{Mackle}more Miles

Saturday

Before the Gala on Saturday night, Hubs and I took advantage of a rare Saturday off together, and spent the morning eating great food, sipping on coffee, and enjoying each other’s company.

We originally planned to ride our bikes to Panera for breakfast, but the weather was cool and drizzly, so we opted to drive to breakfast instead.  For weeks, I’ve been craving their Mediterranean Egg White Sandwich (made with egg whites, spinach that wilts perfectly from the heat of the eggs, and roasted tomatoes – hold the cheese!!) on a Whole Grain bagel, so a little rain was not about to get in my way!  Panera has new signage throughout the cafe that features quotes from famous authors, and the quote that completely fit my morning just happened to be attributed to the author of my favorite book ever (Little Women), Louisa May Alcott – “I’d rather take coffee than compliments.”  Don’t mind if I do! 

No weekend is complete without a trip to The Happy Cappuccino where Hubs opted for a Frozen Vanilla Latte, and I went with a Frozen Happy Cappy Mocha (caramel white chocolate) before heading to the gym.

Workout   

 

I don’t know if it was the disappointment of our rained-out bike ride, or if it was my asthma that was bothering me, but I could not get into my workout.  I started with the intent of running a 5k on the treadmill, but it quickly turned into a one mile warm up that worked me up rather than pumping me up (my hair tie kept falling out, I couldn’t catch my breath, my legs started to cramp, Pandora played an ad after every.single.song – it was one thing after the other!).  I hopped off the treadmill, readjusted my hair tie, and dove into legs:

Leg Press: 4x 15reps 90lbs

Leg Curl: 3x 12reps 50lbs

Leg Extension: 2x 15reps 45lbs

I wanted to get some squats, lunges and calf extensions in, but I couldn’t shake the poor cardio start to my workout, so I headed to the treadmills on the lower level to try my hand at running again.  This time, I put Macklemore’s Thrift Shop and Can’t Hold Us on repeat and went after it.  Something about the beat of both songs pumped me through 2.28 miles in 25 minutes. 

We left the gym sweaty and sore, and followed our workouts up with Mexican food from El Mariachi before coming home to get ready for the Gala.

Sunday

I can’t think of a better way to start a Sunday morning than with Mu Mu Muesli Pancakes

and a trip to the Farmer’s Market. We picked up a Basil Bowl (Italian Basil, Lemon Basil, Thai Basil, Purple Basil and Spicy Basil) and Gar La La before grabbing a round of coffee at The Happy Cappuccino.

Lunch

On the way to the grocery store, Hubs and I stopped by a new restaurant to grab a few small plates for lunch.  I ordered a mojito (hold the simple syrup) with my aperitifs, and we shared a plate of scallops, calamari and shrimp cocktail. Workout 

We held off on a morning workout, hoping the weather would cooperate with a late afternoon bike ride since we had plans to go to dinner with my in-laws.  Although it was sunny by the afternoon, the weather was cool and the wind whipped us around more than I had anticipated.  At the halfway point of our ride, Hubs and I decided to take a few minutes to sit down by the river and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.  The peace didn’t last long.

{The wind nearly swept my bike into the river}

      

Weekend Mile Totals: Running: 3.28, Cycling: 7.63, Total: 10.91

We came home and cleaned ourselves up before celebrating Mother’s Day with a bottle of wine and delicious pasta with my in-laws.

What was the best part of your weekend?

American Cancer Society {Gala of Hope}

On Saturday, Hubs and I put our best fancy faces on and headed up to Saratoga for this year’s American Cancer Society Gala of Hope.

I had a difficult decision to make this year because the Gala fell on the same day as the Self Magazine Workout in the Park, and the Workout in the Park is one of my favorite events every year.  I served on the Planning Committee for the Gala of Hope in 2010 and 2011 (I passed last year because of all of the wedding planning!), so this event is one that I hold pretty close to my heart.  Since I’ll be heading down to the City on Thursday for this year’s Fitness Magazine Blogger Meet & Tweet, I decided to skip the workout and go to the Gala.  I couldn’t pass up a chance to get all dressed up for a night out with Hubs for a great cause!

 {Dress: White by Vera Wang – aka, my sister’s Matron of Honor dress from my wedding! Necklace and Earrings: Target! I love a bargain!}

Dinner

The menu for this year’s Gala was nothing short of incredible.  I am not usually a fan of red meat, but my dinner choice included a Beef Tenderloin & Grilled Prawns, and I could not have been happier with my meal!  The beef was succulent and the Port Balsamic Demi Glace was the perfect compliment to the robust flavor. The prawns had a powerful smoked taste that left me completely satisfied.

As part of the event, guests had the opportunity to vote in a Top Chef style competition that featured 4 local bakers and their interpretation of the perfect cake to celebrate the 100th “birthday” of the American Cancer Society.  Although Hubs and I didn’t taste any of the cake selections, we had a good time checking out the decorations!  

Dessert

After digesting our meals and dancing until my dress ripped, it was time to dig into dessert!! The fruit tarts tasted fresh and light, and were just enough so that I didn’t feel overly stuffed, but could still enjoy the entire dessert.

 

Hubs and I helped ourselves to the coffee bar (my favorite kind of bar!) with a little coffee and Bailey’s for me, and coffee with Sambuca for Hubs before calling it a night.

 

What was the best part of your weekend?

Daddy Daughter Date Night {Library Walk and Leftovers}

Ever since Saturday in the city with Hubs (recap coming soon!), I’ve been craving coconut rice thanks to the amazing menu at Red Rooster.  Last night, I decided to recreate my own version of the dish, and paired it with roasted summer squash and a seared Ahi Tuna Steak (and wine.  Everything’s better with wine!).

Coconut Rice with Mango Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup light, unsweetened coconut milk (I used Trader Joe’s light canned coconut milk)
• 1/2 mango, diced
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 lime
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Rinse jasmine rise and place in a large saucepot with water and coconut milk.  Stir and place over medium-low heat until it boils and let boil for one minute.  Turn heat to low and let cook for 15 minutes (do not stir).
2. While rice cooks, combine diced mango, diced red onion, and diced jalapeno in a bowl.  Chop cilantro and stir into the mango mixture.  Cut lime in half and juice over the mixture (I used the whole lime, but if you prefer less acidity, use half).  Stir together and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Remove rice from heat for 5 minutes, then fluff.
4. Serve rice hot, and top with mango salsa mixture.

Desktop Eats

This morning started like every morning – with a fresh fruit smoothie (Peach, Blueberry & Raspberry with Greek yogurt, soy milk and a splash of OJ) and an Iced Island Coconut Coffee with Silk Vanilla Soy Milk.  I had a big handful of grapes to tide me over between my smoothie and lunch, but I dug into lunch an hour or so before normal because I couldn’t resist another helping of coconut rice with mango salsa! The salsa was even better today after having time for the flavors to meld overnight.  Obviously, the rice was the star of this meal, but I enjoyed a piece of grilled Balsamic and Rosemary chicken (from TJ’s – it makes weekday lunch prep so easy!) on the side.

By 2pm, I felt famished since I ate lunch early so I snacked on a Blueberry Pecan Kind Bar (obviously, I am still in the phase of dressing to match what I eat) which kept me full until dinner.

 

Daddy Daughter Date Night

My Dad brought over a huge, fresh salad with red peppers, lettuce, celery, carrots, onions, tomatoes and grilled chicken, so we snacked on our salads and set off to enjoy the beautiful weather with a walk to the library.

{I switched out my wedges for a pair of sneakers on our walk but kept my sundress on – not exactly the face of fashion over here tonight!} 

On the way to the library, I spotted a poster downtown for an inaugural 5k run coming up in June, and I’m intrigued.  It’s two weeks after the Tour de Cure, so I think I just may have to sign up (I’m hoping to convince Nikki from run+breath+be to run this one with me!).

Dad and Ruca stayed outside and enjoyed the late evening sunshine while Ari and I returned one of my audiobooks (Jane Green’s Family Pictures), and picked up a few American Girl books to read together. 

Savoring Sunday {Farmers Market & Bike Path}

The first Sunday in May marks the return of the Outdoor Greenmarket and the return of my favorite weekend routine!  Usually, Hubs and I grab our bikes and ride the 3 and a half miles to the Greenmarket, but since we moved, we are only a few blocks away making for a much shorter ride. 

Since we only had about 20 minutes to hit the market today, we opted to drive so that we could leave straight from the Greenmarket to meet my Dad at church and then finish up our afternoon errands before Kris had to head into work.

No trip downtown is complete without a stop at The Happy Cappuccino!  Hubs downed a Frozen Happy Cappy Mocha before I even snapped this picture of my Iced Raspberry Mint Coffee with Skim and a sprinkle of Cinnamon (the same drink I chugged the morning of our wedding).  We made a pit stop at Eastern Mountain Sports to pick up a stash of Stinger Honey Waffles for our upcoming bike rides on our way to our usual Sunday lunch stop at El Mariachi (Cinco de Mayo = Amateur Day!). 

Bike Ride 

As soon as Kristopher left for work, my Dad and his ladyfriend stopped over to enjoy the weather and a long bike ride down the bike path.  We are all riding in the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure on June 2nd (my Dad is a diabetic and gets to ride as a Red Rider this year), so we were looking forward to a nice, slow practice ride.

We stopped at the midway point of our ride because I forgot that leisurely to me is more like a race pace for my Dad! 

Once I finally slowed myself (and let my Dad set the pace), we completed a scenic 12 and 1/2 miles and convinced my Dad that he’ll have the stamina to ride 25 miles in the Tour rather than the 10 he’s signed up for (Kris and I are riding 50 this year).

A quick stop at Trader Joe’s and Shoprite is on the agenda, and then I’m disconnecting and relaxing until work tomorrow morning.

What was the best part of your weekend?

Date Nights are the Best Nights

I adore Fridays, mostly because as soon as I leave the office for the weekend, I almost always head straight to Chipotle for my favorite burrito bowl (brown rice, black beans, chicken, mild & medium salsa, guacamole & lettuce).  Now that the weather finally feels like spring in Upstate NY, I’ve been grabbing my bowl to go and eating it the front seat of my car with the windows down and an audiobook playing (today it was The Paradise Guest House by Ellen Sussman).

After leaving Chipotle, I had to go to Marshall’s, Target and Bed Bath & Beyond since I won’t have time to run any errands tomorrow.

Thanks to a vendor of mine from work, Hubs and I have a rare Saturday date day planned at tomorrow’s Yankee game!  Ever since getting married, I have made a conscious effort to plan actual dates with Kris so that we don’t fall into a comfortable rut as an old married couple.  I know he is really looking forward to tomorrow’s date (he was able to get a co-worker to cover his shift which *almost makes up for the fact that he can’t get next weekend off for the ACS Gala of Hope), and I am so happy to have the whole day to spend with him in the sunshine (though if I had my way, it’d be a St. Louis Cardinals game!).

Speaking of dates, this week has been full of them!  Tuesday was my usual Daddy Daughter Date Night, but we had another impromptu DDDN last night, too.  My Dad is buried at work, so I offered to come to his shop after I got out of work yesterday to help out.  Lucky for Popsicle, I didn’t show up empty handed.

 

Armed with my Coconut Iced Coffee in one hand, a Chicken Caesar Sub for me and a Godfather Sub for my Dad in the other, Pops and I were ready to chow down and get to work.  By the time we finished working, we all had a bit of cabin fever and headed out front with my niece and sister to enjoy the late evening sun and some sidewalk chalk.  My sisters and I used to love drawing with chalk on the driveway when we were growing up.  Lindsey and I laughed yesterday about how we always used to draw schools and bedrooms so that we could play Sweet Valley High!

Before leaving my Dad’s, Kris called to let me know he’d be leaving work within the hour and wanted to know if I’d be up for a drink.  As exhausted as I was, I couldn’t resist the proposition.

We ended up going to Tavolo at the Glen Sanders Mansion for a few cocktails and some light food.  I adore the fact that we live so close (less than a mile!) to the place where we were married, and that we can go back and enjoy our time there anytime we want since the wedding day went by in such a blur.

I started out with a Strawberry Mojito (no simple syrup), and finished my nightcap with a Lemon Basil Martini (and another round of the Strawberry Mojito…it was too good not to have another!) before Hubs and I called it a night.

Date nights are most definitely the best nights.

Lightened Up Garlic Chicken con Broccoli {Inspired by the Olive Garden}

When Hubs and I first started dating, we used to frequent the Olive Garden on Saturday afternoons and the occasional Sunday night.  By the time we had been dating for about a year, we were comfortable enough that we could finally admit to one another that we weren’t really fans of chain restaurants and were basically food snobs!

Just because Hubs and I are self-proclaimed foodies doesn’t mean that I don’t crave the meal that I always used to order back when we first started dating six years ago: Garlic Chicken con Broccoli.  This dish combines some of my absolute favorite foods in one comforting dish, but it also packs a major calorie punch.  When I saw an Olive Garden commercial over the weekend, I set out to create a lighter, healthier version that wouldn’t pack on the pounds, and wouldn’t upset my lactose intolerant stomach!

Ingredients

• 1lb boneless chicken breast
• 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 bag dry orecchiette pasta
• 1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 head of garlic (about 10 cloves – I love garlic, so feel free to cut this down if you prefer a less pungent taste)
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2tbsp fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Spice Rub

• 1tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1tsp salt
• 1tsp fresh cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 425°. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil to lightly coat a baking sheet (or spray with non-stick cooking spray).  Toss broccoli until each floret is coated and creates a single layer.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.  Slice the top off of the head of garlic (do not peel or separate; leave whole) and place inside of aluminum foil on top of the baking sheet.  Roast broccoli and garlic for 20 minutes or until broccoli florets brown just a bit.
2. Combine ingredients from spice rub (if you do not have fresh herbs, use dried herbs, but cut the measurement by 1/3).  Season the chicken breasts with salt & pepper to taste, then rub spice mixture onto both sides of the chicken breasts.  Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a sauté pan on medium to medium-high and brown chicken on both sides until done on the stovetop.  Remove cooked chicken from the pan and set aside.  Turn the heat down to low.
3. While chicken is browning, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook the orecchiette pasta until it is al dente (about 11-12 minutes).  Drain and return pasta to pot.
4. Remove roasted garlic (and broccoli) from the oven and finely chop garlic.  Add garlic to sauté pan and let garlic caramelize (about 1 minute).   Add about half of the chicken stock and use a whisk to deglaze the pan.  Whisk in a small amount of the Greek yogurt (to avoid the yogurt from curdling).  Add some of the heated mixture to the remaining Greek yogurt a small amount of time to temper the yogurt before adding the remaining amount to the sauté pan.  Continue to whisk sauce until heated through.  Grate the Parmesan cheese over the sauce and stir in just before serving.
5. Slice chicken and add chicken and broccoli to the pasta.  Pour sauce over the pasta, chicken and broccoli, and stir.
6. Serve hot, topped with additional cheese or red pepper flakes (or both!)

Since my house doesn’t have an unlimited supply of O.G. Breadsticks and salad, I served the pasta with a piece of toasted Trader Joe’s Garlic Naan (and a cool glass of Chardonnay).  The dish was incredible!  The taste and consistency was just like the dish from the Olive Garden (though, I had the heat a bit too high on the sauce after I added the yogurt, and I could tell it was starting to separate a bit) and I loved the bits of spice that the sauce picked up from simmering it in the same pan that the chicken cooked in.  This is definitely a meal I will make again (and again)!!

Daddy Daughter Date Night {Jumpin Jacks}

Desktop Eats

Most mornings, I give myself enough time to get out of bed, wash my face, brush my teeth, and head upstairs to make a smoothie before heading out the door to work.  Today was not one of those days!  Luckily, I planned ahead at the grocery store on Sunday and picked up a carton of Silk Fruit & Protein Smoothies for mornings like today where I had just enough time to throw some ice into a mason jar with the smoothie and bolt to work.

{Apparently, I like to coordinate my outfits to match my smoothies}

Meal 2 was all about the bloobs!  I happened to grab the Wild Mountain Blueberry K-Cup at the store the other day and paired it with my usual stash of Kashi Oat Flakes & Blueberry Clusters with plenty of fresh blueberries on top.  The coffee was ridiculously good and would probably be even better iced with a bit of cinnamon and some foam.

By the time lunch rolled around, I popped last night’s leftovers into the microwave and enjoyed my lightened up Garlic Chicken con Broccoli inspired by my favorite meal from the Olive Garden (the recipe will come soon!).

  

As I listened to Jane Green’s latest novel on a playaway that I picked up last week at the library, I snacked on a Chobani Bite in Coffee Dark Chocolate, knowing that I had a fun dinner to look forward to with the family.

Daddy Daughter Date Night

It’s never officially springtime until you’ve had a clam fry from Jumpin Jacks!! Over the weekend, my Dad called and asked if I wanted to get the dogs together and head to Jumpin Jacks and the park for this week’s Date Night, and I jumped at the chance.  Most of the time, I eat clean and healthy which is why on days like today when I splurge, I don’t feel guilty.

{Sausage & Peppers, Cheeseburgers, French Fries, Onion Rings, and my Clam Fry filled our trays as we ate by the river}

The weather was absolutely perfect, and I would be happy if everyday were 72 and sunny like today. 

{The happiest two members of tonight’s Date Night}

Ari had a blast running around the park and making friends with anyone who glanced her way, and Linds and I had an even better time snapping photos of her while she played.  This has to be my favorite photo of the night!

Of course, no trip to Jumpin Jacks would be complete without a little ice cream.  I opted to get the combination that I remember ordering all the time as a kid – chocolate dipped in cherry!  Lindsey made sure to get my other favorite, vanilla with rainbow sprinkles, so that we could share a little bit of each.

How do you celebrate the start of spring?

Saturday Snapshots

{Cherry Blossoms in Bloom}

{Ruca & Kris playing fetch at Riverside Park}

 

{Dark Chocolate Almond Covered Strawberry Smoothies}

{Tacos al Carbon}

Walked 30 minutes/1.49 miles Cycled 22.93 minutes/4.35 miles

Total Miles: 5.84 miles

Return to Normalcy and FitBlogNYC!

It’s been 4 weeks since we moved into our new place, and I finally feel like life is returning to normal.  My laptop is finally (finally) unpacked and set up, and every minute isn’t consumed with the cycle of pack-clean-unpack-organize-repeat. 

{It’s safe to say I am obsessed with our new place and our new neighborhood!}

 

Our new place is just as close to the bike path as our old apartment was (with the added benefit of a park at the end of our street and a great neighborhood for running, walking and cycling), and Hubs had my bike tuned up for me on Wednesday so I am ready to ride again!  After spending all of last summer practically glued to my bike, I am so ready to say goodbye to the cold weather and get back on my bike!

Now that life is starting to settle down and I have time to fit my workouts (and hopefully blogging about my workouts!) in again, I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to attend this years Fitness Magazine Blogger Meet & Tweet in NYC! 

I can’t wait to meet with other bloggers who are as passionate about fitness and health, and to participate in this event!  Hubs is just as excited because if all works out, we may be able to catch the Yankees/Mariners game after the event!

Are you attending FitBlogNYC this year?

Wedding Recap {Cocktail Hour & Pictures}

As the sky opened up and washed away all of our carefully laid plans to take pictures on the lawn and the dock in front of the Mohawk River, I couldn’t help but laugh at the irony (and get Alanis Morrisette’s “It’s like raaaaain on your wedding day!” stuck in my head). 

 

{Ari felt my train was a perfect spot for a midday nap!  Still bummed about the Green Shoes, but I’ve learned that not everything goes according to plan – especially the things you spend months and months planning!}

My niece was hilarious during the cocktail hour while we were taking pictures.  For the first twenty minutes, she was nowhere to be found so we took a few rounds of posed photos without her, but when she did show up, she brought along her flair for the dramatic!

{The amazing DJ Eric from Cool Cat Entertainment}

As the photos went on (and on), I started to get impatient (and hungry!), and I was ready to get to our cocktail hour and meet up with our guests!

We opted to spend our cocktail hour with the bridal party in the bridal suite so that we could have a little bit of time to compose ourselves and get ready for a non-stop evening to follow.  Like so many other things we’d planned, the cocktail hour didn’t exactly go off without a hitch like we’d planned!

As my sisters, mom and Jen worked to bustle my dress, Kris and the boys had a few celebratory drinks, and dove into the cocktail hour display that was waiting for us in the suite.  I was pretty immobile while the girls worked on my bustle, and my loving husband graciously brought me coconut shrimp to munch on (fully aware that I would start to get irritable if I didn’t get food in my system!!).  We hit a small snag when a group of guests made their way up to the bridal suit, and I had another bridezilla moment – I was just feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of the day, and then the small suite packed with people (some who were dates of our guests that I didn’t even know) was just too much for me to handle.

Once we got a bit settled, it was time to really make things official and sign the marriage license!

As the bridal party got ready to make their entrances into the Grand Salon, our photographer had us line up for a few more fun shots.

{not to be outdone by his bride…}

After dropping my Hubs, my mom left the suite and headed downstairs to line up with the rest of the parents to be announced, and the bridesmaids and groomsmen planned their entrances.  As Kris and I stood behind our closest friends and family, my bustle came undone, and my anxiety heightened again (between the dress being a little big to begin with, and the bustle coming undone, I was nervous that my penchant for being ridiculously clumsy and my subsequent wardrobe malfunction would overshadow a big surprise that I’d been planning for my husband – and our guests – for the 6 months leading up to the wedding).