Sweet T and a Honey B

Nothing is more real than the struggle to find a healthy alternative when all you want is pizza with a million toppings. I find myself struggling with this more times than I’d like to admit because there’s very few things I like more than a Friday night pizza. Don’t get me wrong, picking up a small Lou Malnatis for hubs and I after a long week of work will always be an occasional happening, but what happens when you have a taste for delivery pizza more times than not? How do you eliminate all the carbs and loads of extra cheese but still feel like you’re eating your favorite pie? These little Flatout Pizzadillas.

This pseudo pizza/quesadilla recipe is so simple I hesitate to actually call it a recipe. Like most of the meals I have shared with you, you can whip these up in no time and it makes for good lunches the next day. I often change up what ingredients/toppings I add each time depending on what we have a taste for that night. These little triangles are fun to eat and fun to make. Serve with a side Caesar or garden salad and your meal is guaranteed to satisfy even the most intense pizza craving!

I really enjoy making flatbreads and wraps with the various flavors of Flatout Bread because they are low carb but so delicious. There are an abundant amount of recipes on their website. They even have a section dedicated to other Weight Watcher friendly recipes!

Makes 2 servings (2 triangles per serving) – 10 WW SPs per Serving

Ingredients:

2 Light Original Flatouts
4 tbs pizza sauce
1 cup part skim shredded mozzarella
1/2 pound ground Italian turkey sausage
1/2 white onion, diced
1/2 large green pepper, diced
2 tsp Italian seasoning

-Cook ground turkey over medium heat in a large skillet until it starts to brown. Spoon meat in a bowl and set aside.

-Reduce heat to low-medium and place one Flatout in the skillet

-Spread 2 tbs of the pizza sauce evenly on the Flatout. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cheese on one side of the Flatout. Add 1/2 of the ground turkey sausage, 1/2 of the diced onions, and 1/2 of the diced peppers on top of the first layer of cheese. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup of the cheese and 1 tsp of Italian seasoning on top.

-Fold one side of your Flatout over with a spatula to create a pocket or a ‘quesadilla’. Cook each side for 1 minute. Cut in half with a pizza cutter and serve!

What are your favorite pizza toppings? Do you have any healthier alternatives when it comes to that doughy/cheesy craving?

The road to nursing my runner’s knees has been a long and windy one and I think I am finally in a place where I am feeling like my legs aren’t constantly working against me. I have learned a few important lessons within these last couple of months and they include 1) KT tape is a miracle product, 2) stretching and strengthening my hamstrings is a crucial part of keeping knee pain at bay, and 3) If my knees/body is telling me not to run, I shouldn’t run. By following these three simple rules, I made the decision to begin training for my first 8K race (An 8K equates to just under 5 miles). An 8K is not an extreme distance by any means, but it’s definitely further than I’ve been able to run ever, let alone the last year dealing with the knees of someone many decades older than myself.

Not so coincidentally, my choice to train for an 8K came shortly after my husband made the decision to begin training for his first 10 Mile race. As I mentioned here, Bryan chose a ten week training program that would require certain days of stretching, strengthening, cross training, and running so as to make sure he was building up his miles safely. For a few weeks, I watched him come home feeling great after a long run and I was immensely jealous. I entertained the idea of entering a race by browsing the spring/summer Chicago race schedule. When I found out that the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K was the day after Bryan’s 10 mile race, I knew it was a sign we could work towards our goals together and (hopefully) knock them out of the park on race weekend.

Fast forward eight weeks and race weekend has come to an end. I’m not sure how to convey all of the emotions I felt this past weekend, but I am going to try my best. Let’s begin with Saturday morning- Bryan’s 10 Miler.

We set our alarm clocks for 5:15am in order to give Bryan enough time to stretch, shake some nerves out, and eat a quick granola bar before getting on the road. His race was the Arny Johnson 10 Mile Race in Machesney Park, IL (just north of Rockford) – about an hour and a half from our house. This particular race was in it’s 32nd year and benefits Annie’s Locker, an organization dedicated to helping people find their way to a healthier lifestyle – or finding their ‘wings’. It was a very early morning, but I could tell Bryan was just anxious to begin running. Luckily, the weather forecast was very promising which made it easier to be excited about the race. After checking in, a few more stretches, and a pep talk from his wife, he was off. I wanted so badly for him to feel confident in himself every step of the way. Based on his mile splits during training, he would be running for about an hour and a half so I waited at a nearby Starbucks for a portion of that time (this was a trail race so I couldn’t follow and watch). I headed back to the high school, did some pacing of my own, watched the first few 10 milers complete the race, and waited to see my handsome husband in his bright orange shoes round the last corner behind the school that would ultimately lead him to the finish line. I finally spotted those orange shoes and I’m not sure what came over me, but I had tears in my eyes. At that moment I felt so proud to be married to someone that can accomplish anything he sets out to do. He threw his fist up as he closed in on the finish line and finally crossed with a time of 1 hour and 35 minutes (about a 9:30 pace). My excitement was ridiculous. I could tell he was feeling a huge sense of pride mixed with some pretty horrible muscle cramps. We walked for a bit and eventually went inside the gym to grab some water and snacks. In the middle of snacking, 10 Mile awards were being given and much to Bryan’s surprise he was announced as 3rd place in his age group! He received a medal and I think that was the cherry on top of a great run.

Well, the cherry is a toss up between placing 3rd in the Men’s 25-29 age group and the incredible spot for brunch we found to celebrate. While searching for someplace we could grab a post race brunch and some celebratory breakfast drinks, I stumbled upon Fresco at the Gardens. I have to say that I wish we lived closer because I could easily spend some time here every weekend. Fresco boasts all local market, organic, and fresh culinary eats. The menu is seasonal and they serve breakfast and lunch all day, every day. There is so much variety in their menu and they even have an adorable coffee and juice bar! Bryan ordered the chorizo biscuits and gravy with a side of bacon and I ordered two eggs with their home style potatoes, sausage, and whole wheat toast. Not to mention the best tasting (and best looking!) drinks I’ve ever had. I’m going to let the food and drink speak for themselves here.

If you don’t come for the food and drink, come for the gorgeous view. Fresco is actually part of Anderson Gardens, a non-for-profit garden center modeled after traditional Japanese landscapes. Fresco overlooks the gardens and in the warmer months there is a patio you can sit at while you sip your blackberry mimosa (highly recommend).

When brunch was over, the realization that I would now have to get ready for my run the next day set in.

You might already be familiar with this story (next time Bryan and I are picking races on the same day!). Sunday morning we woke up at 5:15 and it was my turn for stretching. We took the train downtown to avoid the headache that is parking in the city. The weather forecast called for steady rain showers throughout the day. Even though I had trained for a couple longer runs in the rain, it still adds an extra element of difficulty to something I was already nervous about making it through without walking. Bryan dropped me at my corral and lucky enough I found two of my best sister friends, Steph and Effie, waiting for me at the same corral. The 9am start time came fast and we were off.

Let me start by saying that running in the city is very different than running in the suburbs. The course is flat and the views are gorgeous. I love my burb runs, but running over the Chicago River and past the Ronald McDonald Children’s Hospital and Chicago Theater really take a girl’s mind off of being tired.

The first 3 miles were surprisingly easy for me. I really took those views in and enjoyed seeing everyone cheering along State Street. I passed the 5K mark and was still good at my normal pace through the 4 mile mark. The clouds cleared and we were running directly in to the sun at that point and I was wishing I could have shedded a layer. We made the turn on to Michigan Avenue where I knew we were heading towards the finish line. Then I saw what apparently everyone who has run this race (or the Chicago Marathon) dreads – the hill on Roosevelt. Good. Lord. Realistically the hill is probably just over one tenth of a mile, but it felt like a full one. I had to slow my pace pretty drastically but I needed to keep running.

It sounds really corny and maybe only someone who is a beginner at longer races will understand, but when I topped the hill and saw the finish line I think I got the chills. It absolutely could have been that I was overheated at that point but the feeling of being able to accomplish these 5 miles, when just 6 months ago I was told by a doctor I probably couldn’t and shouldn’t run anymore, was overwhelming. I think if I wasn’t dehydrated at that point I would have cried. I crossed the finish line with a small fist pump and was elated to see Bryan-and the very welcomed snack table-at the end! We met up with our friends Laura and Scott, grabbed my free beer, and enjoyed what ended up being a GORGEOUS morning for a run.

This is something I NEVER thought I would be able to do. I was strict about taking care of my knees, strengthening my leg muscles, and listening to myself when I knew it wasn’t a good idea to run. Because of all of that I was able to accomplish my goal of running the entire time. I was so proud of Bryan and myself for sticking to our training schedules.

It might be that we’re still riding on a runner’s high, but last night as we sat on the couch,we asked ‘what next’? Within a half hour we were signed up for the Humana Rock and Roll Half Marathon (Bryan) and 10K (Me) race downtown in July! I am so excited to see us both cross the finish line this summer.

Have any of you run a race downtown? What is your favorite?

The other day I read an article about the disadvantages of eating lunch at your office desk on a regular basis. Sure, many of them deal with the long term physical repercussions for those who do not try and get up to move every now and then (Even a periodic two minute break can minimize those disadvantages), but the article also addressed how easy it is to get bored with healthy lunches if you are eating the same mundane ‘#saddesksalad’ every day. I feel like that hashtag accurately describes how I feel sometimes when I am trying to shove my meal down so I can quickly get back to work – I am sure many of you can relate. While my job makes it nearly impossible to beat the constant sitting (I do take frequent water/stretch breaks and have an exercise ball chair – anything helps right?), it’s in my power to pack meals that force me to take the time to enjoy my food, leave me feeling energized, and are overall just good tasting. My ability to get creative with lunches amidst a busy schedule and workday is one of the reasons I started Sweet T and a Honey B.

The reason I mention all of this is because my team at work recently moved to a different floor within our building and among quite a few things I love about our new space, at the top of my list is a weekly ‘Treat Day’. It’s exactly what it sounds like – a day filled with treats. You might be wondering why I am mentioning something like this when I have often referenced that practicing self control with office food is key to keeping yourself on track with eating. While I still believe this is true, Treat Day is something worth mentioning because it was developed as a surefire way to beat that #saddesksalad once a week. Every week, those who have chosen to participate take turns bringing in morning AND afternoon treats for the team to share. I can confidently say that everyone has done a good job of bringing in a mix of healthy and not-so healthy snacks for people to share. I obviously try and fill up on the things like hummus and veggies first, and then treat myself to a sweet snack or two in the afternoon. Colleagues of mine have brought in so many delicious items and my favorites have included a Crockpot Baked Oatmeal, yogurts with various toppings, a Trader Joe’s tomato basil hummus (life changing) with pita chips, and Irish Soda Bread with Vanilla Almond Butter! Since there is a large group that takes part, your turn only comes up every three months or so. Yesterday was my first assignment and I was ready with my list of snacks. The morning menu consisted of a Biscuit Bar with various jellies, honey, Justin’s vanilla almond butter, and slices of ham and swiss for those who were feeling a savory sandwich (aka, me!), fruit, and my favorite- an iced blueberry lemon yogurt bread. I definitely had springtime in mind when looking for some easy breakfast options and this recipe fit that requirement perfectly. This was the ideal combination of tart and sweet, and left you feeling full because of the greek yogurt base and fresh fruit used to make it. I found this recipe from Melanie at Gather for Bread and I am already planning on making this again this weekend. Except this time, I won’t have to share it with 12+ other people 😉

Ingredients

1¾ cup flour
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
¼ cup melted (salted) butter
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
4 oz plain Greek yogurt (I use Siggis as I think it has best consistency)
1 cup fresh blueberries (I MAY have dumped in an extra 1/2 cup. What the heck, go wild.)

Lemon Glaze:

½ cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Set aside
Mix together egg, milk, melted butter, lemon zest and lemon juice. Pour into well. Mix just until combined. Stir in yogurt. Gently fold in blueberries.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

For Lemon Glaze:

Combine confectioners sugar with lemon juice, milk and lemon zest. Stir until smooth consistency (Note, I love lemon. So I added a 1/2 tsp extra lemon juice to the glaze) Drizzle over warm bread.
Let cool before slicing.

Treat Day has become a pretty cool way to not only beat that #saddesksalad one day a week, but has motivated everyone to get creative when bringing something to share. I find myself taking a couple of welcomed breaks to chat with colleagues and now have couple new ideas for appetizers and meals for entertaining (I had the BEST egg and pepper casserole a few weeks ago). I highly recommend gathering a group of foodies at your workplace and arranging something like this too!

I guarantee it is difficult to resist a second piece of this refreshing breakfast bread. Guessing by the amount that was left at the end of the morning, it was a huge hit. Hint-There was one slice and hubs cheerfully stuffed his face with it when I got home 😉

Happy Thursday!

Bryan and I get asked a lot about our typical grocery list and what kinds of healthy snacks we keep around the house or tuck in our lunches. Planning our weekly meals and snacks definitely takes some dedicated time and thinking ahead, but in the end that is what keeps us in check when it comes to fueling our bodies and not spending extra $$ on eating out during the week. I thought it might be fun to share tips on creating a grocery list, a list of pantry essentials, and the most popular healthy snacks around our house.

Grocery List Tips

I have found it is close to impossible to fill my fridge and pantry with healthful foods without a little extra time and thinking. If I walk into my local Jewel or Mariano’s and I do not have a list, I am doomed from the start. I will undoubtedly forget something or come home with an especially large container from the trail mix bar (I am a sucker for M&Ms and banana chips).

MAKE the list
- It’s a little intuitive, but in order to have a successful trip, you actually have to MAKE the list, the FULL list- not just the ingredients for one meal you’re going to make that week. Bryan and I have found we are most successful when we dedicate thirty minutes to an hour on Saturday nights or Sunday mornings to figuring out what we want for the following week and looking up delicious things to make for dinner. I usually plan for three dinner type meals that make for good lunch leftovers. Two of those meals I try and keep a little simpler (like a whole wheat pasta with chicken sausage or caesar salad wraps) and for another I like to try a little more involved recipe (one of our favorites is a Weight Watcher recipe for Cheeseburger Soup and we pair it with warm pretzel rolls).
Be Realistic
- When making your list, be realistic about what your week looks like. Hubs and I always compare schedules and if we find that we are both only going to be home together one night that week or are just generally going to be on-the-go that week, maybe you plan to make one of your meals a large Sunday Crockpot soup so that you have leftovers for a few days or make couple pounds of shredded chicken to quickly throw on salads. Don’t plan on trying a new pot roast and roasted veggie recipe if you won’t be home more than an hour at a time.
Take Notes
- If you see or hear of a recipe on Wednesday, but don’t have time to gather the groceries or make it until the following Sunday or Monday, write it down! We all have phones we can keep reminders in and websites like Pinterest have made this aspect incredibly easy. I often hear colleagues talk about recipes they have made and thought “that sounds good!” but forget simply forget to ask for it or I just let it sit in my e-mail inbox.
Use a Fun Paper!
- This may sound incredibly silly, but I have recently enjoyed setting aside some small colorful cardstock to make my lists on. I might be a little old fashioned in that I like writing things down whenever possible and avoiding my phone (Hubs hates that I still use a physical planner I can write in as opposed to using a Google calendar and that I write my lists down instead of creating a note in my phone), but it’s worked for me. I’m a little more motivated to sit down and make my list if there’s a little pop of color involved. I also enjoy Papersource’s endless supply of cute note pads. Here is a ‘market list’ pad by Rifle Paper Co. that I have used in the past.

Pantry Essentials

Just last week I actually found myself telling my husband “I’m out of literally everything and have no idea what to make for dinner”. By Thursday night, we had made everything I planned for and actually used all the leftovers (we’re training for races and recently we are hungry ALL the time). I am not lying when I said our fridge was literally EMPTY besides a defrosted package of chicken, carrots, an egg, and some grapes. I told him to go on his run and I would figure something out. I dug through my REALLY messy pantry and figured I could find something to do with that chicken. Lo and behold, I found an unopened tin of whole wheat bread crumbs I didn’t know I had. Between the few veggies I had and the chicken with breadcrumbs, I decided to make some Chipotle Chili Chicken Tenders with a small caesar salad on the side. It was probably the least planned meal ever but ended up being one of my favorites last week.

With all of this said, it’s important to have a few essentials in your pantry for those nights when you want to avoid going out to eat but may have run out of ideas. Here is a list of what I always make sure to keep on hand!

Easy and Healthy Snacking

I am definitely a snacker. In fact, I would much rather snack consistently throughout the day than eat a few full meals. I find that having smaller portions when it comes to meals and a few good snacks throughout the day keeps me more energized and feeling full. In addition to planning what we will need for meals throughout the week, Bryan and I always make sure to add plenty of snacks to the list. We usually have a lengthy list of them because Bryan is more of a sweet snacker and I am a salty snacker. Since I began Weight Watchers almost seven years ago, I have developed a lengthy list of go-to’s when it comes to snacking that don’t pack extra points/calories.

By setting aside a little time each week, your pantry, refrigerator, and tummy will be full and you will have far less stress when it comes to choosing what to eat. I hope that you can use some of these suggestions but I also reccomend making your own list of favorite snacks or essentials to keep in the house.

What do you do to prepare for a weekly shopping trip? What are your favorite lunchtime snacks?

After a weekend filled with corned beef sandwiches, lucky charms puppy chow (who knew that was a thing!?), and a few green beers to celebrate my favorite holiday, Sunday evening brought desperation for something that was going to NOT make me feel like all I wanted to do was sleep. I allowed myself to enjoy some junk food this weekend but in all honesty – I definitely felt it as the weekend came to a close. My body was begging me for some nutrients so my husband and I chose to put together our own salad bar filled with our favorite toppings for Sunday night dinner. I feel like if you add the ‘bar’ aspect to any meal it instantly makes it more fun! We enjoyed shopping for our fixings and came home to assemble our bowls before sitting down to watch a movie.

It’s no surprise as to what our individual salads looked like – Bryan always chooses a sweeter salad and my choices are definitely on the savory side. He enjoys fresh and dried fruit, nuts, a more tart cheese, and vinaigrette dressings when it comes to his favorite salads and mine are always chocked full of veggies, usually a protein like chicken or turkey pepperoni pieces, avocado (naturally), and creamier yogurt based dressings. We love chopping up everything at once and picking and choosing what to put on top. It’s a HUGE misconception that the only way to eat healthy is to eat salads – but it sure is an easy way to make sure you’re getting you’re getting your fruits and/or veggies, especially after a weekend of not-so-good food choices. The bonus is that recently we’ve found ways to make our salads bowls more interesting than just by adding the typical cucumbers, carrots, or croutons. Some of our recent go-tos include mini turkey pepperonis, Cheese Crisps by Fresh Gourmet (These are incredible because they have that crunch that you might like in your salads but since it’s simply baked cheese, there’s no carbs involved) , salsa, beans, different colored roasted peppers, or chopped apples.

Our ‘At Home Salad Bar’ also made for great leftovers for the next day’s lunches. We packed lunches at the same time we assembled our dinner and it was great getting to sit down knowing that lunches were already made – and we had very little clean-up (HUGE win in my book).

I would be lying if I said I didn’t take a bite or two of Bryan’s salad. They were both SO good. Our bowls definitely left our tummies feeling full and my body was absolutely thanking me for giving it something that was NATURALLY colored green 😉

Here are a couple salad ideas for you to try at home whether you are a sweet or savory type person!

Sweet Waldorf Chicken Salad

1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
3 oz shredded grilled chicken
2 tbs dried cranberries (reduced sugar)
2 tbs chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 chopped granny-smith apple
1/2 cup green grapes (cut in half)
2 tbs blue cheese crumbles
2 tbs vinaigrette of your choice

Assemble all ingredients/toppings and enjoy!

Savory Roasted Veggie Salad

1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
3 oz shredded grilled chicken or lean ground beef
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 sliced red pepper
1/2 sliced yellow pepper
1/2 cup matchstick carrots
1/2 avocado, diced
1/2 cup diced cucumber
2 tbs asiago or romano cheese crisps from Fresh Gourmet
2 tbs blue cheese yogurt dressing from Bolthouse Farms (FAVORITE!)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over low-medium heat and add peppers and carrots to skillet. Cook for approx 5 minutes or until veggies become soft. Top romaine lettuce with cooked chicken or ground beef, cooked vegetables, and remaining toppings. Enjoy!

Sausage and Pepper Flatout Pizzadillas

I Just Felt Like Running

Iced Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Bread

Grocery List Tips + Snack Ideas

Sweet and Savory Salad Ideas