Spicy Sleep

Note to self (and anyone that makes the delicious Tom Yum Soup):  Don’t eat it an hour before bed.

I absolutely could not sleep last night even though I was beyond exhausted.  And it wasn’t my usual pain in the temporal lobe insomnia.  It was spicy-food-in-my-belly-awakedness.  Lesson learned.

It was sometime after 4:15am when I last glared at my clock so you can imagine just how excited I was to get out of bed at 8:45am. I may have hugged my coffee cup after dragging my flannel clad butt through the kitchen over to my desk.

Not surprisingly, the coffee pretty much made me feel worse.  I knew I needed to get some vitamins and nutrients in my body if I was going to make it through the day.

Enter the green smoothie.  Er, um, purple smoothie in this case.  Of all the days to be out of spinach! 

In the Kitchen Aid today:  frozen blueberries, frozen pineapple, fresh banana, Amazing Grass Superfood, flax, hemp, UVAB.  With extra hempy goodness on top for texture.

My body must have started absorbing the healthy love right away because I felt a zillion times better by the time I got to the bottom of that glass.

Couldn’t pass up the morning carbs though…especially with a brand new loaf of my favourite Squirrelly bread…

…and a brand new jar of more Trader Joe’s love in the form of Sunflower Seed Butter.  I’ve been holding out opening this because I don’t like having too many open jars in my cupboard at one time.

Creamy and delicious…just as expected.

A while later while waiting for lunch to reheat I couldn’t resist a flattened banana.

And of course lunch had to be leftover Tom Yum Soup…which was pretty much just as tasty as last night’s bowl(s).  Especially with the addition of more fresh cilantro and a fresh squeeze of lime.

Hopefully I ate that early enough that it doesn’t keep me awake tonight!

Dinner was a race through the kitchen while I got ready for my new weekly night class.  I slammed together two small tortillas with grated mozza and a big scoop of salsa, heated in the oven until melty, then rolled up and shovelled them into my piehole. :)

Tonight marked the first session of a 10-class Introductory Photography class I am taking with my friend Charmaine at Camosun College. 

Tonight was just a lot of getting to know the instructor, tutorials on how cameras actually work, and outlines of what we will be learning over the next couple of months.  So far so good!  I will document more about the class over at Such a Rebel if you are at all interested in hearing what I learn (or more likely…what I remember!).

I did snack on a piece of Clif Bar during the break in class, but I will have to meal plan better for Tuesdays from now on because I was pretty hungry by the time we finished.

Settled my rumbling tummy with a pear and wedge of mozzarella.  Hopefully that keeps the hunger monster at bay so I can sleep sometime before 4am tonight.

And on that note….pj time!

Slept like a…

…well, actually…like a restless baby.

Thanks for the advice last night!  Funny that I’ve posted several times about my sleep troubles, but out of the woodwork I had like 4 people mention melatonin this time! 

I’ve heard of it, but never really knew what it was…and definitely didn’t know that it’s an item simply available on the vitamin wall at any market or pharmacy.  I was out running errands last night and picked this up at Wal-Mart for like $6.

I took two tablets around 11:30pm, went to bed just after midnight (feeling lightheaded) and was able to fall asleep sometime just after 1am.  I definitely think the pills helped, but it will probably take a few days to know for sure.

I didn’t sleep super soundly, and did wake up feeling a bit groggy…but at least I got up on time!!

To kick the groggy I made my green smoothie right away…

In the KA today:  lots of ice, 1/2 banana, fresh spinach, flax meal, Amazing Meal, UVAB.

Sipped coffee with vanilla soy milk…

And munched on oatmeal molasses toast with PB & Supercrack…

Last night while I was tidying up and taking inventory of fridge perishables, I decided to write up my meal plan for today so I wouldn’t just be scrambling for food all day. 

In sticking with the plan I just polished off my bigass salad with avocado and salsa!

With fresh spinach, baby greens, radishes, carrots, yellow peppers and mushrooms.  Deeeeeeeeeeeelish. 

This evening entails a tasty dinner, some kind of workout, and preparation for the arrival of my weekend guests…Miss Mousearoo and Miss Tara!!  That’s right…blog girls get together!!  Cat and Jen are coming to town too. 

It’s gonna be a downright fabulous weekend!!

Unsleeping Beauty

Well people, it’s hump day…and let me tell you it sure feels like it.  I’m tired and borderline grumpy.  My sleep pattern is still effed up from my trip so it’s throwing my whole day out of whack.

Monday night I was awake until 4am!  I did get up on time yesterday because I had a chiro appointment so I thought I would be exhausted last night, but no luck.  I was awake until almost 3am…which led me to sleep in this morning…and now I feel blaaaahhh.

I skipped an evening work out last night because I know that can affect my sleep.  And didn’t have a refreshing shower before bed because oddly enough that also keeps me up sometimes.  I’ve even been sticking to my coffee restrictions…no more than 2 cups per day and none after 12 noon. 

It’s not working.  I’m thisclose to picking up some Gravol from the pharmacy to force myself asleep tonight.  The big problem with that is that the drowsy effect often wears off and I wake up in the middle of the night.  That’s actually worse than not being able to fall asleep at all.

So, dear readers… barring medication from your doctor… what do you do when sleeplessness strikes?

When I did drag my groggy self out of bed I definitely wanted coffee.  I had to squeak in my two cups before noon, but I pretty much made it…

Since it was actually past breakfast time I decided on a protein shake instead of a full meal.  I keep forgetting about my Vega samples so I actually laid them on the counter so I’ll use them this week.

I chose the Vanilla Chai Complete Whole Food Health Optimizer because  a) I know it’s tastes good  b) it’s only 100 cals  c) it contains 11 grams of protein  and d) it’s rich in all kinds of minerals, vitamins, Omega 3, and antioxidants. 

Health in a package really!

Blended up with 1/2 small banana, ice cubes and about 1 cup of UVAB. 

Fresh pineapple and blackberries on the side.

Lunch was enjoyed during my weekly conference call.  Hummus and veggie sammich on oatmeal molasses bread…

With a side of baby cucumbers…

I never get sick of the tomato + hummus combo!

Not sure what to do about working out today.  I’m going to be working for a while yet to make up the time from this morning and complete a couple of important projects, but I really would love to get to a real yoga class tonight.  I could go wear myself out with some crazy cardio and heavy weights instead…but that wouldn’t happen until later and I’m worried it would keep me awake.

What’s a girl to do?  :(

Home Sweet Home

So I last left you with the exciting tale of the first leg of my trip and my impending arrival in Victoria…

I’m here!!  Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!  (Can you tell I love coming home?)

This is the view everyone should get to enjoy from home every day…

Staying with my friend Tiffaney in her fab condo overlooking downtown Victoria and the water.  Lurve it.  :)

I managed to sleep pretty much the entire 1 hour 17 minute flight from Calgary so no airplane snacks to regale you with.  I took the Airporter mini-bus into town, where Tiff met me and brought me “home”.  My intention had been to snuggle up and have a nap while she went back to work, but I ended up tackling some work of my own and exchanging emails with friends trying to organize some plans.

While I puttered on the computer I snacked on some chips.  Mmmmmm…chips.  I don’t know about you guys but when I’m overtired I really like greasy carbs.

I also found the box of Candy Cane Lane tea I left here last year and had a cup to tide me over until dinner…

Originally we had thought we would just go out and grab a bowl of soup just the two of us, but plans quickly changed and we met a group of Navy friends for a bevvie and some eats.

(that is soooo not a flattering pic of me!  haha)

Fifth Street Bar & Grill.  We actually sat on the heated patio believe it or not.  It was a bit chilly but it’s completely enclosed with heat so twas all good. 

Tiff and I both ordered Merridale Ciders. It ain’t no Strongbow, but it’s local and still yummy.  I stared at the menu forever…I was really hungry for a proper meal but I just couldn’t decide. 

(Our ciders escaped the camera, but Tiff and I didn’t.)

Eventually I chose a cup of the Corn Chowder, which was tasty but I could really notice the peppers in it.  (me = not a big green/red pepper fan)…

And the chicken strips with Caesar salad.  A few other people ordered this and once I heard it, I couldn’t chose anything else.

Awesome chicken tenders with yummy honey mustard dip…and the Caesar was good too.  I really needed the lettuce.  LOL.

Was a quick but good visit.  Being the holidays I probably won’t get to see these peeps again, so I’m glad we fit it in last night.  It’s such a rigamarole trying to do the whole visiting thing!!

After that Tiff and I were back here and crashed by just after 11pm PST.  That would be 3am EST for my body clock.  Awake for about 22 hours…go me!

The One Without a Cheeseburger

First up, Elizabeth opened her parcel!

Click the photo to visit her post about what I sent. :)

That was so fun, we both hope others will join in.  Anyone want to take part in the exchange of a surprise loot box?

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We were up at the ungodly hour of 6:15am this morning…blech.  Since I didn’t fall asleep until after 1am, and slept a little rough because it was FH’s first night home in a week I was exhausted.

Came home, brewed coffee, snoozed on the couch while watching PVR’d Eastwick before starting work.

The benefit of getting up that early?  Eating breakfast at a normal time…8:45. 

Whole wheat English muffin with organic peanut butter and sliced nanners…

 

And lunch by 11:45!  A bigass salad.  Craving veggies like crazy today…probably because of the lack of sleep and water. 

Romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, avocado, finely grated old white cheddar, salsa and a swizzle of Ranch…

Oh people…then came the Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Pretzels!!  I made a little dish of one serving, but I admit that there were a lot of broken ones that I just kept shoving in my mouth!

When they break you get a whole bunch of pieces of the peanut butter just floating around in the bag…so yum.  These have definitely met expectations.  Who knew I’d get so excited about pretzels!?  LOL.

I did have a the prettiest dish of kiwis and blackberries today too…but somehow in my tired fog I completely forgot to take pictures of it.  I had even set all of the fruit in the bowl all pretty-like just for the photo.  oh well!

<imagine brightly colored green & purple fruit here>

For dinner what I really wanted was a cheeseburger.  I fell asleep for an hour on the couch after work and you know that feeling of wanting something easy and bad-for-you when you wake up in a strange place at a strange time?  Well that was me.

But there was no way I was going out, nor was I caving in to cruddy fast food when I know damn well I would feel worse for eating it…so instead I opened up the fridge and the internet and created a concoction of my own.  Go me.

Googling ‘zucchini and black beans’ leads directly to Roni at GreenLiteBites. 

I had all of the ingredients on hand, so I followed her recipe pretty much exactly (using my own Mexican spice mix in lieu of her spice suggestions) and stirred it all together with some Smart macaroni.

Served with a simple salad of beautiful grape tomatoes tossed with EVOO and part-skim mozzarella…over baby spinach.

I added extra salsa and it filled the hungry hole.  nom nom nom.

And for dessert…cafe quality Chai!  I love Chai as an evening treat, but I never order when at Starbucks because it’s caffeinated…but I can buy the decaf Tazo Chai at the supermarket and make it at home!

Mix equal parts Chai concentrate with milk of your choice (I like skim, or for even fewer calories use unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze).  If you don’t have a steamer like I do, you can just heat on the stove or in the microwave…but I do like the pile of foam on top.  :)

Decadent treat for only 105 cals (60 cals for the Chai, and 45 for the skim milk @ 1/2 cup each).  Love it.

Busy weekend ahead.  Christmas decorating will be involved.  And baking.  There might be fondue.  And wine.  Stay tuned…