Current Heart: Cast Iron Grill...Where the *bleep* have you been all my life?

On Monday I got a surprise delivery via UPS from Ash. I ripped open the package to discover a nice and heavy cast iron grill.

Last time I visited Ash in Cali I noticed her grilling veggies on one and commented about how I needed to get one of my own (thanks again!).

Yesterday I tested it out by making asparagus. Oh Em Eff Gee. All I had to do was wash them, rub them in a little Olive Oil, and sprinkle on some salt and pepper. They tasted like they were straight from a backyard BBQ. Tonight I am going to grill some onions and peppers and then make Ash's cilantro rice recipe.

Also, a few things you should know re: cleaning the grill. DON'T USE SOAP. I did (oops!) and then read the package afterwards, which specifically said soap is a no-no. You also want to rinse it after you use it in warm water - and then wipe it down. I would recommend buying grilling spray instead of using oil to cook. Less mess and less fat.

30 Second Meals: Homemade "hummus" veggie wrap

(

(spread the hummus over the wrap.)

I've never made hummus before and I didn't want to spend a lot of time trying. I figured I could throw some ingredients together (that sounded about right) and hope for the best. It worked out!

What you need:

• 1 can of garbanzo beans
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 green onions (chopped)
• pepper (to taste)
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 to 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

For the wrap

• romaine lettuce
• tomato
• thinly sliced onion
• whatever else you got (some herbs would be nice)
• whole wheat tortillas

What you do:

• Blend the stuff for hummus in a food processor until thick and creamy
• Heat tortillas
  
• Spread hummus over tortilla
• Add veggies (chopped)
  
• Enjoy!

Day 30: Jess (WE DID IT!)

Yay! High five @Ash. We made it to day 3-0 of eating right (for the most part) and working out! I've finally found a sustainable way to incorporate workouts into my everyday routine. I weigh exactly the same (which is actually 7 pounds lighter than I weighed six months ago), but I feel better and my clothes fit better. Not to mention at least 5 people have commented that I look like I've lost weight.

Here's a breakdown.

Lost weight: no

Lost fat: yes

Gained muscle: yes

Goals = Met!

Hip Hip Hooray!

What I ate:

breakfast: whole wheat toast with peanut butter and banana

snack: raisins and almonds

snack: 1/4 tuna sandwich and a oatmeal cookie

lunch: black bean chili

snack: pickle

snack: 2 percent Greek yogurt with blueberries and strawberries

dinner: sauteed sweet potato, garlic and spinach

snack: raisins and nuts

fluids: four 8oz glasses of h2o

Workout situation: Soon come.

Highlight: Day 30

Lowlight: Day 30 =(

Day 29: Ash

Wow...has it been a month already?

here's what I ate:
Breakfast: 2 cream biscuits
Snack: apple
Snack 2: 2 club crackers (I stole them from the salad bar at school)
Snack 3: Pistachios
Lunch: 1 slice of Zachary's Pizza (the last one!)
Dinner: Minimal Stir Fry w/ loads of veggies, brown rice, sliced grilled beef
Snack 4: two teeny tiny mini peanut butter cups
I found my Nalgene and finished 32+ ozs today!

Exercise: Ran 2.2 miles in 18 minutes this morning before work (that's about a 8:10 mile!)

Highlight: Exercise in the morning was pretty refreshing
Lowlight: None today really...

Day 29: Jess (almost there)

what I ate:
breakfast: whole wheat toast with peanut butter and banana
snack: almonds and raisins
lunch: 3/4 cup of chili
snack: 1 piece of leftover pizza
dinner: 1/2 cup of chili
snack: 2 percent Greek yogurt with strawberries, blueberries and granola
dinner 2: 1/2 cup of chili
snack: granola
Fluids: four 8oz glasses of h2o

Workout situation: Running a Marathon. NOT!
Highlight: Pizza was still yummy three days later
Lowlight: A little too much chili

Day 28: Jess (still sore)

What I ate:
breakfast: whole wheat toast with peanut butter and banana
lunch 1: sauteed spinach and 1/2 baked sweet potato
lunch 2: veggies in a tortilla
lunch 3: leftover slice of pizza
dinner: 1/2 cup of vegetarian chili
snack: serving of carob covered raisins

Chili How-to:
This chili was inspired by this recipe, but I changed it up quite a bit.
What you need:
1 zucchini
1 summer squash (yellow)
1/8 cup of chili powder (or more)
1/8 cup of berebre spice
1/3 cup of olive oil
1-28oz can of crushed tomato
1 cup of water
3 cans of black beans
2 large white onions
pinch of cinnamon
2 tablespoons of honey
5 cloves of chopped garlic
Optional: Mozzarella cheese and an avocado (now that I think of it, cilantro could be good too)

What you do:
step 1: saute onion, chili powder and berbere in Olive Oil
step two: add tomato, garlic, squash, zucchini, honey (bring to boil and simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes)
step 3: add beans, water, cinnamon (remove lid and let reduce for 30 minutes)
step 5: add cheese and chopped avocados

Workout Situation: Not so much
Highlight: My chili
Lowlight: Could have used more protein, possibly

Day 27: Jess (Best italian food restaurant ...PEROD.)

Last time my Cali girls visited Brooklyn, we discovered the BEST Italian restaurant ever. I haven't eaten there in over a month and a half, but I never stop thinking about that place. On day 27 I decided it was time to make a special trip to the restaurant (so sorry I forget the name, but it was on Vanderbilt near Atlantic in Prospect Heights).

what I ate:
breakfast: whole wheat toast with a piece of banana and peanut butter
snack: two eggs and some strawberries
dinner: half of a garden salad, two pieces of garlic bread, 1 cup of baked ziti and one slice of fresh basil, olive oil, tomato and motz pizza (thin crust). Speechless.
snack: 1 cup of baked ziti (leftover)

Workout situation: Hour long workout with my homegirl (included cardio and weights).

Highlight: Ittttalliaaaaaannoooo.

Lowlight: Not enough veggies

Ash: Day 28

Sunday...more blah...still not enough food.

Breakfast/Lunch: 2 Merguez Sausages, Basmati Rice, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Grilled Tomato
Snack: Apple, handful of cornuts
Snack 2: 2 cream biscuits (same recipe, I am addicted) w/strawberry preserves
Dinner: 1/2 cup Grape Nuts Flakes w/soya

Exercise: Housecleaning...

Highlight: Finding that Merguez sausage...it had been too long.
Lowlight: Still not enough food. Not enough veggies. Not enough a lot of stuff...I'm working on it.

Ash: Day 27

My Aunt passed away this past weekend, so today was her funeral. Needless to say it didn't help the fact that I haven't been eating enough for the past few days.

Here's what I ate:

Breakfast: Small slice of leftover mushroom/spinach pizza from last night
Snack: Apple
Lunch: Sizzler! HAHAHA. Okay I made two trips to the salad bar: two small tacos filled with beans, pico de gallo, lettuce, cheese, salad + I ate 1/3 of my "steak" and half of my baked potato. I went up for the frozen yogurt after wards, but I didn't even eat it. It was reminding me wayyy to much of dorm food. Yuck. But good times w/fam.
Dinner: A Chick Wang Thang @ Art Nelson's. Fried Chicken, Beer, Rice and Veggies. Delicious!

Exercise: not much...

Highlight: Chicken Wangs!
Lowlight: Chicken Wangs! (this is becoming a pattern)

Day 26: Jess (when all else fails, make tacos!)

(Garbanzo bean tacos!)

Tofu stir-fry. The tofu looks like chicken (maybe because it was homemade and not so perfectly square? )

Today we experienced a major snowstorm (actually the fourth biggest snowstorm we have had in NYC ever.) I was snowed in and had to make a dollar out of 15 cents, in terms of my meals. (I didn't feel like braving the blizzard to buy groceries.)

What I ate:

breakfast: whole wheat toast with peanut butter and a banana

snack: apple

snack: raisins and almonds

lunch: leftover tofu, Swiss chard stir-fry and brown rice

dinner: two garbanzo bean tacos (beans, onions, lettuce and tomatoes on a corn tortilla...I spiced the beans with garlic cumin, red pepper flakes, pepper and thyme. Then I sprinkled the top with a little Parmesan cheese.)

snack: two more tacos

snack: half of a strawberry cupcake

fluids: four 8oz glasses of H2O and one glass of red wine

OOPS: I forgot to add that yesterday I had a large serving of carob covered raisins and a small handful of corn nuts

Workout situation: 10 minutes of dancing in my apartment followed by an hour of dancing at a lounge

Highlight: My meals were all satisfying.

Lowlight: I had to "fry" the taco shells in oil.

Ash: Day 26

I think I am sick of Mexican Food. (I can't believe I am saying this)

What I ate:

Breakfast: 1/2 cup dry Whole Grain High Fiber Joes O's
Snack: 1/3 Lara Bar (Cashew Cookie)
Lunch: Chicken/Veggie Chimichanga, Rice, Beans, Guac (I threw more than half of it away, and I am pretty sure it was good.)
Dinner: 2 slices of mushroom spinach pizza from Zachary's Famous Chicago Style Pizza, Salad

Highlight: Hella good pizza
Lowlight: Hella good pizza

Exercise: I walked 3 miles today, I wore a pedometer! :)

Day 25: Jess (Beef, It's what's for dinner. NOT!)

Today was a first for me. I had to cook MEAT (steak! beeeeeeef!) in my food science lab. I'm not a dramatic person, but I practically threw up in my mouth and had to excuse myself to go to the LR (Ladies Room). I also wore gloves when handling the carcass. God it stunk so bad! I asked my professor if I should wash it. She said no, cooking kills the germs. I washed it anyway.

Then I had to mechanically tenderize it by covering it with plastic wrap and pounding it with a wooden device. Grokie. I have not eaten meat in 15 years, and now I am even more certain about why. There was so much fat on my little piece. I asked the professor what to do with it and she said just leave it there. Then when it was done cooking the fat had melted all into the steak. I felt myself starting to hyperventilate. It was all bubbly and juicy, but dry looking at the same time. After it was all said and done, my classmates did taste test evaluations (other folks in the class prepared different kinds of fish and chicken).

I'm trying not to be one of those annoying vegetarian haters (too late?) so kudos to all of you who have the strength to handle that on the regular. I was absolutely traumatized.

what I ate:

breakfast: whole wheat toast with peanut butter and a banana on top

snack: almonds and raisins

lunch: leftover swiss chard and tofu stir-fry with brown rice

snack: 2 percent greek yogurt with nuts, raisins, and strawberries

dinner: 1 egg one small potato fritatta with a spinach and apple salad (btw a fritatta is when you heat up something - potatoes, whatever - and then once it is cooked you put eggs on top of it and cover it. You sort of let the eggs steam. Or at least that is how I make it. Here are other instructions.)

snack: apple, nuts and raisins

fluids: four (or five?) 8oz glasses of H2O

Workout situation: 30 Minutes of Namaste yoga via FitTV

Highlight: The snow was nice at first

Lowlight: The snow got ugly real fast