The Road Ahead...

Ok, so let's get it out there... it has been far too long since my last post. It's embarrassing how long it's been! So to ease myself back into the blogging world, this post is mostly for me. To get out my thoughts and get a few things off my chest.

First, I've realized that my commitment capabilities are minimal at best. (As you can see in how well I keep up this blog...) I get restless, and I need things to change, so I'm constantly switching from one item to the next. I really do want to keep up with this blog! But after a few days of writing the same thing over and over again, I just get bored and move on to something else.

Second, I've discovered that I am very passionate about several different things. For instance, I am so passionate about living a healthy lifestyle. I feel that it's important for EVERYONE to get up and get moving everyday! And an incredible amount of processed foods have been introduced over time so it's vital for people to focus on the natural foods that God made for us to eat.

I'm also in love with being crafty. :) I'm actually thinking about doing a scapbooking business on the side - I can make a few bucks while doing something I really enjoy! And, since my last post, I am pleased to announce that Cory and I have found the perfect little house to buy. We close in less than a week, so I can't wait to get in there and start decorating! DIY all the way!

Last, I am going to go all out and finally admit that I feel a calling to entrepreneurship. I would absolutely die to be my own boss; to set my own hours and make money from something I'm passionate about. I still have no idea how to go about this, but maybe someday...

And as I'm typing this, I have just had a revelation: Maybe I'm bored with my blog because it's focused on living healthy, but I have interest in all of these different areas! Perhaps the best blog for me would be something that allows me to illustrate all aspects of my life instead of just one.  Maybe a focus on living in small town Nebraska? Or is this just me wanting to change things up again? :) Oh how my restless mind works...

Love me some trail mix!

It is a gorgeous evening at home. The windows are open letting in a fresh spring breeze and my loving hubby has cleaned up the kitchen after a delicious dinner of marinated pork loin and side salads. Perfect atmosphere for blogging of course! :) I realized today that I haven't posted in a while, so now I have a ton of updates to share...

First things first - My trail mix recipe. This is really tough so look out. Throw these four ingredients into a bowl:

Almonds
Dried cranberries
Sunflower seeds
Chocolate chips

Stir and enjoy! :) I didn't really measure any of the ingredients, but I think that's the best part of a trail mix! Throw in whatever you are in the mood for in whatever increments!

I took a small sandwich bag of this to work to munch on, and Cory ate the rest in about 3 days. Guess I will have to make it again soon!










In other news, I'd like to introduce a new word into my workout vocabulary:

Zumba! I am loving it! Every Tuesday and Thursday morning, my wonderful workout buddy, Jen, teaches one of these classes at 5:15 in the morning. I'm only a week and a half in, but the more I learn the routines, the more I can feel the burn (and sweat)!

It's really helped me to mix up my workouts. I like to think that a routine fits me, but truth be told, a few weeks into a "plan" and I'm feeling anxious and restless. Then anxious that I'm feeling restless. 

Also, the half-marathon is coming up in about 5 weeks. Yikes! I'm trying to get my long runs in on the weekends, but I will have to get more into that on another post before I get in over my head. :) Anyway, hope everyone is taking advantage of this beautiful weather and getting off the couch to do something active!

Goodnight, all!
Kris

Lean Lasagna

Ooey, gooey, cheesy pasta is my favorite. Pair it with some deliciously buttery garlic bread and I am set. I can't be the only one out there that loves Italian food, right? So there's gotta be some healthy options, right? Right! I found this recipe at SELF.com, one of my favorite websites! I get this magazine every month and there are endless ideas for living a healthy lifestyle.

Anyway, this lasagna is made with layers of ground turkey meat, whole grain noodles, and lots of nutrient-rich spinach. (Plus cheese - can't skip the cheese!) You can find the complete recipe here.

First cook up 9 whole wheat lasagna noodles (Side note: turns out West Point grocery stores do not carry whole wheat noodles. I need to look into this!) and lay 3 on the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish.

Now add a layer of fat-free ricotta cheese mixed with chopped spinach.

Next add a layer of the turkey and tomato sauce mixture, topped with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Continue with two more layers just like this. Then pop the whole thing in the oven at 375 for 20-25 minutes until the cheese gets bubbly. 

 Let cool for 5 minutes, cut, and enjoy! 

Forgive me - These pictures really are not the best. But just to get an idea, this whole piece is only 310 calories! And much healthier than regular lasagna!

Chocolate Lovers: Unite!

Do you ever wonder what the world would be like without chocolate? I can only imagine what women would get for Valentine's Day or how many popcorn balls would be given out at Halloween in its absence.

While I'm working on revamping my diet to include fresh options in lieu of processed ones, I still have a heart for baking that just can not be crushed! So this past weekend I set out to make a decadent four layer chocolate masterpiece. :)

I got the inspiration from The Pioneer Woman - Ree Drummond. She is an amazing cook! I always record her show Saturday mornings on The Food Network, but she began with her own blog. Anyway, Sunday I decided to give her Big Chocolate Birthday Cake recipe a whirl.

First, you mix the dry ingredients together and set aside.

Next, melt the cocoa with the butter (and this recipe calls for a lot of butter) in a saucepan over medium heat. 

Now throw the cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients and give it a stir. The best thing about this recipe is that no mixer is required. However, I should have either mixed a little longer or used a whisk as I did find a few clumps of flour in the baked cake. Anyway, go ahead and grease 4 cake pans, powder with cocoa, and separate the mix into each one. 

Bake, cool, and stack one layer on top of the other with a light layer of chocolate mousse frosting. (I have this recipe with the full cake recipe, too.) 

And here is the finished product! 

I also froze a thin layer of melted semi-sweet chocolate and then broke it into pieces to put on top of the cake. 

Yummy! Looks like I'll have to work on my sharing skills if I'm going to continue to bake! 

Enjoy! :)

Grocery run Sunday

Happy Sunday! I'll make this short and sweet as I'm in a time crunch, but this next week, I've planned to start nixing some of the unhealthy things in my diet and replace them with healthy options. For instance, sometime this week I'm planning to make a lasagna recipe with ground turkey and spinach instead of loaded cheese and ground beef.

Anyway, off to the grocery store I went today. I have to say, the local stores really do have wonderful looking produce. The selection, however, is less than great. Having said that, here's some of the produce I came home with:

Spinach, romaine lettuce, asparagus, bananas, and grapefruits are just a few things from the store. Can't wait to see how great they taste this week!

I heart breakfast!

Ok, so I realize that I'm not starting my healthy eating plan until Monday, but earlier this week I tried a healthy breakfast shake. At the risk of sounding like a pre-teen, junior high schoolgirl, O.M.G. this shake was delicious! The main ingredient is strawberry and I'm definitely a strawberry girl. If they're not part of the recipe, chances are, I'm not eating it.

Anyway, the first step is to grind up the rolled oats:

And don't worry about overdoing it! I kind of wish I would have ground mine up a little more. Next, add frozen strawberries, a banana, and milk. Any milk will do. The recipe called for soy milk, but I only had skim on hand.

Now set your blender to smoothie and watch it turn into breakfast!

Enjoy! :)

You can find the whole recipe under the Recipe tab.

Anyway, it's time for bed! Oh, but one quick note: The sunrise this morning was just too gorgeous to ignore, so I took a few quick shots. The picture at the top of my blog is one of them! Here's another:

Ok all for now! here's hoping for another beautiful sunrise tomorrow! :)

Healthy eating

Hi all! Happy Wednesday! Is anyone else feeling as restless as I am? I can't tell if it's just the time of year, or if it's because everything in my life is so complacent right now, but in any case, I think it's time for a change.

For a little background, about a year ago I stepped on the scale and clocked in at the highest weight ever. I decided it was time to do something about it. So, my wonderful and faithful friend, Amanda, and I decided we would try to lose about two pounds a month. Twelve months later, I have been able to drop 12 pounds and successfully keep it off. I have now plateaued, but I loved the feeling of losing weight. I felt like I was in control and could actually DO something good for myself!

With this in mind, and with my current restless state, I have decided it's officially time to change up my diet and eat more healthfully! (About time, right?) I was able to lose the 12 pounds last year by cutting down my portions and increasing my workouts. I was never actually brave enough to change what I ate. It's time to take living a healthy lifestyle to a whole new level.

So why not start now?! I am planning to take the next few days of the week to look up some great recipes including healthy but hearty dinners (that my hubby will actually eat), and quick but nutrient packed lunches. I am open to anything!

Who knows where I will be in another twelve months?? :)