Forgotten gems
Heyyyy 😀 How are ya? Hope you had a wonderful day <3 Loved reading your comments on this morning’s Focus On post- if you ever have requests for a certain DVD/workout/group fit class to be featured, let me know!
Some previous Focus On posts: (<—- I’ll have the whole list up when I get the Fun page finished)
Today was a heck of a day. It was the kind where you start off tired and feel like you’re dragging from there. I got into the habit of having a cup of coffee every morning because I was having horrible headaches –they say up to two cups is safe while you’ve got a bun in the oven, so I’ve stuck with one- and decided I didn’t want to drink coffee anymore a couple of days ago. I was fine, and today I paid the price. I feel like someone is squeezing my brain together! Guess it’s time to break out the juicer. [Green juice does the same thing for me that caffeine does- instant *wake up* and energy]
After work, I took Bell for a long walk around the neighborhood to say thank you for being so good while the Pilot and I were at work all day 🙂
Little angel dog <3
She was almost eaten by a wild dachshund on our walk, but we survived 😉
Some eats!
Last night, I made the Pilot his favorite white enchiladas. He had an important flight, so I wanted dinner to be waiting for him when he got home.
During my lunch break, I assembled everything:
so when I got home, all I had to do was mash the beans and make my dinner.
It made life SO much easier- I plan on doing dinners like this more often.
Cheesy enchis and beans for him:
and Mexi salad for me!
Beans, topped with mixed greens, with salsa, sautéed crumbled tempeh (with Nama Shoyu, garlic, chili powder, cayenne) and avocado.
It was a pretty legendary meal, but things got even better when one of our new neighbors brought over a plate of chocolate chip cookies, still warm from the oven.
{I snapped a pic after I had two and the Pilot had.. quite a few, heh heh}
I mentioned before that our new neighbors are amazing- everyone on our street has been so welcoming and friendly. We’re very lucky!
Bfast this morning was protein fro-yo with chia seeds, half a crumbled Larabar and organic strawberries:
Protein froyo was one of the forgotten bfast gems in my life. It was nice to bring it back!
Weight was the plan for tonight, but I’m too tired from teaching Zumba and some other classes today. Think I’ll just chillax with Bell and the Pilot 🙂
Have a great night and I’ll see ya in the morning with that Schweaty August Cardio workout!
xoxo
Gina
Something to talk about: Any fave meals or recipes that you had forgotten about, and recently brought back? I was also going to ask for more make-ahead meal ideas (things I can assemble or prepare during my lunch break), but I’ll have to read the comments on Caitlin’s post! [If you have any more to add to the mix, please let me know- you always have great ideas]
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Oh No, Bella!!! Glad she survived! She’s a peach!
Yessss to recent favs!!! I was all over zucchini pasta last summer and just started consuming it like daily these past couple weeks. With raw vegan pasta sauce…so amazing..topped with noosh mmmmmmm
Have a great night, Gina! Get soem sleep for you and the lil peanut!
I’ve eaten brusselsprouts nearly all summer. Seriously, they’re just that good to me. Now i’m starting to remember some of my favorite quick meals like Oh She Glows cheesy oats, Amy’s soup, and Bob’s GF pancakes.
Too funny – you started talking about coffee and being tired and I was thinking “why doesn’t she break out the juicer – that always works” and then you echoed my thoughts. 🙂
Glad Bella survived the dachshund! I’d like to try the enchiladas sometime. Just need to find decent gluten-free tortillas around here.
Protein froyo sounds interesting and very good!! I may have to try that out! I love sweet potatoes but haven’t had them in so long, I may have to bring them back!
mmmm I love using larabars as toppings! they are so yummy! and that protein fro-yo looks bomb! SO yummy!
roast red pepper soup……yum! I can’t wait for fall weather to bring that gooness back into my life 😀
gah! Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Quite the opposite, I’ve been stuck in a rut lately and I can’t get out! That protein fro-yo looks great though. Might need to give it a try!
I totally want enchilada’s now! I’m making it next week!
Everyone has been talking about froyo lately, whether homemade or eaten out. I think it’s high time I give in! I’m going to make the boy get some with me tomorrow night. Yummers!
Unrelated question – what are your thoughts on the Paleo/Primal diet?
I love that people still welcome new neighbors with baked goods!!!!!
Also, I thought for a minute you were going to eat those enchiladas and I was confused 😉 They look great! You are a really awesome wife!
Hi Gina,
I’m sharing this with you, because I know you are a fellow dog lover – especially of the white and fluffy kind.
Sadly, we had to put down our dog, Chubby, today. She has been with our family for 16 years, and it was the hardest thing that I have ever had to go through. My heart is broken, and the pain is indescribable.
Sorry, I’m not trying to bring you down. 🙁
She and Bella could be cousins…Chubby is a bichon, and is also sweet-faced and fluffy white. Seeing Bella on your posts always reminds me of Chubby. And it’s funny that you called her ‘little angel’ today, because that’s what we call our Chubby. Thank you for listening….I guess talking, sharing, and remembering Chubby is helping me grieve. <3
My heart goes out to you Suzanne. Read this poem. I hope it makes you feel better. Maybe my Cody is playing with your Chubby right now. http://www.petloss.com/rainbowbridge.htm
Thank you for that. I’m sure your Cody and my Chubby are playing together in Rainbow Bridge…
I remember you telling me about chubby and that she and bell could have been related! I’m so sorry to hear about your loss and can’t imagine how hard it must be. Hang in there <3 sending love and good thoughts to you, from Bella and myself. Xoxo
I’m so touched that you remembered me and Chubby. Thank you to you and Bella for your kind words and love.
i’ve been thinking about you all day today!
Girl, I’ve been on vacay for two days and I’ve gone totally back to “202lb at 5ft tall” Leslie. Ugh. I *need* to go home where my no-fail environment is. I order decent meals, but snack on hotel cookies (like five!), ice cream at restaurants, etc. I’m so sad about it. I love getting out of town, but it’s not good for me. Can’t wait to be home and channel my inner-gina. 😉
That enchiladas look good. I love recipes that I can freeze and eat throughout the week. Casseroles are great too or chilis.
What a great neighbor your have. Still warm fresh from the oven? delicious
Your breakfast looks nice and fancy! I need to put my food in more appealing dishes, I think that makes the meal more enjoyable.
I love the Gina dinner, but can I take 1 Pilot serving, please? Don’t forget the questionable amount of cookies, as well. 😉
That salad looks good! Thanks to your posts about Tempeh, I went out and bought some this week…can’t wait to try it!
Last night, we had pork tenderloin with corn on the cob, green beans and roasted potatoes. We hadn’t had the pork tenderloin or roasted potatoes in so long I had forgotten how easy and delicious they are. 🙂 Pork tenderloin is pretty obvious, you just marinate it in whatever you feel like that day, yesterday we had garlic and herb. The roasted potatoes are also so easy! We got the small, golden potatoes from Kroger, cut them in half, covered them in olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning. 🙂
mmm that cheesy dish for him looks so scrumptious- and your mexi salad is pretty attractive itself hehe <3
Three Bean Turkey Chili
1 pound ground turkey
1 small chopped onion
1-28 ounce diced tomatoes, undrained
1-15 ounce garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1-15 ounce kidney beans,rinsed and drained
1-15 ounce black beans,rinsed and drained
1-8 ounce tomato sauce
1-4 ounce chopped green chilies
1to 2 tablespoons chili powder
Cook turkey and onion, drain and place in crock pot
Add tomatoes and all beans to crock pot, mix and cover. Cook on high for 6-8 hrs. It normally only takes about 2 hrs on high in my crock pot. I have made this with and without turkey. Good both ways.
Add cheese and serve with garlic toast YUMMY 🙂
I added adzuki beans, no turkey. Was supper delicious. My thoughts were to add corn.
I love making stuffed shells and rice dishes ahead of time. My hubby actually requests the stuffed shells a lot and they have tofu ricotta in them 😀 I love it when I can get him addicted to vegetarian dishes
Ok, here’s a question. Do you buy items like stevia and chia seeds online or in a local health food store? We’ve just PCS’d and I haven’t found a store in our area yet.
I need to make enchiladas….. what’s better than a cheese blanket?
So true about the forgotten gems: I was a green monster fan last year and we just fell out of touch…. time to rekindle the friendship!!!
Looks delicious!! That’s awesome you have sweet neighbors! They can make or break a living situation.
I made your white enchiladas for my boyfriend the first time I cooked for him and they were a HIT! Actually, I remember him saying something along the lines of “If you can cook like this then I guess I HAVE to marry you.” Haha 😉
I knew I could trust the Pilot’s man-tastebuds
amazing 🙂
Have you ever used low-fat or light chicken or mushroom soup for that recipe? I want to make this for my boyfriend, and although he dearly loves fattening things, he appreciates it when I try to lighten rich dishes up a little. Just curious if the consistency would be off with lighter products.
yep i’ve done it before, no complaints 🙂
The Pilates post got me HOOKED on POPilates! I do one of her videos every couple days and they are KILLER and WONDERFUL!!
she’s pretty much amazing 🙂
Nothing I’ve forgotten about and brought back, but I made a breakfast cookie for the first time last night and ate it this morning. The way they look made me not want to try them yet, but I’m glad I did!
It was amazing. It reminded me of a no-bake cookie, except I got to eat it for breakfast! 🙂
so glad you were a fan! it’s definitely hard to make them look pretty though 😉
Brought back warm oats & hot coffee for breakfast today – since it was only 50 degrees on my way in to work!
That food looks awesome! I’m sorry I watch what I eat but I still have to have ice cream everyday!
I’m a animal parent too and if anything happened to my two kitties I’d be devastated. She’s too cute by the way!
your salad looks just lovely! worth copying 😉
though I am wondering where you got the nama shoyu? I’ve been searching for it since I read Alicia Silverstones “The kind Diet” and couldn’t manage to get some.
they have it at many health food stores- i usually get it at whole foods in the asian section, by the soy sauce
I LOVE it when you give recipes for pilot-faves! I made the dump cake once for a guy and he was in heaven. I’ve saved the white enchiladas recipe in my inbox as “Pilot Enchiladas” and plan to impress a certain someone soon. 😀 Thanks, Gina!
haha let me know how it goes! 🙂
oh my gosh. i think protein fro yo just changed my life. eating some for fast breakin’ right now, and it’s AMAZINGGGGGG!
yaaaaay glad you like it 🙂
that breakfast looks so amazing, yummmmmm
That protein fro-yo looks amazing! I hope you have another SunWarrior giveaway sooooooon!
My fav make ahead meals (casseroles):
http://whatscookinwithmary.blogspot.com/2011/02/black-bean-sweet-potato-casserole-with.html
http://whatscookinwithmary.blogspot.com/2011/03/sausage-spinach-brown-rice-casserole.html
http://whatscookinwithmary.blogspot.com/2011/01/ham-n-potato-casserole.html
http://whatscookinwithmary.blogspot.com/2010/10/black-bean-sweet-potato-enchilada.html
Just made a version of the 2nd one yesterday morning and then re-heated for dinner last night. I love these dishes because not only do they re-heat well, but they freeze well, so I usually make extra and then freeze indiv servings for the mister when I don’t feel like cooking.
And pizza is always a good re-heater 😉
http://whatscookinwithmary.blogspot.com/2011/08/pizza-margherita.html
http://whatscookinwithmary.blogspot.com/2011/07/dinner-tonight.html
http://whatscookinwithmary.blogspot.com/2011/01/recipe-for-my-whole-wheat-pesto-chicken.html
Hey Gina! Those enchiladas look amazing! I was going to suggest…and someone already may have…that while you have free time now, before the baby is born (I know you’re busy now, but once Pilot Jr. makes his arrival, things will get cray-cray!), to make some of your favorite enchilada/casserole/etc. dishes and freeze them in disposable containers (or non-disposable if you have enough). That way, when you’re dog-tired and covered in spit up and haven’t showered in two days you can just thaw and cook! AND when you have those lovely unexpected guests who pop in oh-so-conveniently at dinner time to ‘see the baby’ you’ll have a little din-din on hand. I don’t know how you feel about freezing your food, but I live in the middle of no where, and have come to depend on frozen favorites since I can’t make it to the grocery store ‘in town’ but about once a week. Just a suggestion from one ‘type A planner’ to another!!
~Laura
I love that you and the hubby do “his” and “hers” dinners, we like to do that all the time.
The hubby = protein, veg, carb – The wifey = salad beasts!! 🙂
And I’m going to have to try those enchiladas, if the pilot likes ’em, I know my hubby will! And I love how you can prep it at lunch (I always go home on my lunch breaks) and then pop it in the oven after work – so easy! Great leftovers lunches for him too 😉
Warm choc chip cookies that a neighbor brought over???
You guys moved into Utopia. Seriously!! that’s amazing and wonderful. My neighbors..well…let’s just say Ive never had anything remotely like that in any house we’ve moved into (10 in the past 10 years!)
And meals I forgot about..well…I just did the 7 Links thing on my blog last week and going thru my old links, I saw all kinds of old recipes I had forgotten about. Mostly with fall coming, crockpot meals, soups, baked veggies/casseroles, things like that…will be fun to make again.
This looks like a mexican feast from heaven!!
Haha and my name is janiek by the way. Don’t know why it took off the k…
Love your idea for protein fro yo! It’s like having dessert for breakfast. 😀
I haven’t made roasted sweet potatoes in ages and I’m totally craving them. Good thing I have some in the oven right now!
Hi Gina! I was wondering what type of photoediting software you use?
picnik! it’s free and i refuse to pay 200 for lightroom haha