Might as well

I've been thinking all day, I REALLY need to post something!  It's been almost a week and I've been radio silent. The thing is, I just couldn't imagine what I would say to you guys without boring the pants off you.  "Ate healthy choice chicken romano for lunch today, then played on my phone."  Yawn.  And while I still don't have anything super exciting, I saw this questionnaire thingy that Anna posted the other day and it was calling my name.  So thanks Anna  :)  

I like thunderstorms...especially when I don't have to get out in them, and I can enjoy them from the comfort of my living room while snuggling with BF and the cats.

I don’t like Easter.  (No explanation here, because it's a mystery to me too)

I love my boyfriend, my family, my friends (the real ones) and my cats.  I love my cats more than most of my friends.

I dream of getting my house broken into, and then having to watch as the invaders torture my loved ones.  This has been a recurring dream for soooo many years I can't remember when it started.  I realize this question might have been referring to something more positive, like hopes & dreams, etc. but this is the first thing that popped into my mind.

I wonder if I'll get my fill tomorrow, or if we really are just going to "talk about it".

I know the states in alphabetical order (thank you, third grade music class!  I've never forgotten).

I went parasailing in Mexico when I was 13.

I think this week should be over already.

I plan everything down to the smallest detail, only to have NONE of it go as planned.

I regret at least half the decisions I've made in my life.

I do much better in social situations if I've had a few drinks--sad but true.

I drink Crystal Light Energy instead of coffee these days.

I wish I had a pair of wooden clogs and a bonnet.  I don't know why I said that.

I am in a reeeeeally bad mood today.

I am not okay with being late...it stresses me out SO much.

I need to clean my house so friggin bad.  It's probably contributing to my bad mood, even if just a little bit.

I hope I get a chance to go swimming soon.  I'm so embarrassed about being seen in a bathing suit that I haven't been swimming in so many years...and it was always one of my very favorite things.  My parents used to have to drag me out of the pool every day.

I want a recipe for fat-free, carb-free pasta...sigh

I sometimes write letters to people telling them all the ways they've let me down/upset me, and then rip them up & throw them away.  

I always get sad when I see roadkill.  No matter what kind of animal.

I can cry on command.

I cannot read Harry Potter without muttering under my breath in an English accent.

I avoid people & situations that intimidate me.

I will try to change my state of mind so I can salvage the rest of this week.

Adventures in Breakfast

Some mornings, I'm not sure why I even got out of bed.  Like right now, I think I'm about to give up on today, go home and eat a gallon-sized bowl of cheerios while overdosing on Netflix.  Let me describe for you in embarrassing detail what happened with my breakfast this morning:

I usually can't eat right when I first wake up.  That's not a band thing, it's just the way I've always been.  Every once in a while I'll wake up starving, but usually I need to wait a good couple hours before I eat anything of substance.  So today--I got to work and cleared out all of the urgent inbox items, then went to heat up my oatmeal.  I dumped some oats into my bowl and at that second, realized that I had started my period.  Great.  I need to get to the bathroom NOW.  So I threw my oatmeal in the microwave for 2:30 and ran out the door.  I'm almost to the door that leads to the main hallway (where the bathrooms are located) when I realize I've forgotten my security badge, without which I can't get back inside to my desk & oatmeal.  I run back to my desk, grab the badge, and head for the potty room again.  This time I made it all the way to the hallway door when I realize...I've forgotten a tampon.  By now I am ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE I've started, and things need to be taken care of immediately.  I run back and grab a tampon, brush off the friendly coworker attempting to make conversation, and head BACK to the bathroom.  Finally.  All is well.  But wait...

This is where I realize that I put my oatmeal in the microwave without adding any water to it.  What happens to dry oatmeal in the microwave?  I have no clue.  I speed-walk back to the break room and open the microwave, which only has like 5 seconds left on it.  I poke around at the hard, somewhat gummy oats in the bottom of the bowl.  I add water and stir everything around, and the consistency actually looks pretty normal.  I pop it back in the microwave, reducing the cook time a bit, and ONCE AGAIN head to the bathroom.

*TMI ALERT*

So by this time, I have to, um, clean myself off a bit, and there was blood on my thighs and I'd pretty much ruined a pair of panties.  Luckily they're black, so maybe...I don't know.  Yeah, yeah, I know...you made the decision to read past the TMI alert so you only have yourself to blame!  And okay, in the interest of full disclosure, I had to clean up the floor a little, too.  UGH.  This day already kind of sucks.

I finish my clean-up job, wash my hands and head back to the break room, ready for some breakfast.  It sounds like a good idea, just eating my oatmeal in peace after the morning's shenanigans.  I open the microwave and I swear there is not one inch of that thing not covered in oatmeal.  There's like 1/3 cup still in the bowl, and the rest of it is coating the tray, walls and top of the microwave.  At this point I just started laughing.  People were coming in and out, getting coffee and washing their dished and refilling their water bottles, and I'm just mopping away at the microwave and laughing like some kind of mental patient.

Yeah, so...that's been my morning so far.  I just can't wait to find out what happens next!

-Mon

BLAHHHHH

Thanks, Luka, for subtly convincing me to post something today.  

I have been in kind of a crap mood lately.  I mean it comes and goes, but overall I've just been pretty cranky.  My weigh-in (which I neglected to post...when I get cranky I also get less responsible and tend to forget that there are things I'm supposed to do) was bad this past Sunday...1.2 pounds up from last week.  So I'm now back to 315.6...and actually, I stepped on the scale this morning and it was up to 316...WTF???  Okay, so there's nothing in my band and I have no restriction.  But I've been logging everything I eat & drink in MyFitnessPal and haven't gone over my daily limits...and I've been walking AT LEAST a mile and a half at work, almost every day, and making that extra effort to move my body more in the things I do every day.  It's just weird...yes, I've always had trouble losing weight, but it seems like I was able to maintain my weight for the most part for like 3 years without even making any special efforts (tracking, counting calories) like I am now.  So WHY am I gaining when my habits have improved????  I should just start RAGE-EATING ice cream like this gal here...she knows!

The other thing that's been on my mind a ton lately is getting my craft room set up at home.  BF and I have a 2-bedroom place so we're sharing the office (for now at least...our basement is half-finished so he might wind up moving down there).  We moved in almost a year ago and I still haven't gotten a work desk or shelving or anything...and I am in some serious need of creative outlets...but have no room to work on them.  I bought 7 canvases at Michael's the other day and I wanna paint, dammit!  

Sorry this post is so rambly and weird...this is why I haven't been blogging the last few days.  Hope everyone's having a better week than I am...and for those of you that have actual problems that are making your life hell, please forgive me my whining!!!!

-Mon

Try A Little Tenderness

One of my favorite scenes from a movie, ever!

Watch "Ducky Sings Otis Redding- Full Song (Pretty in Pink)" on YouTube

Five Facts Friday

Okay, so these might not all be "facts" strictly speaking, but I was going for the alliteration. 

Alliteration achieved.  Now down to business--

1. I CAN  NOT WAIT to get my first fill.  I go back on Wednesday April 24.  Right now I have barely any restriction at all and I have to try reeeeally hard to keep my portions small.  I haven't weighed myself yet this week, so we'll see how things look on Sunday, but I'm afraid I'll be up from last week.  I've been careful about my food choices, I log EVERYTHING in My Fitness Pal, and I never go over on my calories, fat, carbs or sugar...but I just have a bad feeling about it. 
2. I've already walked 3/4 mile since I've been at work, and I'm starting on my THIRD 28-ounce water bottle for the day--I'm pumped!  I've been adding half a Crystal Light Energy packet to each of my first two bottles of the day, and that replaces my morning coffee.  Definitely missing my coffee, but I like to put all the sweet flavored creamers in it and that shit just won't fly.  I figure maybe once every couple weeks or so, I'll treat myself to a skinny vanilla latte or caramel macchiato. Mmmmmmm.
3. We're going out for Chinese with friends tonight, and I'm trying to decide ahead of time what I'll get...that way I don't get there, take a look at the menu & start drooling, and then wind up ordering every rice/noodle dish they have.  I'm thinking veggie potstickers and Kung Pao chicken minus rice.  At least King Pao isn't breaded or anything, and has tons of veggies in it.  I'm still probably looking at 800-ish grams of sodium though...  Any suggestions for good stuff to order from a standard Chinese menu?
4. My boss just found this hilarious email that I sent him 2 years ago...Apparently the Washington Post held a contest in which high school teachers sent in the worst/funniest analogies they’d encountered in grading their students’ papers over the years...here are some of my favorites:
• Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black dots in the center.
• He was as tall as a 6′3″ tree.
• Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.
• John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
• He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
• Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
• She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
• The lamp just sat there, like an inanimate object.
• The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn’t.
• He felt like he was being hunted down like a dog, in a place that hunts dogs, I suppose.
• She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs.
• The red brick wall was the color of a brick-red Crayola crayon.
• Her artistic sense was exquisitely refined, like someone who can tell butter from I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.
5. My work computer is really pissing me off today.  So far it has closed this post draft 3 times.  There were a few things that got deleted because it closed before autosave kicked in, so just imagine all of the witty and insightful things you're missing right now.  Sigh...  However, I was in need of a fifth thing, so I guess thanks?  But you also suck.

YES!!!!

Surprise!  A sixth thing!!  I have been hooked on the "cutepolish" youtube channel.  No, it's not about cute girls from Poland.  There are like 30-ish videos of this chick doing awesome demonstrations of nail art.  I am obsessed!  There are even Stormtrooper nails, which appeals to both the girly girl AND the Star Wars nerd in me.  WIN!!!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!!!

-Mon

Cocktails :)

It's getting warm outside!  In St. Louis, that means we have a few weeks of beautiful weather before it's 105 degrees with 98% humidity every. single. day.  I like to enjoy the spring weather while I have the chance so I don't blink & miss it.  

One of my FAVORITE things about spring has always been sitting outside on a nice evening and sharing some drinks with friends.  In the past, that has always been beer, cider or gin & tonic...but since carbonated drinks are now a no-no for me, I need to think outside the pint.  So here are a handful of fruity, non-carbonated (mostly low-cal) drinks that may tickle your fancy!

Blueberry Crush
2 parts Skinny Girl 'Bare Naked' vodka
15 muddled blueberries
3/4 part ginger syrup
3/4 part fresh lemon juice

Muddle blueberries, ginger syrup and fresh lemon juice in the bottom of a rocks glass.  Add vodka and top with crushed ice.  Garnish with blueberries.


Peachy Keen
1 shot silver rum (1.5 ounces)
1 medium peach, peeled & chopped
1 cup Ocean Spray Diet Cranberry Juice
juice of 1 lime
handful of ice cubes

Add to blender and blend to desired consistency.  Add more ice if needed.


Skinny Pina Colada
Blend together:
1/2 cup unsweetened frozen pineapple chunks
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 shot coconut-flavored rum
1/4 cup light coconut milk
4 ice cubes


Blackberry Bramble
1 1/2 parts gin
3/4 part blackberry liqueur
3 blackberries
3/4 part lemon juice
1 part simple syrup

Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker, top with ice and shake vigorously.


Easy Margaritas 
(makes 6)
1/2 can frozen limeade concentrate
6 oz. tequila
2 tablespoons cointreau (or triple sec)
1 quart ice cubes
2 packets stevia (optional)

Blend to desired consistency.


Seabreeze
1 part vodka
2 parts no-sugar-added grapefruit juice
1 part Ocean Spray Diet Cranberry Juice

Combine ingredients in cocktail shaker, top with ice and shake vigorously.


Bourbon & Blood Orange
2 parts bourbon
1 1/2 parts blood orange juice
1/2 part lemon juice
1 1/4 parts simple syrup
4 parts ginger ale

Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker (you're supposed to add the ginger ale afterwards, but I will do it this way from now on to de-carbonate it); shake gently.  Pour over ice.


Mango Margaritas
1 jar (20 oz.) mango chunks, drained
3/4 cup tequila
3/4 cup triple sec
1/8 cup sugar
1 lime

Throw mango chunks into blender; add tequila, triple sec and sugar.  Squeeze in lime juice, and top off with ice.  Blend until smooth.


Summer Peach
2 parts X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
4 parts peach tea

Shake in cocktail shaker with ice; garnish with fresh peach slices


Skinny Arnold Palmer
2 parts sweet tea vodka
4 parts Crystal Light lemonade

Combine and pour over ice



If anyone has other skinny/fun summer drinks to share, please do!  I'm always on the lookout for a fun new cocktail to test out.

Happy sipping  :)
-Mon

Black Bean Burgers

These are one of my new favorite treats.  Yes, I miss the bun...a lot.  But there's so much great flavor packed into these burgers that I totally don't mind as much.  The amounts are all according to my preference...feel free to change this as much as you want, I'm not a master chef or anything :)

Black Bean Burgers

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 medium onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup finely ground flaxseed
• 1/3 cup corn (you can use frozen, canned or fresh)
• 1 egg
• 1 Tablespoon cumin
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon sriracha (or your favorite hot sauce)
• Breadcrumbs if needed to thicken (I wound up using a few tablespoons, but I had slightly less than a whole can of beans so I think it was a little more loose than it would have been)

Preheat oven to 375

In a food processor, chop onion and garlic.  Add beans, corn and flaxseed, and pulse until everything is all mashed together.

In a small bowl, beat together egg, chili powder, cumin and hot sauce.  Add the bean mixture and combine.  If the mixture to is too loose, add breadcrumbs by the tablespoon until it's thick enough.

Divide into four, shape into patties and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake for approximately 10 minutes per side.

**I topped these with reduced-fat cheese slices, mango salsa and spicy mayo (I used 1 T light mayo, 1 T plain greek yogurt, and dashes of hot sauce, cumin, cayenne and garlic powder until it tasted good to me) and wrapped them in Boston lettuce leaves.  


I thought they were really good, and BF thought they were "weird, but good".  Ha...I think he still prefers a meat burger.  I don't know if he'll want to try my next experiment: turkey quinoa burgers.  

Let me know if you try this and like it!

-Mon