Because of Ricotta

Tonight I wanted ricotta cheese like it was nobody’s business!

Someone at work today was eating lasagna leftovers for lunch, which prompted my craving around 11:30 a.m.! After waiting hours, I finally gave into my desire for the cheesy goodness.

Since I didn’t have any noodles on hand and was feeling way to lazy to make homemade lasagna, I settled for a big bowl of spaghetti squash, topped with ricotta, Parmesan cheese, marinara sauce, roasted broccoli and roasted squash.

I prepared my dinner by first baking the squash and forking out the “noodles.”

Spaghetti Squash

Ready for Toppings

I added a ton of steamed broccoli on top of the squash before going crazy with the two cheeses.

Broccoli + Cheese

Dinner

Stirred Up

I satisfied my cheesy craving and got lot o’ veggies in there, too. Win, win situation.

Dessert

I decided to do some post-dinner baking tonight and made a batch of my sugar-free coconut meringues.

Coconut Meringues

These are so good and pack a little protein punch.

On that note, I think I’m gonna go grab some more… 😉

Goodbye, Joe

Ever since I made sloppy joes for dinner on Monday, I’ve been picking at the leftovers every time I open the fridge.

No more picking!

Today I ate the last of the ‘joes for lunch.

Last of the 'Joes

On the side I enjoyed steamed broccoli and portobello mushrooms, sprinkled with garlic salt.

Thursday's Lunch

Eat Me!

So long, Joe!

I am a bit relieved to have these leftovers out of the fridge. As tasty as they were, I couldn’t seem to resist taking a forkful of the yummy meat every time I’d open the fridge (Yes, even before breakfast).

Do you sneak “little tastes” of items in your fridge or pantry? Any go-to foods?

You know I love my peanut butter fingers! 😉

Aside from peanut butter fingers, I used to always grab something every time I’d open our pantry. I’ve found that eliminating large boxes of cereal or crackers has really helped me with this. If it’s not there, I can’t eat it!

Tips for New Runners

It seems like I always think about food when I run.

Sure I think about other things, like my to-do list or upcoming events, but inevitably toward the end of a run, my mind wanders toward my next meal.

Sadie and I covered just more than five miles on our run this morning and during the last mile, my thoughts were dedicated to breakfast.

A strawberry banana smoothie sounded perfect.

Frozen Strawberries

After a quick shower, I got to work in the kitchen creating a thick, cool and creamy breakfast smoothie.

Into the blender went:

• 1 scoop All the Whey strawberry protein powder
• 2/3 c. frozen strawberries
• 1 frozen banana
• Almond Breeze almond milk
• 1 ice cube
• 1.5 tsp. Bob’s Red Mill xanthan gum

Strawberry Banana Goodness

Blended Up

I poured my smoothie in a large coffee tumbler to enjoy.

Smoothie Time!

I like my smoothies really thick and ate the majority of the smoothie with a spoon.

Yum

Me + Smoothie + Spoon

Though I do love Green Monsters, my heart really lies with a good old fashioned strawberry banana smoothie. I mean c’mon, it’s pink!

My Tips for New Runners

When I first received a reader request to compile a list of my tips for new runners, I initially thought I’m not qualified to do that!

As I’ve said before (and as you can see from my running story) I am by no means a gifted runner, but I had the desire to run.

Then, when I thought about it, I figured this probably describes a lot of new runners out there: People who want to run but feel a little overwhelmed or intimidated by running or assume they just don’t have the “running gene.”

I am simply a girl who wanted to run and eased my way into running by starting slow and keeping at it.

That being said, here are my tips for new runners:

• Invest in a good pair of running shoes. I run in Mizuno Wave Riders (which I do not think are cute, but offer the comfort and support I need). I used to run in Nike Shox which were super cute, but gave me blisters. Not a good idea. Save the Shox for strength training!

My First Pair of Real Running Shoes

• Start slow. Don’t overwhelm yourself by setting out to run five miles right off the bat. Start with a mile, then add a little more, and a little more until you reach the distance you’ve set out to accomplish.

• Don’t worry about your time. If you’re truly a new runner, don’t worry about how fast you’re running. Just get out there and run! Whether you run a mile at a 7-minute pace or a 12-minute pace, run at the pace that feels right for you.

• Set a goal. Whether your goal is to simply run three miles without stopping or compete in a 5k, 10k, half or full marathon, having something to work toward may help keep you motivated.

Running in a 10k

• Research the training plan that is right for you. If you desire a little direction when it comes to training to reach your goal, search for a training plan to follow. There are lots of plans out there, from the popular Couch to 5k plan to marathon training. Some plans incorporate speed drills and hill running, while others stick to simple, long runs. Choose the one that’s right for you, your running abilities and your goals.

Running Race Recaps:

Here are a few links to races I’ve run within the past couple months:

• 5k Doggie Run with Sadie (My 5k PR!)
• 5k Fun Run with Friends
• Kappa Delta Shamrock 5k
• Winter Park 10k
• UCF 5 Miler

Your Tips for New Runners

Here are tips for new runners straight from YOU:

• From Elizabeth: Go to a running specialty store and have them fit you for YOUR perfect shoes.  Have them look at your feet and how you run so they can put you in the right shoe for you.  This will make running more comfortable and help keep you injury free! Set a goal.  Look online sign-up for a local 5k or 10k to work towards.  You can always walk the race! HAVE FUN! Don’t stress over pace and distance.  Start out going for time.  Walk/run if you need to.
• From Vee: Start slow, mix it up with walking, then walk less, run more. And once you can run your distance, start working on other things – speed, longer distance etc.
• From Ange: Invest in a Nike plus running system or the more expensive Garmin to track your progress & inspire! Treat yourself to a new running outfit at the end of every month. Make up fun playlists every week and run at a faster pace during fast songs. Eat complex carbs about at least 2 hrs before your run.
• From Kait: I started by walking, then mixing walking with running, and then finally setting out on running adventures slowly upping my distance. I guess my best advice is don’t try too much all at once and stick with it, you’ll build the endurance over time.
• From Katie: For brand-y new runners, definitely don’t go out there with some time or speed goals! Just get out there and run and have fun.  Take walking breaks, and slowly increase distance so you don’t hurt yourself (stress fractures love overtrainers!).  Don’t try to run every single day or again, overuse or just plain boredom set in.   Signing up for a 5k after your comfortable running 2-3 miles would be a fun goal!
• From Angela: Start with the ‘jog for 2 minutes, walk for 1’ method, then work up from there. And don’t forget to stretch after, especially if your body isn’t used to working out on a regular basis (we don’t like injuries!!).
• From Anna: I would definitely say to start slow and not get frustrated. Adding a little distance or time each week can seem really slow, but it adds up fast!
• From Kelly: My tips for new runners would be to listen to your body and start slowly. Never increase your mileage each week by more than 10% to avoid injury!
• From Holly: I think a good tip when starting is to just run light post to light post & then walk to the next one & do it all over! Or pick a particular thing & say ‘I’m just going to run to that stop sign’…and typically once you get to the stop sign (for example) you want to keep going.
  Also picking out good fast beat songs to listen to is another one. I love anything that pumps me up (usually rap- haha!).
• From Kelly and Lindsey: I think one of the best tips is to get fitted for running shoes at a specialty running store…and not just buy any old shoes.