My order from Fabletics came in!!! So excited! I tried them on and they fit perfect. Very true to size. We have 6 inches of snow and the roads are crap so I may not get to try them out at the gym tonight... I got leggings which will be great for anything, and a top that has a built in bra. Not sure about the top at zumba and def not for running. The length of the top is actually a bit longer than the pictures on the site. Its more like a tunic length. It does have a drawstring bottom so you can adjust it to whatever length you want to wear it at. Fabrics are comfortable lounging in. I can't see any reason for that to be different when working out.
I picked out the top specifically for yoga. I had gotten similar tops from Target over the summer and they are by far my favorite workout tops for yoga and zumba (with another bra underneath of it).
Fabletics is a monthly deal. I have until the 10th of Feb to decide on my next outfit. Guess who's already browsing the outfits now? I will post some pics tonight or tomorrow or whenever the blizzard conditions (its currently 17 degrees outside) allow me to get to the gym.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Thursday, January 16, 2014
21 Day Kickstart!
Sooo.... One day, I'll remember to update this more often and more consistently...
Basically, life is still crazy, I'm still working 6 days a week (though I've had off 3 weekends in a row!!!), and its now winter and COLD out.
I was bored with what I have been fixing for the family lately so I went to the Forks Over Knives website to see what good recipes I could find. While there, I checked out there store and discovered the 21 Day Kick-start book. Its only sold on the page as part of a set that included books I already own (like the FOK cookbook). I got a kindle copy of the book and found that there is a FREE kick-start app for the iPhone. (I love my iPhone) I downloaded the app and I'm challenging myself to complete all 21 days with NO CHEATING! This is going to be hard on the weekends because I go back to working Sundays with my equitation team girls this weekend.
So far, I've had Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal (delicious!) for breakfast with my usual coffee and coconut milk creamer. Lunch was supposed to be soup with a couscous salad but Giant didn't have very healthy looking red peppers to make the soup with. Shocker.... Tonight's dinner is a Hoppin John Salad and quick Kale. I'm currently waiting for that to be ready. I'll be making a trip to MOM's this week to get some better red peppers for my soup.
On another note, I've discovered Fabletics and can't wait for that order to come in so I can dish on my new workout outfit I got for $30. That's right an entire outfit (leggings and a workout top) for $30 SHIPPED! It should be here next week and I just can't wait!
Basically, life is still crazy, I'm still working 6 days a week (though I've had off 3 weekends in a row!!!), and its now winter and COLD out.
I was bored with what I have been fixing for the family lately so I went to the Forks Over Knives website to see what good recipes I could find. While there, I checked out there store and discovered the 21 Day Kick-start book. Its only sold on the page as part of a set that included books I already own (like the FOK cookbook). I got a kindle copy of the book and found that there is a FREE kick-start app for the iPhone. (I love my iPhone) I downloaded the app and I'm challenging myself to complete all 21 days with NO CHEATING! This is going to be hard on the weekends because I go back to working Sundays with my equitation team girls this weekend.
So far, I've had Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal (delicious!) for breakfast with my usual coffee and coconut milk creamer. Lunch was supposed to be soup with a couscous salad but Giant didn't have very healthy looking red peppers to make the soup with. Shocker.... Tonight's dinner is a Hoppin John Salad and quick Kale. I'm currently waiting for that to be ready. I'll be making a trip to MOM's this week to get some better red peppers for my soup.
On another note, I've discovered Fabletics and can't wait for that order to come in so I can dish on my new workout outfit I got for $30. That's right an entire outfit (leggings and a workout top) for $30 SHIPPED! It should be here next week and I just can't wait!
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Dinner for the week? Sorted.
So after a crazy long week at work out on the farms, I've finally had time to shop and make a meal plan for the week. I have a subscription to The Fresh 20 (check out thefresh20.com) so the planning and making a list is quite easy. Mom's Organic Market had everything but the winter squash so I'll be trekking out again later in the week to snag one of those.
Here's my week's menu
Vegetarian Crock Pot with Tomato Salad and Pears
Braised Fennel with Spicy Tomato Sauce and Rice (brown of course)
Mushroom and Goat Cheese Frittata with Pear and Fennel Slaw
Vegetable Rice Bowl with a Pear and Goat Cheese Salad
Squash and Fennel Soup with Cheese Crisps
SO.. Today starts the long Equitation Teams season. Since I am an assistant coach, that means my poor family is left with leftovers for dinner for most of the Sundays now till January. If I had not had a wedding yesterday, I would have prepped the crock pot meal to have ready to turn on this morning and let it simmer all day long and be ready at dinner time. But I didn't plan that far ahead coming home late last night.
I actually am now running late and so don't have time to tell you about taking my whole family to the market and all their discoveries of yummy better for you foods they found. That will just have to wait.
Off to freeze and get soaked on this rainy yucky Sunday all to help some kids compete. Good thing I love this group of kiddos!
Here's my week's menu
Vegetarian Crock Pot with Tomato Salad and Pears
Braised Fennel with Spicy Tomato Sauce and Rice (brown of course)
Mushroom and Goat Cheese Frittata with Pear and Fennel Slaw
Vegetable Rice Bowl with a Pear and Goat Cheese Salad
Squash and Fennel Soup with Cheese Crisps
SO.. Today starts the long Equitation Teams season. Since I am an assistant coach, that means my poor family is left with leftovers for dinner for most of the Sundays now till January. If I had not had a wedding yesterday, I would have prepped the crock pot meal to have ready to turn on this morning and let it simmer all day long and be ready at dinner time. But I didn't plan that far ahead coming home late last night.
I actually am now running late and so don't have time to tell you about taking my whole family to the market and all their discoveries of yummy better for you foods they found. That will just have to wait.
Off to freeze and get soaked on this rainy yucky Sunday all to help some kids compete. Good thing I love this group of kiddos!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
I'm sucking at blogging...
Not really, but its been a while since I've posted anything and here's a quick why and recap of what's been up.
My beloved Mazda Tribute has died... RIP Truck Truck as she was named. After 192 thousand miles the timing chain broke and she's dead. For the last 2 weeks or so I've been car shopping. As much as I'd love another truck truck, they don't make the tribute anymore :( I found that the Kia Soul gets better gas mileage and has comparable cargo space for all the barn junk I haul around time to time. I'm actually going out tonight to hopefully bring home a used 2012 with low miles and fully loaded with an eco button, UVO sound system (think having a siri to yell at I mean do things by voice command for you in the car like change radio stations), and a sunroof that works! (Truck truck's died 2 years ago and boy did I miss the sunroof after the air conditioning quit too.
Last weekend, I was stuck on the wrong side of the bay bridge because of a fire under the bridge for hours on end. Luckily, I was with some friends. Since we were basically locked down in traffic by a Kmart and a Cracker Barrel, we jumped out of line, ate dinner, did a little shopping to avoid just sitting in the car, then got back in line and sat for another hour before the reopened the bridge. Cracker Barrel has one vegetarian option and its basically a vegetable medley of whatever veggies are in season. I was not feeling that so I got the chicken and dumplings instead. Man do I love their chicken and dumplings. I treated it as a farewell chicken and dumplings meal since I really feel a hundred times better not eating meat.
Food wise, I've done okay. I found a recipe for vegan pumpkin spice muffins on pinterest and they are AWESOME! I just made my second batch last night because the first batch disappeared within 24 hours of making them. No dairy, no eggs and you really can't tell. They are moist and delicious. I will post a link later to the recipe.
Tomorrow is grocery shopping day so this afternoon will be make a list and menu plan for the week. I'll share what we're having tomorrow after I figure out just what that is.
My beloved Mazda Tribute has died... RIP Truck Truck as she was named. After 192 thousand miles the timing chain broke and she's dead. For the last 2 weeks or so I've been car shopping. As much as I'd love another truck truck, they don't make the tribute anymore :( I found that the Kia Soul gets better gas mileage and has comparable cargo space for all the barn junk I haul around time to time. I'm actually going out tonight to hopefully bring home a used 2012 with low miles and fully loaded with an eco button, UVO sound system (think having a siri to yell at I mean do things by voice command for you in the car like change radio stations), and a sunroof that works! (Truck truck's died 2 years ago and boy did I miss the sunroof after the air conditioning quit too.
Last weekend, I was stuck on the wrong side of the bay bridge because of a fire under the bridge for hours on end. Luckily, I was with some friends. Since we were basically locked down in traffic by a Kmart and a Cracker Barrel, we jumped out of line, ate dinner, did a little shopping to avoid just sitting in the car, then got back in line and sat for another hour before the reopened the bridge. Cracker Barrel has one vegetarian option and its basically a vegetable medley of whatever veggies are in season. I was not feeling that so I got the chicken and dumplings instead. Man do I love their chicken and dumplings. I treated it as a farewell chicken and dumplings meal since I really feel a hundred times better not eating meat.
Food wise, I've done okay. I found a recipe for vegan pumpkin spice muffins on pinterest and they are AWESOME! I just made my second batch last night because the first batch disappeared within 24 hours of making them. No dairy, no eggs and you really can't tell. They are moist and delicious. I will post a link later to the recipe.
Tomorrow is grocery shopping day so this afternoon will be make a list and menu plan for the week. I'll share what we're having tomorrow after I figure out just what that is.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
MOM's Organic Market Review
Yesterday was my first trek into the new Mom's Organic Market closest to my house. The store is a bit small, but you can still find everything you need from basic groceries to laundry supplies and hair care. Price wise, it wasn't much more than buying organic at the nearby large chain supermarket. The produce at MOM's was a hundred times better looking than any produce I've seen all year! I picked up the biggest Portobello mushrooms I've ever seen and they were locally grown, a few limes, tomatoes, red peppers, local apples, zucchini, kale, parsley, and an orange (the only fruit Kiddo will eat). I also grabbed the other things I needed for my Fresh 20 meals for this week and a few other odds and ends. I came out at $131. Not much different than if I did the same at the mega supermarket.
Some other things I love about the store:
The staff was friendly and knowlegeable and very willing to help me find anything I needed
The store was super clean! Unlike the other store I'm used to where there are boxes EVERYWHERE and a ton of people constantly stocking, the aisles are clear and only one or two people out stocking things and taking notes of items that were low
The checkout is not cluttered with junk candies and things aimed at little kids. A HUGE plus when shopping with Kiddo in tow!
Samples of new products available right by the products in the aisles. Quite handy when I contemplate gluten free graham crackers and there's a new flavor to try right there (they got kiddo's seal of approval btw)
Lots of vegan options of favorite foods
I think this is my new grocery store!
Some other things I love about the store:
The staff was friendly and knowlegeable and very willing to help me find anything I needed
The store was super clean! Unlike the other store I'm used to where there are boxes EVERYWHERE and a ton of people constantly stocking, the aisles are clear and only one or two people out stocking things and taking notes of items that were low
The checkout is not cluttered with junk candies and things aimed at little kids. A HUGE plus when shopping with Kiddo in tow!
Samples of new products available right by the products in the aisles. Quite handy when I contemplate gluten free graham crackers and there's a new flavor to try right there (they got kiddo's seal of approval btw)
Lots of vegan options of favorite foods
I think this is my new grocery store!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
A Week of Discovery
So...
I finished Forks Over Knives! LOVE IT! Then went on to watch Vegucated. While I also loved that, it included some graphic slaughterhouse images that I just couldn't handle. Both my horses were one step away from the auction house. The youngest horse was headed to an auction that deals with slaughterhouses. I couldn't help but think of my babies being put in that misery. Most of the documentary was just following three individuals on their path to being Vegan. The graphic scenes were few and far between. Lots of information on factory farming and how such farming is horrible for the planet. I definitely recommend both documentaries!
I also had a horrid experience at my local large chain grocery store. Things I needed were out of stock, the bag kid made some snide comment about my reusable bags while I was allowing my 4 year old to bag at the self check out while I scanned the last few items and took everything from Kiddo and bagged all my groceries in plastic bags. Everything I bought seems to have gone up in price because it says "organic". COME ON PEOPLE! How is anyone supposed to eat healthier and avoid unnecessary chemicals when you charge nearly twice as much for the organic versions! After leaving absolutely furious, I did some internet searching to find a better option. The perfect grocery store does exist! A GMO free zone with local produce. Unfortunately, its over an hour away.... I still want to head there to check it out but it will have to wait for a weekend trip.
Today, I'm checking out plan B, MOM's Organic Market. They opened one about 20 mins from my house and claim to keep things priced lower than other health food stores. I do like that they use green energy to run their stores and are on top of reducing waste in their stores. I will most definitely post a review in the next few days after my shopping experience.
I finished Forks Over Knives! LOVE IT! Then went on to watch Vegucated. While I also loved that, it included some graphic slaughterhouse images that I just couldn't handle. Both my horses were one step away from the auction house. The youngest horse was headed to an auction that deals with slaughterhouses. I couldn't help but think of my babies being put in that misery. Most of the documentary was just following three individuals on their path to being Vegan. The graphic scenes were few and far between. Lots of information on factory farming and how such farming is horrible for the planet. I definitely recommend both documentaries!
I also had a horrid experience at my local large chain grocery store. Things I needed were out of stock, the bag kid made some snide comment about my reusable bags while I was allowing my 4 year old to bag at the self check out while I scanned the last few items and took everything from Kiddo and bagged all my groceries in plastic bags. Everything I bought seems to have gone up in price because it says "organic". COME ON PEOPLE! How is anyone supposed to eat healthier and avoid unnecessary chemicals when you charge nearly twice as much for the organic versions! After leaving absolutely furious, I did some internet searching to find a better option. The perfect grocery store does exist! A GMO free zone with local produce. Unfortunately, its over an hour away.... I still want to head there to check it out but it will have to wait for a weekend trip.
Today, I'm checking out plan B, MOM's Organic Market. They opened one about 20 mins from my house and claim to keep things priced lower than other health food stores. I do like that they use green energy to run their stores and are on top of reducing waste in their stores. I will most definitely post a review in the next few days after my shopping experience.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Welcome!
I've recently embarked on a new journey. A food journey. I love food, but for most of my life I was loving the wrong food. Processed junk food was the staple of my diet since I was a kid. As a result, even when I was at my fittest, I never felt that healthy. After I had Kiddo, I had put on a good 40 pounds. I dieted and exercised and lost those 40 pounds. I still don't have my body back and my diet was still not the best.
Last fall, I stumbled on the 100 Days of Real Food blog http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/ I was inspired to "clean up" my family's eating. Since then, I started taking baby steps into cleaning up our diets. We switched a lot of foods we loved to organic versions (like instead of Cheese Its, we get Annie's cheese crackers). Kiddo (unknowingly) switched from eating regular chicken nuggets and french fries to vegetarian versions. Then, in March, I signed up for The Fresh 20. Its a meal planning service with multiple menu options for different dietary needs including Vegetarian and Gluten free. Since March, I have been primarily vegetarian. What does that mean? Well, eating out as a vegetarian sometimes leaves me with a gross house salad as my only option for food. Now in those cases, I'll opt for a not so vegetarian, yet still healthy-ish meal. I show at a lot of horse shows and there is hardly any option for anything not deep fried much less vegetarian at those so one weekend a month a BLT wrap was my lunch.
Not long after discovering The Fresh 20, I found the documentary Forks Over Knives. I fell asleep before it was over, but I have found that it is on Netflix as well and I'm definitely planning on finishing it as soon as I get some free time! Everyone should definitely check out this documentary!! I loved the first half and can't wait to finish it!!
Where did the blog name come from?
I'm a country girl at heart. Our house is in a neighborhood in a fairly rural part of Maryland. I basically grew up on a farm though. When I was 12, I started riding lessons. Since then, I spent every weekend at the farm doing anything they needed help with. At 17, I bought my first horse, that I still own, and then spend every day at the barn as soon as I was out of school and had to be dragged home for dinner and homework. I'm actually still at the same barn, every day, and taking Kiddo along for the crazy beautiful ride of farm life.
The Crunchy Granola part is just a combo of 2 terms my bosses call those people that are just a bit out there with their "I need to be in touch with nature" beliefs.
Last fall, I stumbled on the 100 Days of Real Food blog http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/ I was inspired to "clean up" my family's eating. Since then, I started taking baby steps into cleaning up our diets. We switched a lot of foods we loved to organic versions (like instead of Cheese Its, we get Annie's cheese crackers). Kiddo (unknowingly) switched from eating regular chicken nuggets and french fries to vegetarian versions. Then, in March, I signed up for The Fresh 20. Its a meal planning service with multiple menu options for different dietary needs including Vegetarian and Gluten free. Since March, I have been primarily vegetarian. What does that mean? Well, eating out as a vegetarian sometimes leaves me with a gross house salad as my only option for food. Now in those cases, I'll opt for a not so vegetarian, yet still healthy-ish meal. I show at a lot of horse shows and there is hardly any option for anything not deep fried much less vegetarian at those so one weekend a month a BLT wrap was my lunch.
Not long after discovering The Fresh 20, I found the documentary Forks Over Knives. I fell asleep before it was over, but I have found that it is on Netflix as well and I'm definitely planning on finishing it as soon as I get some free time! Everyone should definitely check out this documentary!! I loved the first half and can't wait to finish it!!
Where did the blog name come from?
I'm a country girl at heart. Our house is in a neighborhood in a fairly rural part of Maryland. I basically grew up on a farm though. When I was 12, I started riding lessons. Since then, I spent every weekend at the farm doing anything they needed help with. At 17, I bought my first horse, that I still own, and then spend every day at the barn as soon as I was out of school and had to be dragged home for dinner and homework. I'm actually still at the same barn, every day, and taking Kiddo along for the crazy beautiful ride of farm life.
The Crunchy Granola part is just a combo of 2 terms my bosses call those people that are just a bit out there with their "I need to be in touch with nature" beliefs.
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