A Short Chicago Getaway

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Life is good.

On Easter Sunday, I spent the day in West Michigan enjoying the sun and grilling some hand made burgers in my super impromptu tulle skirt purchase.

That night, I headed to Chicago. I had a client meeting in Evanston on Monday morning, and my husband was traveling for work himself, so I decided to make a short trip of it and catch up with a few people.

After my morning meeting, I headed to Lakeview where my girlfriend from High School lives. We walked to Uncommon Ground and had a pretty delicious lunch with a side of pomegranate mimosa. Or should I say... some pretty delicious pomegranate mimosas with a side of lunch.

Once we walked back to her apartment, it was time for her to head out and I made my way downtown. My oil light kept going off - like to the point that it was beeping every few minutes and driving me nuts - so I finally pulled over and grabbed some oil. Once I got to River North, I was "that girl" with her hood up, trying to fix her car. Sorry I'm not sorry.

Eventually, I walked to my old office. I met up with my aunt and chatted a bit and then went to visit my old department to catch up with a few people in the last few minutes of the day.

Afterward, I walked back with my girlfriend who works there to her loft in River North. Let's just say I have friends with good taste. Her loft is like a Restoration Hardware showroom.

Told ya...

We were pretty starving, but it was raining out, so instead of dealing with that, we opted to order in from Epic. But, then we realized we needed wine. So, despite not being willing to walk to a restaurant for dinner, we were totally down for a walk to Binny's. It did not disappoint, and neither did the food once it arrived.

Wine consumed pre-dinner = blurry dinner pic.

Once we polished off a bottle of wine and dug into the second, time sped up (as it tends to under those circumstances) and it was suddenly time for bed. My girlfriend had work the next morning, and I was looking at the drive back to Michigan followed by work, so we called it a night between 11 and midnight. I sleepily slipped off my jewelry and makeup and had a super deep sleep.

The next morning, I took some nespresso to the face and gathered my stuff. One great thing about short trips is that you never fully spread out your stuff, so it's easier to throw things back together and hit the road.

I love this dog! P.S. oil swishing is making my teeth whiter - see?!

I picked up the pup on my way back home and it was a joyous reunion! Nothing like a happy dog to make you excited about a drive home. We got home around noon, so I prepared some lunch and worked like a dog (ha) for the rest of the day, until I had done enough that I justified a long walk and sitting by the dock...

 

Did I mention life is good?

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• Do you do short weekend trips? Where to?
• Thoughts on turning business trips into pleasure (don't read too much into that...)?

Can I Have Some Food... And A To Go Box?

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Sometimes, you just have to order a to-go box at the same moment you order your food.

When it comes to life in a big city, the food options are nearly endless. I feel like I have my choice of food at any time of the day, and I will never feel that I have tried all that Chicago has to offer.

But seriously. Portion sizes. Why are you so big?



Sometimes, it's hard to stop yourself from finishing the whole meal. I recently had a lunch date with my lovely Aunt, and we hit up Native Foods Cafe. It's a very creative food joint, but their portion sizes blow my mind.



I ordered the Sesame Kale Macro Bowl, which was absolutely delicious. I've ordered it a few times before, and always end up eating most of it.



This time, I gave myself a rule. I drew an invisible line down the center of my bowl and went to town on only the right side. I dared not touch the left.



Guess what? It worked! I also ordered my to go box before I was done with my meal, so I had it sitting there, on the table, staring at me, just begging to be used.

And now? I have a delicious lunch left over. Less money spent, less calories consumed, more happy Carly.

 

What about you?
What are your tips and tricks for saving money or cutting portion sizes? I tend to try to save half the meal for later, or sometimes I order an appetizer portion instead of a meal portion.

Protein Shake Revolution - In Search of the Perfect Meal Replacement or Snack Shake for Fitness

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A few weeks ago, one of my coworkers got me very interested in the shakes she was drinking. On the side, she is a rep for a company that provides shakes that are fairly high in protein and vitamins while still filling you up and being low calorie.

As I began searching for my personal substitute, I started digging around online to find out why this brand of shakes was so successful. The most common answer? Because it not only had protein, but it also had a lot of fiber, which not only helps you feel full, but also helps you... er... regulate.

So, naturally, I set out to concoct my own shake. My goals were to create a shake with the following attributes...

• Could be a mid-morning snack or lunch replacement - I wanted to be able to just dump stuff into my shaker bottle and take it to work with me. So, ideally, all of the ingredients would be dry/powdered in form (otherwise, I would have to deal with things going bad or getting chunky before I was ready to drink the shake).
• Good source of protein - It didn't have to be totally jam packed, because I do get a decent amount of protein in my daily diet (thanks to these cheesecakes). But, I did want it to have at least 15-20 grams of protein, to keep my metabolism going and help me feel full while also working on regenerating my muscles.
• Good source of fiber - Since this was one of the highest reported reasons that people liked the other meal replacement shake I was looking at, I decided that it was a good thing to keep in mind for mine. That said, it was important that I incorporate fiber without making it taste too gross or chalky. That means no Orange Metamucil, friends.
• Easy to make - I wanted my morning routine to just involve me adding a few scoops of this and that to my shaker. Nothing complicated. No time consuming prep work.

The Ingredients and Tools:
I ordered a bunch of Blender Bottles via GNC online on one of their Friday Deals (they were $5 each). I already had on hand a few different types of protein powder, as well as things like chia seeds and PB2 which can add texture and flavor, respectively. I also just ordered some vitamin filled powder online, which I'm looking forward to incorporating into the recipe, because it will make it even better. So, here are the items I've used:

• Blender Bottles - You can use a regular BPA-free plastic bottle with a cap, but the blender bottles with the silver whisk balls inside really help shake it up and make it frothy. I find that the smaller blender bottles do the job - the larger ones just take up too much space and you don't use all of the room anyway. Here's green, pink, blue, and a black double pack.
  
• Protein Powder - Chocolate or Vanilla or Cake Batter (or all three!). I typically use Chocolate, because it juts appeals to my taste buds more, but all three are delicious.
  
• PB2 - Peanut Butter or Peanut Butter Chocolate (or both!)
  
  
• Vega One All Nutritional Shake - Chocolate, Vanilla Chai, or Natural (I'm starting out with Chocolate, so I can't actually speak to the taste of the other two yet. If you're going with vanilla protein, I'd suggest trying the Vanilla Chai Vege One).
  
• Optional flavorings: Cinnamon, Peppermint NuNaturals
  

Want it all? Click here to browse the entire shop for "Shake Revolution"

The Method:
I either fill my bottle at night or in the morning before I leave the apartment. Here's what I've tried so far:

1. Double Chocolate: 3/4 scoop (or 1.5 Tablespoons) Chocolate Protein Powder, 1/3 scoop (or 1 Tablespoon, as the Vega One scooper is huge) Vega One Powder
2. Double Chocolate Mint:  3/4 scoop (or 1.5 Tablespoons) Chocolate Protein Powder, 1/3 scoop (or 1 Tablespoon) Vega One Powder. Just before adding water/milk, add 3-7 drops Peppermint NuNaturals.
3. Chocolate Peanut Butter:  1/2 scoop (or about 1 Tablespoon) Chocolate Protein Powder, 1/2 scoop (or 1.5 Tablespoon) Vega One Powder, 1 tablespoon PB2

I'm excited to try the seemingly unlimited flavor options I received from NuNaturals this week. Can't wait to share even more shake recipes with you!

60 Minutes to Lunch and Dinner for a WEEK!

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This is the secret, my friends. "The secret to what?" you might ask. Well, the secret to nutritious food, a balanced lifestyle, high energy levels, fitness, losing weight, staying healthy... the list goes on and on.

The biggest hindrance for most of us when it comes to those goals is time and preparation. For example... 

• Maybe you know you should be eating a healthier lunch, but it slips your mind so you forget to pack something to bring to work and end up settling on grabbing something from Jimmy Johns (note: 95% of their menu is NOT healthy) or Panera (also NOT healthy).
• Maybe you simply can't find the time in the morning to pack yourself a salad.
• Maybe you manage to make yourself lunch one day, but you can't find the time every morning to make it happen.
• Maybe you did a great job on lunch, but by the time you get home, you just don't have the energy to make yourself a healthy meal.
• Maybe you keep buying healthy ingredients, but then you don't use them up before they go bad, so you feel discouraged.

Case in point? There are limitless reasons you might feel discouraged. But guess what? All you need is 1 hour on Sunday. In the morning, in the afternoon, at night. It can even be fun! I did it this week while watching an episode of Nikita on my lap top in the kitchen. 

This post will help you pre-cook salads and dinners for the entire work week within 60 minutes.

60 Minutes to Lunch and Dinner for a Week

WHAT YOU'LL BE HAVING: Because this meal plan is optimized for health and fitness, it is high in lean protein and fibers. You'll be making slow-cooked chicken breasts that will stay tender for a week, even if you re-heat them. A few servings of Quinoa to serve as lunches (so you don't get too tired of Salads) and dinner sides, too! You'll also be making delicious salads that have a laundry list of ingredients that will leave you happy and full!

• 6 Large Chicken Breasts
• 5 Lunch/Dinner Salads
• 4 Small Quinoa Servings

PREP TIME: ONE HOUR, TOTAL! Prep the chicken first, then start the Quinoa cooking, then make the salads while you wait for the chicken and Quinoa to finish!
HOW TO EAT IT: Distribute evenly throughout the week. Here's an example:

• MONDAY: Salad for lunch, Chicken and Quinoa for dinner
• TUESDAY: 1/2 Chicken Breast and Quinoa for lunch, Salad with 1 Chicken Breast for dinner
• WEDNESDAY: Salad for lunch, Chicken and Salad for dinner
• THURSDAY: 1/2 Chicken Breast and Quinoa for lunch, Salad with 1 Chicken Breast for dinner
• FRIDAY: Salad for lunch, Chicken and Quinoa for

Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 Large Chicken Breasts, thawed (I used two packages of 3, Organic) 
• Olive Oil (to coat the pan)
• Italian Seasoning Mix
• Aluminum foil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325. 
2. Line a 2inch deep (or deeper) baking pan with aluminum foil. Add a thin layer of olive oil over aluminum foil.
3. Arrange chicken breasts in the pan, then sprinkle Italian seasoning over them. Use a fork to turn them over and sprinkle additional Italian seasoning on top.
4. Bake for 45 minutes, then turn and bake for an additional 15 minutes. When finished, wrap pieces individually in aluminum foil so you can grab and go!
   Note: While the Chicken is baking, start cooking the Quinoa and prepare Tupperware salads!

Quinoa

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups uncooked Quinoa, rinsed
• 3 cups Water
• 1 tbsp Cumin Powder
• 1/2 tbsp Curry Powder
• 1/4 cup Onion (white or green), chopped
• 2 tbsp Pine Nuts
• 2 tbsp Feta Cheese
• 4 tupperware containers for storage

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat water to a boil, then add Quinoa, Cumin, and Curry. Reduce to a summer and heat, covered, for 20 minutes.
2. After 20 minutes, stir in nuts. Wait until Quinoa has cooled a bit, then add Feta cheese. Divide cooled Quinoa into 4 small tupperware containers so you can grab and go!
   Note: While Quinoa is cooking, prepare salads.

Salads

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large bag Mixed Greens
• 2 heads Romaine Lettuce
• Onion (1/2 white onion or 6 stalks green onions)
• 1/2 cup Feta Cheese
• 1/4 cup Sliced Almonds or Pine Nuts
• 1/4 cup Raisins or Craisins
• 6 tupperware containers, for storage

DIRECTIONS:

1. While the other items are cooking, rinse and pat dry the Romaine lettuce, then chop into bite sized pieces and combine with mixed greens. Distribute evenly into tupperware containers.
2. Chop onion and distribute evenly into tupperware containers.
3. Add feta, nuts, and raisins/craisins to tupperware containers and store.

And there you have it! 10 meals in 60 minutes!  

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Anyone else have a great trick you use to pre-cook?

Ultimate List of 4th of July Recipes (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert, & Cocktails!)

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Finally, the Summer holiday. Here are a few red, white, and blue recipes for your 4th of July gatherings. Some of these recipes are mine, some are not! Click on the picture or link below to find the recipe's source and try it out!

Let's start with breakfast...

This Berry Balsamic Crumble is a delicious and fruity way to start the morning! Berries are tossed in balsamic vinegar, basil, and honey, before simmering in the oven, and eventually topped with a healthier version of an oatmeal crust!

Similar to the chocolate banana pancakes, this recipe for Chia Muesli Breakfast Pudding is phenomenal for your body. Similar to oatmeal, but packed with proteins and healthy fats, Muesli is a traditional Swiss breakfast that will give you the energy to hike the Swiss Alps (or just make it through the hot, sweaty 4th of July parade!).

This recipe for Red, White, and Blue-berry Overnight French Toast was one of my first recipes, ever. Prepared the night before, all you need to do on the morning-of is pop it into the oven for a bit! The recipe includes blueberries and cream cheese, a wonderfully delicious combination! 

These Chocolate Banana Protein Pancakes with Fruit are a to die for breakfast, especially if you've got a long day ahead. Instead of packing your stomach full of carbs, which would leave you crashing and tired after an hour or so, this pancake recipe includes eggs and protein powder to keep you running all day long!

Now, a few for lunch and dinner...

This Blueberry, Strawberry, and Jicama salad is extremely healthy yet perfectly patriotic :)  Also wonderfully hydrating for a hot summer day!

This Red, White, and Blue Pasta Salad looks delicious and filling!

These 4th of July Kabobs are half way between a side dish and dessert!

...And now for dessert!

These Red Velvet Cupcakes are miniature sized and delicious. A light cake mix and homemade cream cheese frosting combine for some delicious cupcakes!

These Sparkling Water Cupcakes with White Chocolate Mousse Frosting are incredibly light, making them perfect for an active and hot day. Instead of leaving you stuffed and sorry, they'll leave you light and satisfied!

These White Chocolate-filled Raspberries are the perfect combination of naturally sweet fruit and delicious white chocolate. Easy to make in less than 5 minutes, they're also an easy last minute dessert option!

These Jolly Rancher Suckers are easy to make, with only a few ingredients and 5-10 minutes of baking time! Great for kids (or adults...) who want to run around all day but still enjoy dessert :)

These Strawberry Blueberry Mini Cheesecake Trifles are perfect for small, individual servings of dessert!

This 4th of July Blueberry Poke Cake is to die for. Just wait until you see how she does it :)

And now for Cocktails/Beverages...

These Blueberry & Chambord Patriotic Cocktails are delicious -- I know, I've tried them! :) Very refreshing and thirst quenching.

This Red, White, and Blue Sangria is perfect for making for a large group, then slowly drinking it down!

And finally, for good measure, this last recipe is not red white and blue but is an absolute favorite for large gatherings...

This Chicago-Style Chopped Salad recipe is enough for all of your guests! Because it's also filled with ditalini pasta, you can serve it all on one plate, instead of having to deal with multiple recipes on one tiny paper plate!

The Ultimate Salad of Health

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Today, I'm sharing a crazy-good-for-you salad recipe. Justin and I make salad for lunch at work every day. This is one of our recent favorites.

Fat calories in this salad come almost exclusively from avocado. If you nix the avocado, you'd ring in at about 145 calories instead of 270 -- but, for someone who is active and working out, adding those healthy fats is a good thing (and a 145 calorie lunch just isn't enough, folks).

Items to incorporate into your salads (if you're not already doing it):

• Kale: Either raw or steamed, Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium. Kale also has at least two major chemicals (sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol) that are known as potent cancer-fighting and cancer-blocking chemicals. (Wiki for Kale)
• Scallions (Green Onion): High in fiber means Scallions will fight off bad cholesterol. They also score well on the fullness to nutrition scale (meaning they are high on the list for helping you feel full while also being high on the list for nutrition!). Scallions are also a strong anti-inflammatory, which helps for sore muscles! (Nutrition Data for Scallions)
• Spinach: As far as any salad base goes, Spinach is by far one of the most nutritious, while also being easy to handle and rip. Replacing iceberg or romaine lettuce with spinach for more vitamin C (an antioxidant), iron (helps prevent anemia), magnesium (can help protect against heart disease) and vitamin K (good for bones and blood). (The Tribune on Spinach vs Romaine)
• Egg Whites: Add some protein to your salad without overloading on calories! One hard boiled egg white packs 3.6 grams of protein in just 17 calories. Other awesome nutrients in an egg white: Selenium and Riboflavin! (LiveStrong on Egg Whites)

The Ultimate Salad of Health!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Chopped Spinach
• 1 stalk Chopped Scallions (Green Onions)
• 1 leaf Chopped Kale
• 3 rinsed and sliced strawberries (or other berries)
• 1 large Egg, hard boiled, egg whites only
• 1/2 Avocado, without skin or seeds
• 1 tablespoon Feta Cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon Diced Walnuts

Directions:

1. Combine
2. Toss with low-fat dressing (such as Newman's Own Asian Ginger)
3. Serve!