All Skyped Out

Apparently I need to wash dishes because my trusty new Vegas mug wasn’t prepared for my morning jolt.  And lord knows I can’t possibly wash a dish before getting caffeinated.

Maybe I should have freed up a bit more time this morning though because that was the last I saw of my kitchen until around 2:40.  I got caught up on Skype calls for work for literally my entire day.  I actually missed a call because I had to step away and make lunch before I started eating my Post-it notes.

Spinach, tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad.  Drizzled with olive oil, balsamic, fresh pepper and coarse salt.

What I wouldn’t have given for fresh basil!

With more of those deeeeelish bagel chips (soon to achieve “crack chip” status) with crack hummus.  I think I have issues.

After lunch I was DYING for a latte but I am trying desperately to break the $5 habit so I made a pot of coffee instead.  Shocking.  It worked.  :)

Helpful in keeping the snacky sweet tooth at bay was also the additional Skype time.  I was back on there for another couple of hours.  Insane.  Time for a cordless headset me thinks.

If I hadn’t still been in my pj’s (yes all day!) take-out or drive thru may very well have made the menu…but since I was too lazy to put on real clothes I sucked it up and concocted dinner here.

Red lettuce, carrots, celery, red onion, walnuts, Craisins, white wine vinegar and honey…

With dill & asiago scrambled eggs and multigrain Silver Hills toast.

Beat that, drive thru! :)

Sadly the sweet craving never went away.  Happily I have been hoarding these Coconut M&M’s since my first day in Vegas.

Danger, Danger!!  The pretzel ones really did nothing for me, but these coconut ones are freaking deeeeeelish.  Seriously wishing I’d brought more than one stingy little packet home. :(

That’s right, my friends bought Coach purses as their souvenirs and I came home with a Starbucks mug and American candy. 

Typical. ha!

Brittany S Pearce

This mug may make regular appearances as it’s just the right size.  Oddly it is slightly larger than most of my other Starbies city mugs.

I thought it seemed like another oatmeal kind of day…

Today with banana, PB & Supercrack.

Turns out it was like Summer around here today!  I should have made a cold and delicious smoothie!  By 1pm I was off wandering down the street enjoying the sun and an Iced Latte.  I enjoyed it’s healing powers so much I failed to take a pic. :)

Light lunch (aka: too lazy to make salad)…leftover tuna and bagel chips.

Pre-yoga apple snack…

But then I missed yoga.  I didn’t allow enough time for traffic and by the time I arrived I could see class had already started.  I refused to be one of those arseholes that show up 3 minutes after practice has started so I left. (Note to self: bring gym appropriate footwear next time so I can at least do a regular workout).

Instead I came home and tried to take pics of my new paint.  Which I love!!  With the fabulous new white trim and architraves everything now pops.  The paint makes even my dingy carpet look better.

Photos don’t do it justice…the colour is probably somewhere between these two shots.  Main living room wall and end dining room wall painted with the feature colour.  (Martha Stewart: Bay Leaf)

The rest of the living space (dining room, living room, hallway) are painted the neutral. (Martha Stewart: Buckwheat)

Previously the doors all had 1970s crappy trim which was painted out to match the plain jane walls and doors.  The window and closets didn’t have trim at all.  It makes a HUGE difference!

I only wished I had enlisted Lisa and Kornel to do more!!  Now I want all of my renos done IMMEDIATELY!

The salad that should have appeared for lunch showed it’s face for dinner…

In the big silver bowl: red lettuce, baby spinach, carrots, celery, strawberry tomatoes and a drizzle of leftover ranch dressing…

Served alongside a grilled turkey smokie…

A smokie always makes for such lame food porn. :-s

After watching Brittany play Britney (“Finn can fly?”) it was dessert time.  Coconut Liberte with Kashi Honey Almond Flax.  Nom.

I think maybe a yoga podcast is on the agenda for tonight.  I really ought to make up for my bad time management…and keep this snack monster at bay!  Or maybe I’ll just surf the Home Depot website looking for new closet doors… tee hee.

Vegas Rehab

Don’t worry…actual Las Vegas details are coming.  Just waiting until I pool photos with the girls…there were some better shots on their cameras.

We actually didn’t eat tooooo terribly bad while we were away.  I did manage reasonable breakfasts, a couple of salads, and lots of water.  But we did find our fair share of treats, had some cocktails, and threw our sleep schedule to the wind.

I still came home sporting a “Vegas belly”, craving fresh produce and hating my scale…sooooo Operation Vegas Rehab is in effect for the week.  Bring on the bigass salads and cardio love!

My souvenir…

My breakfast…

It’s oatmeal season.  Today’s pot included: oats, water, UVAB, flax meal, 1/2 frozen banana, fresh blueberries and chopped almonds. 

My workout…

• 35 minute treadmill power walk, varying speeds, varying incline.
• Upper body strength training on bosu and bench.
• Abs and side abs.

My bigass salad…

The big silver bowl is back in action: red lettuce, baby spinach, carrots, celery, red onion, strawberry tomatoes, olive oil, white wine vinegar and coarse salt.

Topped with tuna mixed with olive oil mayo & dijon.  Served with bagel chips and crack hummus…

My afternoon weakness… TJs PB pretzels. 

My easy peasy dinner.  Turkey and black bean chili straight from the freezer…

My fancy dessert.  Gala apple, concord grapes, and a half portion of double creme brie…

Partner all of that with 3 litres of water and you have a pretty rockin’ good first day back on track.  It’s a vacation from my vacation. :)

We’re Baaack!

 

;)

Mushroom & Bacon Risotto

While I’m away sitting by the pool in Las Vegas my apartment is being painted and having window and door trim installed by a good family friend.  Since she has traveled from Nanaimo to stay in my apartment and help me out I figured the least I could do would be feed her!

Lisa is gluten intolerant (oh the horror!!) so I decided to cook them up a batch of risotto that would be easily reheated. 

Mushroom is one of my favourite risotto additions and bacon is my favourite “a little bit goes a long way” food so the combination seemed the way to go!

Ingredients:

• 2 bacon slices (I buy them from the meat counter)
• 8 good sized mushrooms of your choice (I used brown)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable)
• 1 cup water
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan cheese
• salt & pepper

Directions:

• Heat chicken stock and water in a saucepan over high heat.  Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.
• Cook bacon slices in large non-stick skillet until crisp.  Remove bacon and reserve bacon grease in side dish. Chop bacon.
• Cook onions and garlic in bacon residue until translucent.  Remove to side dish.

• Add bacon grease (about 1 tablespoon) back to pan at med-high heat.  Add rice, toss to coat, and cook for about 2 minutes.

• Add the stock one ladle at a time, stirring the rice constantly until liquid is absorbed. 

• When about 2/3 of the liquid has been added, add chopped mushrooms. Stir.  Keep adding liquid as before.

• When mushrooms begin to cook, add peas and reserved onions.

• Finish adding liquid, and continue stirring until almost liquid absorbed.  Stir in chopped bacon to finish.

Eat up!

Bacon makes everything better!  Who says gluten-free dinner has to be boring? Nom!

Pizza di Bufala

My weekend festivities left me inspired to make homemade pizza.  Cuz, you know, I hadn’t already eaten enough for 10 people in those few days!

My inspiration came in the form of organic heirloom tomatoes. 

Conveniently I already had a super-duper batch of pizza dough on hand.

While visiting a lovely organic market with my friend Rhyanon this past weekend she told me of this awesome local Mozzarella di Bufala from Natural Pastures.  I’d never seen it before but I think it was fate that my local supermarket had one container left when I was shopping.

We encountered this cheese a couple of times during the Feast of Fields.

So I had tomatoes, mozza, and crust…all I needed was fresh basil!

The flavours really did all of the work.  All I did was make a thin crust, add seasoned tomato paste, and make the toppings all pretty.

Sprinkled with fresh parmesan and cracked pepper, and baked away on my Pampered Chef pizza stone for about 12 minutes at 450 degrees.  (I just tap the crust to see if it’s at my desired crispness.)

The buffalo mozzarella gets hot and melty, yet firm.  The tomatoes are juicy and deeeeelish.  Fresh basil becomes crispy and chewy.  And the crust is just the way I like it…soft with a crusty shell.

This, dear friends, is why I can never order delivery pizza. 

Note: It was the absolutely amazing fresh tomatoes that made this meal.  If I were using a lesser tomato I may likely have had to bump up the flavour using other veggies, herbs or a homemade sauce.  This is why I will cry when this year’s long lasting tomato season comes to an end…soon. :(