McMuffins for Mama

Since my mom is the mastermind behind my favorite healthified Egg McMuffin, I figured the yummy breakfast sandwich would be the perfect start to the first day of our girl’s weekend.

Healthified Egg McMuffin

I made my mom, sister and myself an eggy sandwich using a toasted Thomas’ light multi-grain English muffin, an egg white, a wedge of Laughing Cow light original Swiss cheese and a slice of Canadian bacon.

Bite of Yum

All of us agreed that this healthier version of the traditional Egg McMuffin from McDonald’s is just as good.

Now we’re off to get dressed before a busy day of girly fun including:

• Wine tasting
• Tea at the Ritz Carlton
• Dog Park
• Dinner

Aaaand we’re off!

Family Walk + Healthified Egg McMuffin

Sadie and I get all too excited when we have company on our morning walk.

Look who joined us today!

Half-Awake Ryan

A very sleepy-looking Ryan. 🙂

Ryan usually arrives at work a little after 7 a.m., but today he didn’t have to be in until 8:30 a.m., so he had time to join us on a 40 minute walk around Lake Eola.

Me and the Pup

Lake Eola is a large lake in the middle of downtown Orlando that is surrounded by a 0.9 mile walking path.

In the middle of the lake is a large fountain that, until recently, wasn’t working because lightning struck it several months ago. I’m happy it’s back on and lookin’ pretty!

Puppy Love

I loved having extra time with Ryan this morning!

We chatted about the upcoming weekend and our plans for the evening which include heading over to the jeweler to check out a potential wedding band for me! The band they have at the jeweler for me to look at has nine princess-cut diamonds on it, which is too many, but will hopefully give me an idea of the size and shape I want. I’ll be sure to post pictures later!

Breakfast

Post-walk we came home to make yummy breakfast sandwiches.

I made myself a modified and healthified Egg McMuffin which totally hit the spot!

Egg McMuffin: Healthified

I actually fried the egg yesterday in the pan after I was done sauteing the onions and spinach for last night’s dinner, which allowed the egg to pick up the flavor of the onions. So tasty!

Big Ol' Bite

I think I demolished this sandwich in five bites.

Chomp!

This is one of my favorite breakfasts because it is so easy to make, tastes savory and reminds me of childhood when my mom would make us homemade Egg McMuffins on the mornings we had a big test in high school as a special treat. (Insert “awwww” here. 😉 )

Question of the Morning

If you could create your  own work schedule, what 8-hour timeframe would you want to work?

If I could make my own schedule, I would want to work from 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. I would loooove the extra time in the evening to enjoy the afternoon, make yummy dinners and spend time more time with my friends, Ryan and Sadie.

Day Off = Cookies, Day On = Carrots

Sundays are often my day off from they gym and yesterday was no different.

Last night I tweeted about something I’ve noticed on my workout-free days:

Tweet, Tweet

(Side note: Please excuse my terrible grammar… that was a fly-by tweet. I’m literally cringing right now.)

Apparently I am not alone in this feeling, because several people  tweeted back that they feel the exact same way when when they take a day off from exercise.

I think there’s something about a “break” from the gym that makes us want to take a “break” from our healthy lifestyle. When I say that I crave sweets on my off-days from the gym, I don’t mean I want a cookie… I mean I want an entire batch.

Since I don’t deny myself sweets throughout the week, I know my day-off cravings are not due to deprivation. I simply want cake. And cookies. And ice cream.

Thank goodness I got back in the gym this morning and my body wanted some healthy food again! 😀

Workout + Hurtin’ Heel Update

This morning I took my typical Monday-morning BodyPump class. We’re still working on the new release, which I really enjoy. It’s so challenging!

Can one of you BodyPumpers out there confirm that the lunge track on this release is re-flippin’-diculous!? It’s the hardest one yet and I love it, in a sick and totally twisted way.

Post-Pump, I came home and decided to test out my hurtin’ heel and take Sadie on a one mile walk.

My heel is actually feeling a lot better today, though it’s definitely not 100 percent. I’ve been icing it, stretching and and babying it all weekend. The one mile walk  with Sadie wasn’t pain free, but my heel felt a lot better than it did on Friday.

All those well-wishes you guys sent my way seem to be working a bit. Don’t worry though, I’m not going to jump the gun and run (it still hurts too bad to do that anyway). Healing and preventing further injury is my priority!

Breakfast

Since I made it into the gym today, my body wanted healthy food for breakfast (though I’m sure it would’ve happily accepted an ice cream sundae).

I decided to make myself a healthified Egg McMuffin on a toasted Thomas’ light multi-grain English muffin.

Canadian Bacon + Egg Whites

My modified McMuffin contained two egg whites, a slice of Canadian bacon and a wedge of Laughing Cow light original Swiss cheese.

Healthified Egg McMuffin

I enjoyed my breakfast sandwich with a dark chocolate Adora calcium disk for a little sweetness.

Breakfast is Served

Sadie was quite jealous.

"Ooooh. That looks goooood."

Lucky for her, she got to enjoy the yolks from my egg whites. 🙂

Yum, Yum Yolks

(Kinda looks like she’s puking, no?)

McDonald’s ain’t got nothin’ on my healthified breakfast sandwich!

Healthy & Delicious

Yum!

Question of the Mornin’

Do you find it easier to eat healthy on days that you work out or on days that you take off from the gym?

Modified McMuffin

I owe my lunch today to my mama.

Whenever I was really nervous about a big test or a diving meet in high school, my mom would make me a hearty and delicious breakfast as a special treat.

I’d come downstairs, ready to heat up a packet of instant oatmeal or throw a Toaster Strudel in the toaster, and be wonderfully surprised by a homemade breakfast. It was the best!

One of my favorite breakfasts was her take on a McDonald’s Egg McMuffin®.

She made her own version of the fast-food breakfast staple by toasting an English muffin and adding a slice of Canadian bacon, reduced-fat cheese and an egg on top.

I paid tribute to her modified McMuffin at lunch today.

My lunchtime breakfast sandwich included a Thomas’ light multi-grain English muffin, a wedge of Laughing Cow light original Swiss cheese, an egg and a slice of Canadian bacon.

Thomas' Light Multi-Grain English Muffins

Canadian Bacon + Egg

This breakfast sandwich is so easy to make and definitely takes a lot less time to construct at home than it would to drive through a fast food restaurant and place an order.

Open-Faced McMuffin + Green Pepper Slices

Modified McMuffin

By making my own Egg McMuffin, I saved loads of sodium (the original has 820 mg!) and didn’t ingest the “liquid margarine” or “pasteurized processed American cheese” that may be found in McDonald’s version.

On the side I snacked on freshly sliced green pepper and a small banana.

Selecting a Wedding DJ/ Officiant

This weekend Ryan and I would like to schedule some appointments to meet with potential DJs and possible wedding officiants.

If any of you are from the St. Pete/Tampa/Sarasota, Florida area and have any recommendations, please send ’em my way!

For those of you who are married or have been to several weddings, please share your advice with regard to selecting a DJ or wedding officiant!

I must admit, I feel a little clueless about the whole process!

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