WIAW #9

Hi sweet thangs!

Hope you all had a fantabulous Wednesday!!!

Mine started out like this…

coconutty chocolate oatmeal

In the pot went 1/3 c oats, 1 cup water, 1/2 banana, 1 heaping T cocoa powder, 1 tsp coconut oil, and cinnamon. I proceeded to top it with unsweetened coconut shavings, strawberries and raw almonds.

purty food

Then I was off to zee gym to get some sweatin on! I made up this workout which was adapted from the Tone It Up girl’s Bikini Max Burn workout (love them btw, check them out if you haven’t!):

20 jumping jacks

10 burpees

20 walking lunges (a lung on each leg counts for one)

30 jumping jacks

20 burpees (OMG kill me)

30 walking lunges

5 minute cardio (I ran on the treadmill at speed 7 for all of these)

10 pushups (no girly ones!)

10 tricep dips

20 walking lunges

5 min cardio

20 second plank (go directly into the next thing without collapsing on the floor in between )

20 tummy tucks (bring knee to the outside of your chest to work your obliques, doing the same for the other side = one rep)

5 min cardio

20 bicycle crunches (each side counts for one)

5 min cardio

[insert relaxing yoga class taught by my momma]

After, I did the Itty Bitty Bikini Workout by the Tone It Up girls (found here) and ran for 5 minutes to finish up my awesome workout!

YAY for sweating.

That intense workout made this girl hungryyyy for lunch. I decided to make a “healthy tostada.”

whole wheat tortilla heated on the skillet + brown rice...

then a layer of each: black beans + sauteed celery, onion and carrots + sprouts & cucumber...

topped with chopped spinach, avocado, sunflower seeds and nutritional yeast!

Seriously so good. I wished I had a whole other one to devour, but that thing filled me up! The only downside was that it was hard to eat, I basically ate it like a salad and ripped off pieces of tortilla.

Next on the agenda: time to hunt for the perfect Christmas tree! My dad, sister and I had one of these on our way to the Christmas tree farm:

 

soo good. get these.

(source)

And once I was home, I whipped up a little snacky snack.

plain greek yog with cinnamon & walnuts and an apple for dippage!

Later came some oven drama…my oven at home is broken and won’t be fixed for 4 weeks!! Ahhh that means NO BAKING?! No christmas cookies?!! I will find a way…

And finally dinner! Made by moiii.

Mediterranean Quinoa

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 c quinoa (I used TJ’s red quinoa)

olive oil spray (or EVOO, we were out)

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

4 baby portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1 package savory tofu

1/2 c cherry tomatoes

3 big handfuls spinach

medium stalk fresh rosemary

handful of chopped basil

2 small heads broccoli

1/4 c sun-dried tomatoes

zest from 1/2 a lemon

juice from 1/2 lemon

1/8 tsp cayenne

1/2 c crazy feta or regular feta

1/4c toasted pine nuts

1/3 c kalamata olives, halved

whatcha need!

Directions:

Bring 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan, then let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the quinoa has fluffed up and there is barely any water left. Set to the side. Spray a large frying pan with olive oil spray and saute onions and garlic on medium-high heat until somewhat transparent. Add the mushrooms and tofu stirring occasionally for about 3-4 minutes or until the mushrooms look tender. Next, throw in the basil, rosemary leaves, handfuls of spinach and cherry tomatoes. Cover and let sit while you go on with the next step. With the saucepan of quinoa you set aside, add about 1/3 cup water plus the broccoli florets, cover and steam over medium heat until the broccoli is a bright green. Stir your sauteed veggies, watching until the tomatoes are soft and the spinach has wilted. Transfer the quinoa and broccoli into a bigger bowl. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, feta, pine nuts, olives and finally, when ready, the sauteed veggies. Mix it all up and serve!

the finished product! yummmy

Chocolate cravings ensued…

UM EWWWWW

Okay well, I have some explaining to do, but the result was DELICIOUS I SWEAR!

I’ve heard about chocolate pudding made with avocados in the blogging world but have never found the courage to try it! Tonight was the night. It was a success and a perfect way to satisfy a chocolate craving!

Chocolate Almond Pudding

serves 1-3 people (depending on how much chocolate goodness you’re craving! warning: it is very rich though)

Ingredients:

the meat of 1 ripe avocado

4 heaping T cocoa

1/2 t vanilla

1 T almond butter

4 T maple syrup or agave

couple shakes cinnamon

~1/2 c water (add in at the end if you’d like it to be less thick)

Directions:

Blend all ingredients in a food processor except for the water. If your pudding is too think, add the water in slowly. Keep blending until it’s completely smooth! This only takes a few minutes! Enjoy!

such a transformation!

topped with frozen blubes and mangoes!

The above was enjoyed while decorating the Christmas tree and dancing to Christmas music! Am I the only one who has memorized Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt (and plays it on repeat)?!

xoxox,

kara