came home and crashed for a couple hours.  Then I spent some time with my hub.  Here is a recap of yesterday’s eats.

Breakfast:  Sandwich Thin topped with Dark Chocolate Dreams PB, Sliced Nanner, and Cinnamon Sprinkling

Lunch: Salad with Sliced Pear, Sliced Squash, Sliced Cucumbers, Grape Tomatoes, Reduced Fat Feta, Light Raspberry Vinaigrette, and Pita Chips

Snackage:  Tortilla Chips + Spinach and Artichoke Hummus, Half Pear, + more (was feeling very snacky today so I also had a Reduced Fat Colby Jack Cheese Square and some cookies from frozen cookie dough; probably could have went a more healthy route, but I was tired and hungry which is not a good combo)

Dinner:  Healthified Tortilla Pizza–I used a whole wheat tortilla as the dough.  (A pita or english muffin split open could also be used.)  I topped the tortilla with a tablespoon of store-bought tomato basil sauce, a light babybel cheese round, sliced squash, broccoli, a spritz of cooking spray, red pepper flakes, salt, and parmesan cheese sprinkles.  It was baked at 400* for 12 minutes or so.  I had one whole tortilla to myself and split a second with the hub.  I’ve made these before for myself, but it was his first tortilla pizza.  His response after eating it, “I’ll have to make these for myself more often!”  So it definitely gets the hubby-stamp-of-approval!

This is a really simple, healthy way to get your pizza fix rather than ordering delivery or take-out.  And did I mention how good it tastes!  Not to mention it is fun and easy to make because the topping combinations are endless based on individual likes and differences.  I think this would be fun for kids to make their own personal pizzas as well, but I’m not there yet!

I confess–I also ate a handful of pistachios and a dark chocolate square before bedtime.

P.S. I think it might have been the artificial sweetener in the coffee at work that I had earlier in the day causing me to be so hungry.  I don’ drink it often at work, but when I do I get cravings in the evening after work.  That must have been it.  Does that happen to you all?

Question of the Day:  What are your favorite pizza topping combinations?

Blast From the Past

Waking up this morning I was so happy because it was Friiiiday!  I was ready for the two day break to catch up on some sleep, since I’ve been averaging between 5 to 6 hours a night.  Although at times when I get more than that I feel more groggy waking up.  Next I headed to the kitchen for some breakfast deciding on an oikos blueberry greek yogurt bowl with a small ripened banana, half of an unripened tough peach because I stuck it in the fridge immediately after purchasing rather than let it sit out, and about half cup of uncooked rolled oats.

All Mixed Up, Don't Know What To Do

Lunch was then thrown together–a deli flat sammie with Hormel nitrate free oven roasted turkey, L.C. Light Swiss Cheese Wedge, side of carrot sticks and strawberries and the other half of my peach from breakfast.

When I got home from work I had a snack craving for some salty junk food.  I had a blast from the past appear in my mind.  Going back to my elementary days, my older sister, Michelle, and I would come home from school and always have a snack or two or three or four before enjoying Mom’s home-cooked meal.  Snacks didn’t spoil my appetite; I was a clean your plate so it doesn’t even need to be washed kind of girl.

One of my favorite snacks (as I always loved anything with cheese and still do) was when we poured approximately half a bag of oh so nacho cheesy, stain your finger orange Doritoes on a large plate and covered them with a massive pile of shredded cheddar cheese to be heated up in the microwave {sometimes topping with sour cream and jalapenos, other times devoured alone}.  So I thought to myself, I can still have my cake cheese and eat it too!  On a small salad plate, I poured a reasonable 15 organic all natural blue corn tortilla chips and topped them with bits of one Sargento Reduced Fat Colby Jack Cheese Stick.  After heating in the microwave until cheese was melted, I added a few jalapenos sporadically atop the chips.  Healthified version–I would say so.  And it gave me all the flavor of the original. 🙂

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While we are on a “blast from the past”  I thought I would share some of my more recent past with you….going back to February 2007, my wedding.

Of course we have to start with the rehearsal dinner.  It was held at what began as a local restaurant serving Mediterranean/”Inspired American Food”,  Zea’s Rotisserie & Grill.  They now have several franchise locations outside of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area including New Mexico and Florida.  The food is rather delicious and includes a variety of flavors from Thai to Greek.  I don’t have photos of the food, but please enjoy viewing me and some of my family from the night.

My Hubby and I

(He doesn’t really wear bow ties!! It was actually from a gag gift from our shower with a matching set of men’s penguin briefs.)

My Beautiful Mother & Me Slurping Down a Mojito

Michelle with Husband, Duke

Michelle, Chris, and Me...Why Does He Look So Uncomfortable? 😉

Blurry Photo of Dad, Sorry

After my 15 minute elliptical, 30 minute weights session, and 10 minute elliptical work out, I conveniently stopped at Zea’s tonight to pick up dinner to go.  My whole point of going was to get a spinach salad with blue cheese, cranberries, pepper jelly vinaigrette, the same one served at the Rehearsal Dinner.  But upon getting home I realized I was given the “Zeasar” Salad instead.  What a bummer!  I did pick up some other things for the hubby and I to share as well–the Mediterranean Hummus with feta, calamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, and roasted garlic (also served at the dinner), and a philly steak panini–thought hubby would enjoy.

The Zeasar Salad

The Mediterranean Hummus

Philly Steak Panini--Hubby grabbed one before I even snapped the photo.

My Plate

After dinner chocolate

Onto Our Wedding Day, February 17, 2007

Mom, Me, Dad

At hotel

Michelle and Me

St. Agnes Catholic Church

Cake Tease

And finally the honeymoon–A Cruise Aboard the Fantasy to Mexico

Sailing Away

In Our Fantasy Suite

Sight-Seeing

So we are not so good at getting pics of us together, but this one is from the first night at dinner–a pic of a pic.

My Night Cup of Chai Tea With a Bit of Nostalgia from Our Honeymoon Cruise to Mexico

That was my first cruise and would love to go back.  I love how it can be just as relaxing or just as adventurous as you wish.  We did enjoy a beach visit at one stop and power snorkeling at another.  I hope you’ve enjoyed the photos! 🙂

Question:  1. What is your go to snack when you crave junk food?  2. Have you ever been on a cruise and would you go again?

Chantilly Lace and a Pretty Face

Yesterday I woke up thinking it would be a pretty simple day.  I had an entire day to set up my classroom and prepare for the kiddos to arrive today.  Well, it turned into a pretty eventful day.

Simply made breakfast consisted of cereal, blueberrries, and 2% milk because my husband picked it up at the gas station on the way home and that’s all they had at the time.

Bad plating, bad photography.  Oh well.   And then I was off to work!

Let the celebrations continue!  It was the last day of opportunity for my coworkers and I to actually have freedom to go out to lunch without having to scarf down our food during a thirty minute lunch break (hence the reason we don’t get out much).  After that was brought to my attention I decided to forego my individual room 😉 (any Bachelor fans) my packed lunch and go out with three other teachers.  CiCi’s Pizza was decided on.  Man, I can’t even remember the last time I had pizza.  It is not a fine dining eatery by any means; just a quick family pizza buffet joint.

My Eats

A quick snap of the camera documented my salad of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, carrot, mushrooms, and lite italian dressing.  And I savored every bite of my 3 veggie, spinach, and pepperoni slices.

I told my coworkers about the blog and as to why I take pictures of my food.  I wonder if they think I’m nuts!?!  Their expressions gave off a sense of that.   I’ve also experienced a bit of mockery from some of my family.  Additionally, when I try to explain the website address and where they can check it out I hear groans of “Ugh, that’s too much to remember!”  Really people, it’s not that difficult.

Back to lunch…I honestly thought I would still be hungry or want to go back for more food being at a buffet, but once I ate the (aforementioned) food I was completely stuffed.  I could not have eaten another bite.

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After work I had plans to meet up with my sister (her son and husband too) and mom for some more celebrating of my birthday.  We went to Casa Garcia, a Mexican restaurant, for dinner.  Always gotta have some of the chips with not only salsa, but also the oh so tasty and warm bean dip.  The bean dip is my favorite thing when I go there.  This time it even had sliced jalapenos in it, which I don’t recall it usually having.

Oh Bean Dip, Where Art Thou?

Then I had some chicken tortilla soup.

I do not recommend the soup.  This was my first time having it and the broth tasted minty, not what I expected for tortilla soup. Though I did enjoy the shredded chicken and big chunk of avocado.  Lastly, for my entree I had an appetizer–chicken lettuce wraps.  The menu did not contain much of a description, but I figured it would be similar to fajitas with lettuce wraps.  It was good, but I felt like I was eating Chinese food rather than Mexican with the seasoned chicken chunks, chopped carrot,  diced zucchini, and shredded cabbage with a light sauce on side, which I did not care for.

Hmmm....Chinese or Mexican

I ate about 1/3 and my stomach was stuffed.

But of course I made room for…..

DESSERT–Whole Foods Chantilly Lace Cake with Fresh Berries purchased by my sister.  Of course it is in fact chantilly icing minus the lace, but that’s what I always call it. 🙂  It feels like such an elegant cake and so moist and so delicious.

Chantilly Lace

My Slice

Chantilly Lace sure put a smile on my face! 😉

Question of the Day: About the whole mocking issue, does that ever happen to any of you?  Does it bother you?  Should I even be bothered by it?  How do you deal with taking pictures in public with people who just don’t get it?