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December 28, 2009

west meets east

Filed under: Blog,Holidays — Tags: , , — Kristen :) @ 11:06 pm

Today was another great day, not having anything to do with work or school, and I think I may just as well go into shock when I have to go back : /

It started like most any other day, except I got to sleep in till 7:30am, I ate breakfast when their was actually glorious sunlight pouring through the windows, and I didn’t have to worry about going to work or school . . . so wait, I guess it wasn’t like most any other day! . . . another great thing about today was my first bloggie meet-up with Diana from The Chic Life! I was so excited and a bit nervous to meet with a fellow blogger, but I don’t consider her a stranger at all.  It’s like we were long lost friends catching up!  Reading all your different blogs, it feels like we are some how connected, and I feel so lucky to be apart of this blogging community where there are so many wonderful people.

I really enjoy reading her blog and her photography is stellar for someone who doesn’t think they know a lot about photography!  I’ve seen other meet-ups in the blogworld and I’ve been wanting to because it looks like such fun.  There aren’t too many bloggers in the Las Vegas area I don’t think, so it’s fun to meet new friends when you have the opportunity to over the holidays.

After much contemplation, because there are just so many choices out there, we decided to meet at a place called ‘Toast’.  It is absolutely adorable!!!  I go crazy over local places like this, so it was perfect.

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Isn’t it cozy?

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I already had a small bowl of cereal for breakfast, but I couldn’t decide if I wanted to continue with breakfast or lunch.  I am so indecisive when it comes to menu items, especially when there are so many good ones to choose from!  I read many reviews praising them for their breakfast, so I decided I should try breakfast!

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One of their specials was raspberry walnut pancakes, but I was also eyeing the cheese quiche.  I always like to order items that I would never really get anywhere else, and these two made it really hard to choose.  Diana helped with my decision and said to try the pancakes since they are quite unique, and I’m glad I did!  They were scrumptious.  Every bite had a tart/sweet zing from the raspberries and a nice toasty crunch from the walnuts.  I also drizzled some real maple syrup on the side and had one strip of crispy bacon.  Yum!  I could only finish half and took the rest to-go.

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Diana went for the chicken gumbo and 1/2 turkey reuben.  She graciously offered me a sample of the sammie and it was sure tasty!

Photo shots courtesy of Diana 🙂

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IMG_6339 Afterwards, we decided to hit up a nearby Starbucks to continue the conversation.  I think we chatted the whole 3 hours or so!  I was feeling like some hot tea since it was chilly outside and we both ordered some Zen, which is green tea with lemongrass and spearmint.  I would highly recommend this one and I think I may have to get a box for myself.

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We also shared a cinnamon chip scone and of course this was awesome, flaky and butterlicious, laced with pockets of cinnamon streusel.

Oh boy I’m on a carbo overload!  Dinner will include something green 🙂

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Thanks Diana for a great meet-up!  It was so nice getting to meet with someone who shares similar beliefs and passions and is such a nice person!  My heart is full and I’m so glad we were able to get together with the short time that I have here.  I still may try to meet up again for some zumba hopefully!

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After picking my mom up from work, we didn’t have too much time before the b-ball game and just grabbed something quick for dinner.  I made a big salad with sweet tater casserole on the side.  It was actually good used like a dressing for the salad, and I scooped a little bit of the casserole with each bite 🙂

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The Charlotte Bobcats basketball game was a lot of fun!  Chris, being the big sports fan that he is, was really looking forward to it 🙂  GO BOBCATS!

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They had a pretty big victory and afterwards we decided to check out the EpiCentre downtown.

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It has shops, restaurants and also a movie theater.  We wanted to see if there were any places open for some dessert, but everything was closing!  I guess we weren’t in Vegas anymore 🙂 The movie theater is neat because it has a restaurant attached and you can eat and drink in the theaters!  Diana said they have nice plushy chairs too.  Very posh and chic inside. . .

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Oh man, I’m pooped!  Maybe I’ve finally adjusted to east coast time.  Tomorrow will be filled with chasing around my little cousin who is visiting!

Hope you all had a nice Monday 🙂

December 27, 2009

fitting it all in

Filed under: Blog,Holidays — Tags: , — Kristen :) @ 11:33 pm

It is so true that I will have the time to get back into gym mode when I get back.  So I just need to stop worrying about it like you guys said!  It was actually a most beautiful day and the sun was shining!  I should have went for a run or something, but alas there were other activities to fit in the day 🙂

IMG_6283After breakfast, we headed to my step dad’s race shop for a little tour.  Even though this shop isn’t as big as some of the shops he’s worked at, it still amazes me how much time and energy goes into the racing industry.  It’s really neat.

Here are a few shots from the inside . . .

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My step dad said I can’t really post all the pictures we took 🙂

Next, we headed to a shopping mall called Birkdale.  They have a bunch of different shops with condos above and it’s fun to walk around, especially when the weather is nice.

For lunch we stopped at a place called Brixx which has the best oven roasted pizza mmm the crust is thin and crispy.

IMG_6298I started out with the Brixx salad and Chris got the tortilla soup special.  The salad is topped with goat cheese, pine nuts and a light balsamic vinaigrette, but I passed on the croutons and bread.

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We shared the BBQ pizza (I had 2 slices) and it was really good even though they forgot to take off the onions!  ewww!

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We also decided to share a tall NF peppermint mocha from Starbucks.  I haven’t had one of these in a long time too!

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IMG_6308After walking around Birkdale for a bit, we decided we had to stop at the Soda Shop, a cute little eatery in Davidson that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. It has some pretty yummy sammies and other deli type selections along with many milkshake flavors, but my favorite part is the sweet tater fries!  We had to fit them in 🙂

Isn’t this the cutest downtown?  I adore places like this!

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Checkerboard tile and all . . .

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And for the finale . . .

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Oh boy these are quite addicting!  I portioned out 10 slices and Chris ate the rest mmm  It’s a good thing we don’t live close to here.

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Not much going on for the rest of the night, probably picking at leftovers and hanging out 🙂  My aunt and little cousin decided to come into town tomorrow to visit for a few days and we’re going to a Charlotte Bobcats game!  Not sure about the bloggie meet up yet, but we’ll see!

it’s a beautiful day

Filed under: Blog,Breakfast,Holidays — Tags: , — Kristen :) @ 3:52 pm

I can’t believe I am actually making a single meal post and not a long recap after a few days.  It’s so nice to be able to have that little extra time and enjoy the little things that make me happy girl 🙂

This morning was a lazy one!  After my mom left for work, and while my step dad and Chris were still sleeping, I got caught up on my blog addiction and made a lovely bowl of oats . . .

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This bowl contained:

  • 1/2 cup 1% milk, 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup TJ’s quick cook steel cut oats
  • 1/3 cup cooked sweet potato
  • 1/4 mashed naner
  • cinnamon and nutmeg
  • Toppings included Nature’s Path pumpkin granola, a few cinnamon Puffins and 1/2 sliced banana plus more cinnamon for sprinkling

Yum!!  It was my kind of morning.

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Now we are getting ready to leave and see the race shop where my step dad works as a tire specialist for a Nascar race team.  Many of the Nascar race shops are located in NC.

Next on our stop will hopefully include a tasty lunch at a cute place called the Soda Shop (love their sweet tater fries!) and some walking around at a place called Birkdale which has lots of shopping and condos above.  I love going there and walking around!

Hope you all are having a nice break too!  I have to say I’m beginning to feel a bit guilty about not hitting the gym as hard as I usually do and I can definitely feel it.  And that time of the month saying hello isn’t helping either : /  I don’t have access to a gym or equipment and it’s been chilly here, which is no excuse.  I know that I can get back at it when we return next week, so I am telling myself to just enjoy the break and family time and watch portions 🙂  I may need to buy some kind of workout video.

Have you been able to keep up your exercise routine?

December 26, 2009

it’s good to be home

Filed under: Blog,Comfort foods,Desserts,Dinner,Holidays — Tags: , , , , — Kristen :) @ 3:10 am

IMG_6173 Even though I was born and raised in Las Vegas, I consider ‘home’ to be anywhere family is really, and right now that is North Carolina.  It has been so nice getting to visit with my mom, step dad and grandparents!

I just feel so relaxed and happy here.  It’s nice to have a break from school and work, but I really shouldn’t be taking too big of a break.

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Our flight was without hiccups and we arrived late Wednesday evening.  Thursday we didn’t do a whole heck of a lot and slept in late, which was really nice.  We drove to Trader Joe’s and picked up a few last minute things.  For dinner I decided to make the Sausage Broccoli Pasta that is always a hit and my mom’s favorite dish.  It’s so easy and yummy!  She also had a bottle of Charles Shaw Chardonnay and it wasn’t all that bad actually.  I had a glass and a 1/2.

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After dinner we decided to watch The Hangover.  I’ve never seen this one before and it was pretty darn funny!  I sure hope that doesn’t really happen in Vegas! lol

Of course there was some munchin’ during the movie and we broke out the stash of popcorn my mom has.  Think we have enough?  The Trader Joe’s Lite Kettle Corn is my fav and I had a small bowl of that mixed with the regular lite popcorn and a few small clusters of the moose munch.  That stuff is too rich!  I also had a glass of Celestial Seasonings Mint Green tea which is my favorite after dinner tea.

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Today my mom had to work, but I just spent most of the rainy day prepping the sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie and turkey for dinner while Chris and my step dad watched sports.

Here’s what I had for lunch while drooling over the Southern Living Magazine and their praline pull-apart bread recipe 🙂  A simple pressed turkey sammie with roasted red pepper hummus, muenster cheese and 1/4 avocado.  I think I could just read recipes all day . . .

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IMG_6228I had an apple for an afternoon snack and my cat Tweety likes to lick the core!  So funny!

I was a little worried about the turkey though because my mom had only taken it out of the freezer a day and a 1/2 before!  It was only 14 lbs, but it needed at least 3-4 days to defrost.  So when I got up this morning I made a quick cold water bath for it, changed it a few times during the day and prayed that it would defrost and not get too warm.

At 2:30pm when I went to get the bird ready it was still kind of frozen in the middle, eek!!  So we ran some cold water down the cavity and pulled all the bagged middle stuff out.  It was actually the first time I have made a turkey all by myself!  After patting it dry, I rubbed the turkey and underneath the skin with this mix:

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp dried thyme
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
  • 1-2 tsp poultry seasoning
  • garlic powder
  • salt and pepper

Place it in a roasting pan, breast up with 2 cups of chicken broth in the bottom of the pan.  Roast at 425 F for 30 min, then turn down the oven to 325 F and roast until the meaty part of the thigh reaches 165-170.  Be sure to baste it with the broth every 30 minutes or so.  Take it out of the oven and tent with foil for 20 minutes to rest.  This was the moistest turkey I think I’ve ever had!!  I was so relieved that it tasted good and everyone enjoyed it 🙂

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My mom had a Charles Shaw Merlot, and while it was nothing to sing home about, it was an easy red that didn’t over power anything else too much.

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I also made a sweet potato casserole from Cooking Light.  It was great, but next time I think I will reduce the sugar a bit more.

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Everything else we had alongside was really yummy too!

IMG_6245My grandma made corn bread stuffing and fruit salad.  We also had a green salad, honey baked ham, and Chris made some awesome gravy.  I’m not a gravy person, but his was really good!

Here’s my plate . . .

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IMG_6180And then . . . DESSERT!  I made another recipe from Cooking Light called vanilla bourbon pumpkin tart, except I didn’t have a spring form pan or bourbon and made a gingersnap crust, so it’s kind of like pumpkin cheesecake.  I also doubled the spices of course 🙂  FYI a few teaspoons of amaretto in whipped cream is amazing!

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Oh boy, I think I’m going to pop!  It was all so delicious.  I only had 1 glass of wine and 1 plate and I’m still full, but not uncomfortably full.  My biggest weakness is when we put all the food away I find myself taking more little bites and licking spoons darn it!

I hope you all had a nice Christmas if you celebrate and I can’t wait to read about all your holiday festivities soon!

I think tomorrow my mom and I are going to wake up early and do a little shopping to try and find some deals.  Maybe we’ll stop by the Carolina Blonde Brewery for a little tour?  So many things to try and do still with the family, and I love that nothing of it has to do with work or school 🙂

What’s your favorite part of the holidays??

December 22, 2009

even more holiday parties

Filed under: Blog,Holidays — Tags: , , , , — Kristen :) @ 9:26 pm

IMG_6023 Sorry I’ve been MIA lately!  I seemed to have killed yet another hard drive, so I have been without a computer for a little while.  While the hard drive that I was using was an old one from Chris’ laptop, he let me borrow yet another laptop from his work.  Hopefully I can keep this one functioning until mine comes back again.  I anticipate that it will be back today, just in time before I leave to see my mom!  I’m actually hoping that it will break one more time though, because if it does I’ll be able to get a new one yippee!  I haven’t had the greatest luck with my new laptop, while I had my last one for 7 years with no troubles hmmm

IMG_5988Anyway, I wanted to re-cap on some more holiday parties!  On Friday night we were going to have another couple come over for a fun pizza making party.  Unfortunately, our one friend got stuck at work till late and they decided to cancel 🙁  But, Chris and I still had a bunch of fun making pizza and drinking a little vino together!  It’s a super fun idea for a party though.  You simply make the dough and toppings the night before, take the dough out about 4 hours before the party to come to room temperature and then let your guests assemble to their liking.  This is also great if you have vegetarian guests because everything can be kept separate too.

Toppings included: chicken sausage, mushrooms, roasted squash, roasted bell peppers, olives and cheese!

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IMG_5987I have to say that the Willow Springs cab is THE best I’ve had, and it goes really well with a 5 year aged Gouda that I picked up from Whole Foods for a treat, & at $15.99/lb I don’t get it very often.  The cab is incredibly fruity and luscious with a nice balance of tannin and earth.  Pretty much any fruity red goes well with gouda though.  Chris’ parents got this cab for us from a wine club they belonged to, but I’m not sure if it can even be ordered anymore 🙁

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IMG_5973We also had some little munchie things for appetizers, including whole grain crackers, roasted red pepper hummus and bell pepper strips.  It was a lot of fun!  I had a glass & a 1/2 of the wine and I also downed a coconut water afterwards, I find it helps with hydration and any tummy issues 🙂

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The next morning I had prepped this breakfast casserole (adapted from CookingLight) and it was super easy to just plop in the oven.  This is great for company 🙂 I use 1/2 the bread it calls for and add in lots more veggies.

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IMG_6061The next party was the cookie exchange with the SwankyRD!  It was so nice to see Kristen again and chat with everyone there.  Oh my goodness, there were cookies and goodies everywhere!!  I ended up filling up two plates full of them since Kristen said to take them away hehe I actually didn’t eat too much at the party surprisingly, but did have a glass of red wine, an appetizer sandwich, some veggies and about a bite from 6 cookies.  They were all delicious!

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IMG_6000I decided to make the gluten-free chocolate chip cookies from Tam, which turned out to be phenomenal in my opinion.  I could hardly tell the difference between regular chocolate chip and to tell the truth I liked them better!  Check out the recipe here.  I also made chocolate baklava from Cooking Light and it was a huge hit too.  Even though this recipe is a bit time consuming with all the phyllo layers, I would highly recommend it.

Aren’t they just precious?  Yes, I talk to my food and love every aspect that goes into it.  It’s just so neat 🙂

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The baklava was to die for with every heavenly layer of phyllo, melted butter, nutella, pistachios, almonds, walnuts, cinnamon and honey.  Yum!

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IMG_2039After the party Kristen and I decided to check out Chef Guy Fieri’s Road Show at the House of Blues.  It was a lot of fun to see him in person!  I just wish he would have went on sooner because by 10 o’clock, I’m pooped.  We left at 11:30 and it still wasn’t quite over.  Afterwards, I wanted to grab something to eat and decided on a self-serve yogurt shop next door, I know not the best, but it was sure refreshing!  We decided to check out the lounge/club in the Mandalay Bay called the Foundation Room.  It was actually a lot of fun and the DJ was playing some great music.  Even though there wasn’t much of a dance floor, weIMG_2040 were sure getting our groove on 🙂  I love to dance, especially hip hop, and could dance all night practically, but knew I better head back before my body started to rebel from lack of sleep.  I didn’t get to bed until 2am!  I haven’t done that in ages.

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There sure was a nice view from the top!

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I didn’t even have any drinks, but the next day I tried to get up early and my head was throbbing, so I went back to sleep till 11am!  I haven’t done that in ages either, geezsh, I think I’m getting old 🙂  It was such a fun night though.

I can’t believe we are leaving to see my mom tomorrow!!  I’m so excited to just get away for a little while.  We don’t get back till the 2nd, but I still plan on blogging if my computer doesn’t break first.

I may be doing my first blogger meet-up too!  I’ve been talking with Laural and Diana who both live in the same area as my mom, so that should be fun.  I’m really looking forward to it.  I just adore all of you guys and all you do.

In other news . . . I’m hoping to make a final decision on a thesis topic, dun dun dun. . .   Here’s what I’m thinking so far, let me know what you think . . . Emily gave me the greatest idea to look at the use of probiotics in athletes and then I want to look at the rates of URTIs/sick days in athletes in a collegiate winter sport.  Or I was wanting to look at the benefits of corporate wellness or do something with corporate wellness because I have an interest with this as a future career.  I have to figure out how I would even do these studies along with research, research, research.  Thanks for all your ideas and encouragement!

I have also finally purchased a new blog template for WordPress!!!!  I’ve been wanting to do this and spruce up the blog for a long long time now.  I’m a bit overwhelmed with how to use it and transfer everything over, but hopefully I can figure it out over the little break.  I also contacted Zesty to see if he can help out, so stay tuned!  Maybe I’ll have to do some kind of new blog giveaway?  It will be a surprise!

Many thanks for all your support and wonderful comments.  I love everything about this blogging community, and while we may get a few negative comments here and there, all the positive ones make all the difference in the world to me.  I send you wonderful holiday wishes, yummy food and dishes, and happy new beginnings all year through 🙂

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

December 18, 2009

lots of comfort & the winner is . . .

Filed under: Blog,Comfort foods — Tags: , , , , , — Kristen :) @ 5:04 am

Hello everyone!  How is your week going so far?  I was so impressed by how many of you are on top of all your gifts this year!  I am still way behind, ugh!  But I’m not going to freak out about it.  I am also feeling much much better, still kind of coughy in the mornings, but much better thank goodness.  Humidifiers help me tremendously and I usually sleep with a sheet over my nose so I have moist air to breathe.  Is that weird?  . . .

I really enjoy the foods of winter because they are warm, comforting and mighty tasty!  It seems like I’ve been on a roll lately with the down home country cookin’.  These kinds of foods are also the best for leftovers and can be transformed to other dishes.

I just wanted to share a couple nice recipes that I enjoy during the winter and also announce the coconut water giveaway winner!!

The first one is cornbread-topped chicken pot pie mmmm!  Chris and I really enjoy this one and the addition of the leeks gives it such a wonderful flavor.  Give it a try it’s really yummy.

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The next one is my version of Italian-style meatloaf.  Gotta love all that gooey cheese in the middle!  This time I paired it with sautéed haricot verts with caramelized shallot and pecans, along with some roasted fingerling potatoes.  You know I never really eat ketchup unless I’m at a restaurant or if I make meatloaf!  For me I have to have ketchup with meatloaf 🙂

Mix this all in a big bowl:

  • 2 lbs lean ground beef
  • 1 jar TJ’s bruschetta mix
  • 1/3-1/2 cup quick oats
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 onion, diced & sautéed in a pan (I threw in some mushrooms too)
  • seasonings:  Herbs de Provence (or Italian Seasoning), garlic powder, salt, pepper
  • topped with a bit of ketchup
  • Mozzarella cheese for stuffing

IMG_5888 Pre-heat oven to 375 F.  Take about a handful of the meat mixture at a time to form about four, 1/2 mini meat loaves on a foil lined broiler pan.  Place some mozzarella cheese down in the center and then top with the rest of the meat mixture.  Make sure there aren’t any seams open, or the cheese will ooze out when baked.

Bake until a thermometer registers 155 F, take them out of the oven and let rest until the temperature raises to 160 F.  Enjoy!!

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It looks like it has a giant tongue!

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You can also make stuffed meatloaf burgers!

With the leftover meatloaf this time I chopped it up and threw it in some tomato and roasted red pepper soup from TJ’s, along with some veggies and pasta.  It was great & easy!

Ok, now on to the fun stuff . . .

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—–> COCONUT WATER GIVEAWAY! <——

Thank you for your interest in my post about coconut water.  I find it fascinating!  I also agree with many of you on the downside of its expense.  It is pretty darn pricey at $1.99/per 8oz carton and a bit less if you buy the larger bulk carton.  It’s also not as accessible as regular sports drinks and can be very hard to find at grocery stores here in the US.  It sure is a refreshing treat though.

The two winners of 5 individual coconut waters are . . . (generated by RANDOM.org)

*Naomi* & Lori

Congrats guys!  E-mail me kristen@eatingrd.com with your address and I’ll try to get that out before the holidays.  Let me know if you like it or even hate it 🙂

On Friday we are having some friends over for a pizza-making party!  I’m excited because I love these kinds of parties.  Everyone gets to make their own pizza and chose from different toppings.  It’s not really holiday themed, but it’s fun & will involve some vino!  Saturday I’m going to be baking like a mad person for the cookie exchange I’m going hosted by Kristen, the swanky dietitian.  I’m looking forward to it!  It’s going to be tough with all those cookies around calling my name, but we’ll see how I do.  I’m thinking about making a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie from Tam, but I can’t decide on the other?  I was thinking either chocolate baklava or mint chocolate cookies.  What do you think I should make??  There are too many good recipes out there, help me decide!

Hope you all have a great weekend!  I can’t believe Christmas is just about here, but I’m just excited about going to visit my mom 🙂

December 14, 2009

more holiday parties

Filed under: Blog,Holidays — Kristen :) @ 5:32 am

IMG_5949Well, the weekend was full of holiday cheer, lots of goodies and 2 more holiday inspired parties!

I am officially battling some kind of bug, but I’m not down and out and enjoyed them as much as I could 🙂  I just hate being sick and icky feeling, but I’m hoping I can fight it off in the coming week before I leave to see my mom!

Friday night was Chris’ work department holiday party.  It was a lot of fun to meet all the people that Chris works with and everyone is very nice!

Check out the spread!  My favorite part was the salad bar and the awesome bowls.  I wanted to take them 🙂

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The food was traditional Turkey Day style with roasted turkey, stuffing, chicken marsala, veggies and mashed taters.

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Here is my plate with all the fixings.  I didn’t eat all the taters and some of the turkey.  I also went back for some more veggies & a bit of stuffing.

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IMG_5924 Of course there always seems to be all kinds of desserts at these functions, so I had a small slice of cake and a 1/2 of a sugar cookie.

Chris & I brought the cake from Freed’s bakery.  I thought it was good, but the cake layer wasn’t big enough and the frosting/mousse dominated.  I’m not much of a frosting person, but it still was yummy.

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IMG_5936They also had a white elephant gift exchange.  Have you played this before?  Oh my gosh, it was hilarious to see the person’s face when they opened the gift!  Most of them were gag gifts, but that’s the fun of it.  Chris got this nice reindeer jelly bean dispenser.  What’s really funny though is that the expiration date for this thing is December 2005!!  I guess it’s been re-gifted a few times? 😉  Other gifts included a leopard snuggie, old musk perfume, a lava lamp and a slap chop hehe

The next party we went to was at my supervisor’s house on Saturday night.  Boy she went all out!  The food was wonderful.  Chris and I couldn’t stay long because we had to meet some friends at BJ’s later.  Talk about running around!

Here’s the spread . . .

I loved the tables with labeled cheeses to go with the white and red wines.  I tried the middle wine which was a cab from Chile.  It was very earthy and rich, which I love.  You really can’t go wrong with a wine from Chile.  I had a glass of wine and a slice of cheese.

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Here’s the main spread with lots of yumminess!

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Chris and I shared a small plate since we were going to be eating again in a couple hours.  My favorite were the spanakopitas!!!  I had to have two of these.  My supervisor is Greek, so these were homemade and delicious.  I also enjoyed a bite of baked brie mmm

Yet again another dessert table that looked wonderful!

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I had a bite of the mint chocolate chip cookie and a bite of a sugar cookie.  There was also fondue, fruit and port.  What a great host!

After leaving, we headed to BJ’s to meet some friends for a little get together.  I wasn’t really that hungry, so we shared a salad and a mini vegetarian pizza.  I also had a taster (5oz) of their nutty brunette brew.  I didn’t feel stuffed, but was definitely full.  I’m glad I didn’t go overboard.  Many times when I think I want to keep eating, I just take a step back and ask myself how I want to feel afterwards.  I hate that over-stuffed blah feeling & try not to go there 🙂

I’d say I did pretty good with the holiday intervention strategies, although it seems like all we’ve been doing is eating!!  I can’t wait till I get to feeling 100% again because I have to say I’ve been slacking on the gym with finals and presentations.  I tend to get cranky if I miss the gym time 🙂

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I tried to get some Christmas shopping done this weekend and failed horribly.  It took me 25 minutes to find a parking spot at the mall & by that point I didn’t have the patience for all the crowds!  I have yet to get most of my gifts and I’m not sure for about 1/2 of them . . . eek!  I can’t really spend that much either.  Chris & I were actually thinking about donating to a charity for some of our family.  Would that be lame?  I thought that would be really nice since so many out there are really struggling this time of year.

I’m working more this week to make up for the hours I’ll be gone to see my mom 🙁 but it will be worth it. I hope you all have a wonderful week!

How’s your holiday shopping coming along?

If you haven’t yet, be sure to enter the coconut water giveaway!

December 11, 2009

a little info on coco water & a giveaway!!!

Filed under: Blog,Sports Nutrition — Tags: , — Kristen :) @ 1:31 am

Remember how I was going to look at coconut water for my thesis a little while ago?  Well, I’m still not able to really do it for a thesis, but I still used it for my proposal paper and presentation for my Research Methods class!

I wanted to share with you some of my research findings, which are actually quite interesting. . . and there may or may not be some kind of giveaway included at the end 😉  I also wanted to thank Laural for sending me research that she found which was a huge help.

First a little history about coconut water . . .

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Much of the research I did find on it included its use as a fluid replacement for patients with gastroenteritis and cholera, and has even been used as an intravenous solution for those third world countries with limited resources.

The picture on the left is an actual coconut hooked up to an IV drip!  This patient was doing pretty poorly and wasn’t able to tolerate many of his feedings and was becoming dangerously dehydrated.  Upon initiation of the coconut water for a short term IV solution, the patient started to turn around for the better.  This is amazing to me!

There are six stages of coconut development, with the youngest green stage being the one where the most fluid can be found (1/2 – 1L of fluid).  As the coconut ages and browns, the flesh becomes more prominent, and the free fluid decreases.  Coconut milk is the emulsion of the flesh and water from the latter stages of development.

Even the amount of electrolytes and flavor can change between stages of coconut development, and whether it is a coastline coconut or inland coconut can also slightly change its nutritional characteristics.  Coconut water is also fairly isotonic.

Compared to conventional electrolyte beverages, coconut water is slightly lower in calories, has less sodium, slightly less sugar, and considerably more potassium.  This brand also has a great source of Vitamin C.

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Looking at the use of coconut water with athletes, the research was much more limited and hard to find.  I did find two studies that found some pretty good results.  Let me know if you would like references.

The first study by Saat, M et al. found a slightly less percent rehydration in the regular coconut water compared to a sports drink, but the difference wasn’t significant.  The study by Ismail, I et al. then found that sodium-enriched coconut water rehydrated just the same if not better as a sports drink.  Those subjects in the coconut water groups also experienced less GI distress (fullness, bloating, nausea, etc) and were able to finish their last bolus of fluid to meet their sweat rates.

I thought the finding of it causing less GI stress to be very interesting.  I myself have a hard time consuming fluids during high intensity activity sometimes, especially running or anything that jostles the stomach contents.

Up to 42% of endurance athletes have experienced some form of GI distress during or after an activity (van Niewenhoven et al, 2005)

Many athletes can fail to hydrate properly due to GI distress, which can greatly impact overall performance.  Coconut water could be a great option for those who have trouble consuming sufficient fluids during strenuous activity, especially if they have another event/training session that same day.  I think the coconut water companies should introduce an ‘endurance line’ featuring a higher sodium content to cater towards endurance athletes to really call their product a ‘sports drink’.

Even though regular coconut water is not as high in sodium as ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) recommends for ‘sports drinks’ (110mg per 8oz), both studies concluded that coconut water can be used for whole body rehydration after exercise induced dehydration & even may cause less GI distress compared to sports drinks.

Well, there you have it in a nutshell! –er I mean coconut shell!  I myself enjoy the taste of coconut water because it is really refreshing and is easy on my tummy.  It isn’t really sweet either which I like.  Think of lactose, the slightly sweet milk sugar, but not as milky 🙂

If you ever wanted to know how to open a green coconut & have a handy dandy machete hanging around, click here.  This is just a funny video 🙂

—> GIVEAWAY TIME!!!! <—

I contacted the brand VitaCoco and they graciously offered to send me some of their coconut water to have my class sample for the presentation, and I had some leftover.  Some of them are the flavored kind (pomegranate, pineapple, passion fruit, peach/mango) and I believe I have some kind of sensitivity to citrus so I can’t really drink all of them.  So I thought, let’s do a GIVEAWAY!!!  Yay!

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Let me know if you’ve ever tried coconut water and what you think of it.  I’ll pick two winners who will get 5 individual samples to try!  You can also tweet ‘I want to try some coconut water from EatingRD!’ and link back to this post for an extra entry.  I’ll randomly choose the winners on December 17th @ 9pm PT.

In other good news, I received my box of Glo Bars from SavvyEats!!  I was so excited and had to try the Present bar right away, which is the cranberry pumpkin spice flavor.  Yum!  They are well formed, not too sweet and gooey like most bars, and nice and airy in texture.  The taste is really nice too with a slightly warm bite from the cinnamon & a tart surprise from the dried cranberries.  Are you drooling yet?!  I’m looking forward to trying and reviewing the other flavors.  If you haven’t already, check them out here!

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Hope you guys are having a great week so far!  I finished my finals today and can now finally get into the holiday spirit!!  Woo-hoo!  I feel a bit run down and icky at the moment and hope that I am not getting sick.  I need to get all our X-Mas cards written and sent out ASAP.  Chris and I also have holiday parties on Friday and Saturday night where I will try to employ my holiday intervention strategies again 🙂  Let’s see if I can do it!

Any fun weekend plans???

December 6, 2009

it’s the holiday season

Filed under: Blog,Holidays — Kristen :) @ 8:02 pm

IMG_5857 For the month of December I think I have 5 different parties to go to!  I love all the food, fun, and festivities, but it has got me thinking of a strategy to enjoy the holidays while still maintaining a sensible portion mindset and getting in that physical activity.  I’ve been lacking in that department lately with presentations and now finals coming up next week, but I hope to get back on the wagon and fit in some gym time asap.  Even a little bit of activity can make a big difference in the long run.

I like to get into the holiday spirit of giving like adopting a family and donating imperishable foods to a local food bank.  I’d like to make sure I do that this year too.  It means so much to those families in need.

IMG_5850For our first holiday party of the season, Chris and I went to an AITP Gala called ‘Technology for Tots’ on Friday night.  AITP stands for Association of Information Technology Professionals and Chris is on the board for the student chapter. There were also several other IT organizations there and it was a great event with over 300 people.  Everyone was asked to bring an unwrapped toy to donate, and there were quite a few I’d say!

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The highlight of the event was the food!!  Oh wow, there were so many items to choose from and I wanted to take everything!

Holiday Intervention Strategy —–> Even though there may be a ton of goodies to choose from only take a few that you know you will really enjoy.  Fill half your plate with the veggies like salad greens and then go from there, especially if the plates are giant like the ones we had.  Another good tip:  have a filling snack like an apple beforehand so you’re not overly ravenous at the party 🙂

IMG_5846We got 2 free drink tickets and I had a glass and a half of chianti.  Couldn’t resist that one.

This butternut squash soup was wonderful and I stole a bite from Chris’ bowl.

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Here is my plate, I had some salad greens, green beans, carrots, salmon, slice of turkey, pasta (only ate 1/2) and acorn squash.  It was all delish! Many of the veggies were swimming in a nice flavor enhancer called fat, but I tried my best to drip it off 🙂

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Now here is where it gets tough . . . after dinner you feel comfortably full but not overly stuffed and then you see the dessert table over there in the corner calling your name . . .

Now how can you resist something that looks like this?  Someone tell me?!  lol

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Holiday Intervention Strategy ——->  Because all the desserts are all so tempting, get a few and take a bite from each to add up to about one serving of a normal dessert.  Desserts are yummy and should be enjoyed!

Here is my plate of the ones I thought were worth it . . .  I managed a bite from each but the pumpkin pie kept calling my name so yes I finished that one!  I didn’t really like the carrot cake thing so that was easy to stop at 🙂

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I just love added touches like this!!!

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We even got dressed up!  It’s kind of fun doing things like this, although I had to fish a dress out from the back of the closet!

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Do you have some holiday parties on the calendar?  How do you give back during the holiday season?

December 4, 2009

Fort Collins is awesome

Filed under: Blog,Holidays,Lighter Fare,My Travels — Tags: , , — Kristen :) @ 4:02 am

IMG_5722When I left you last we decided to make a drive into Fort Collins to walk around downtown and grab some dinner.  I am in love with this city!  It was just so neat and quaint, with tons of unique shops.  There were tons of bikes all over the city even in the winter!  How cool!

I had to get a picture of these bikes.  How does one ride this thing?!  Or even get on it?

When we first arrived we decided to stop at a cute little coffee shop.  I’m not a coffee drinker but I couldn’t resist!  I got a decaf fru fru drink and it was divine!  There was even a bookstore attached.

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Lots of vegan baked goods . . .

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Ice Skating!!  The little kiddies had garbage cans to help them stay up, but I would have to have one too.  I’m terrible at skating 🙂

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We grabbed dinner at a chicago pizza place.  It was yummy!  I had this slice and 1/2 of another.

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After dinner we decided to grab some dessert at The Melting Pot.  I had never been there and it was quite a treat!  Boy, I’d like to have a wine cellar like that!

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We ordered the milk chocolate for 4 along with a dessert-type red wine that was a bit too sweet for me on its own but went really well with the chocolate.  It was heavenly!  I’d love to go back there for a special occasion.  It’s too bad they don’t have any in Vegas anymore 🙁  Chris and I shared this platter.

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It was such a fun trip!  Then we had to head back to reality on Sunday morning. . .

Goodbye Colorado, I will miss you!!!

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After all that good eating, here’s a quick pistachio recipe that’s a little lighter on the waistline . . .

Pistachio Couscous Patties

(Adapted from CookingLight)

Serves 6 (two patties)

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 c chopped peeled tomato (used about 3-4 romas)
  • 3/4  cup  uncooked whole wheat couscous
  • 1/4  cup  chopped sweet onion
  • 1/4  cup  chopped green bell pepper
  • 1-2  tsp  canned tomato puree
  • 3/4  cup  shelled dry-roasted pistachios, finely ground
  • 1 tsp dried oregano, all-purpose seasoning, garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika, dash of cayenne
  • 3/4  tsp salt
  • Ziki Sauce for topping

Preparation

Combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor and pulse till ground but not soupy; let stand 15 minutes. Add pistachios and next ingredients (through salt); mix well. Press bulgur mixture into a (1/4-cup) dry measuring cup; unmold onto a cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining bulgur mixture to form 12 patties total. Chill for 15 minutes and serve on a flatbread or pita and top with ziki sauce.  I also dusted them with a bit more ground pistachios.

They don’t ‘form’ like patties that well, but are still pretty yummy.  In two patties there’s 170 kcals and 6 grams of fiber 🙂

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I put them in a flatbread, added some spinach and topped it with some ziki sauce.  It was light but very filling!

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I also used them in a nice salad.

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Even though I still like to enjoy all the delicious holiday treats, it’s important to balance those out with activity & healthier eats of course!

What are some holiday strategies that you use to stay on track?

—> Real Time Update —> well, my computer hard drive files were saved thanks to Chris!  I don’t know what I would do without him.  I have both my presentations done and done & need to start studying for finals next week.  Then I’ll really be done!  Woo-hoo!  Thanks for all your well wishes . . . motto of the week:  This too shall pass 🙂

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