Hot & Flavorful

You guys know how I love my easy-peasy dinners!

Tonight’s dinner was no different.

Ryan and I made a hot and flavorful meal of Italian sausage with green peppers and onions.

Sausage + Onions + Peppers

Though it had to cook in the oven for approximately 45 minutes, the prep work only lasted five. It was a set-it-and-forget-it kinda meal!

I simply chopped up two large green peppers and one onion, and cut up three large Jennie-O sweet lean Italian turkey sausages. I cut the sausages with scissors because chopping them with a knife would cause the meat to squeeze out of the casings. Once everything was ready to go, I combined everything, sprinkled it with salt and pepper, and placed the mixture in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

The result was a fragrant and delicious meal.

Up Close

Dinner is Served

Sadie really wanted a bite, but onions are a no-go for dogs, so she did some tricks to earn some dog-safe treats!

"Gimme, Gimme!"

Though the treat made her happy, she instantly returned to begging for our human food… not that I blame her. 😉

Now it’s time to do some dishes, read and hopefully get in bed a lil’ early tonight.

See ya in the morning!

Blind Date

At lunch today I went on a blind date.

Before you throw eggs at me and send hateful thoughts my way for betraying Ryan, I should probably tell you that the date was with the fabulous Tina of the blog Faith, Fitness, Fun. 😉

Bloggers Unite!

(I guess it wasn’t technically a blind date since I knew who I was meeting, huh?)

Tina is staying in Daytona Beach for the week with her family and drove to Orlando to meet me for lunch at Dexter’s, a restaurant and wine bar located just outside of downtown Orlando.

Though we’ve communicated through our blogs frequently, I’ve never actually met Tina in person. Fortunately I recognized Tina and her adorable baby-bump right away (She’s currently expecting baby number two!).

Tina has the most welcoming smile and we hit it off immediately.

After chatting for a bit, it was time to order. The last time I was at Dexter’s I opted for the create-your-own-sandwich option which was delicious and perfectly filling. I decided to build my own sandwich again and ordered smoked turkey on whole wheat bread with lots o’ veggies and creamy Dijon mustard.

Turkey Sandwich

Bread + Meat + Veggies

I had it pressed, Cuban-style, and loved every bite.

By the time our lunch was over the weather took a turn for the worse and we got soaked running out to our cars. 😦

Returning to work with wet hair was more than worth it though since I got to meet Tina!

Of Possible Interest

• 10 Healthy Ways to Jazz Up Your Yogurt (FitSugar.com)
• How to Make the Perfect Smoothie (Fitnessista.com)
• The Best Move for a Flatter Tummy (Health.com)

Question of the Day

Have you ever been on a blind date? Would you ever go on a blind date?

I’ve never been on one but I think they sound kinda fun! (Of course I won’t be going on any now that I have some bling-bling on my ring finger. 😉 )

Messy Mango

I learned something very important this morning.

If a mango is squishy it will be a huge pain in the tookus to cup up.

Mango Mess

I had juice and mushy fruit everywhere.

I’d say about a third of the mango actually made it into my breakfast bowl. I slurped the remaining fruit right off the big pit. It wasn’t attractive, but it was tasty!

I added two handfuls of blueberry and a big scoop of Fage Greek yogurt to the mango to complete my breakfast.

Mangos + Blueberries

Fage Greek Yogurt

Fruit + Yog

After stirring everything up, I dug in!

Ready for Eatin'

I thought the texture of the mango might be slightly off-putting when combined with the yogurt, but surprisingly it blended very well added the sweet, fresh taste of summer to the bowl.

Workout + Snack

The mango yogurt bowl was actually my second breakfast of the day.

I scarfed down my first breakfast shortly after I completed a five mile run with Sadie.

My first meal included a pack of Brothers-All-Natural apple crisps with a cup of Publix coconut créme pie yogurt.

Apple Crisps

Coconut Yogurt

I almost always stick to Greek yogurt as my yogurt of choice because it’s packed with protein, extra thick and contains ingredients I understand, but at the grocery store last night this lil’ coconut guy was calling to me.

The coconut-lover in me just couldn’t resist and though the yogurt contains a list of sketchy ingredients, it still tastes pretty phenomenal. 🙂

Breakfast number one was a great end to a great run.

Though it was still nearly 80 degrees outside, it didn’t feel as hot as it did on our runs last week. Hallelujah!

Here are our stats:

5 Mile Stats

After our run, before digging into my first breakfast, I took 10 minutes or so to stretch on my brand new yoga mat!

Pink is Pretty

I actually stretched my way through the second half of the Bachelorette last night as well.

I think having a yoga mat readily available will make it much easier for me to stretch whenever I feel the desire. Since hardwood floors cover our apartment, I never want to sit down on such a hard surface to stretch. Hopefully this little purchase will help me incorporate some much-needed stretching into my day-to-day life.

Question of the Day

Do you do any fitness-related activities in your home? DVDs, stretching, weights, etc.?