Sweet T and a Honey B
Food, Fitness, and the Adventures That Make Life Sweet

Breakfast Tacos

Among the list of about ten million things I miss about my Dad, his cooking is definitely a top contender. Dad was probably one of the best cooks I have and will ever meet in my life and I don’t think I will ever taste anything like his Puerco con Chile Verde (Pork with an amazing verde sauce) or Puchero (A pork stew with lots of vegetables and my favorite part..hominy!). Everything he made was delicious, but if I’m being 100% honest, my favorite was the breakfasts. To this day, Chorizo Con Huevos (chorizo sausage with scrambled eggs) is still my favorite meal.

The dishes he made didn’t have to be elaborate. He could take the simplest thing and turn it in to something amazing. He would often whip up a bunch of scrambled eggs, mash up some black beans, and serve with warm corn tortillas. There is something still so comforting about throwing this meal together and it makes me think of him every time. This was the inspiration for the breakfast tacos I made for dinner last week. What’s even better is that black beans are packed with proteins and good fats and if you add some veggies and extra egg whites, this can be a very friendly and energizing meal. 

This is kind of a pseudo recipe- more just like a couple of my favorite things thrown together. Great for weekend mornings, but even better at dinnertime when you’re having that ‘breakfast for dinner’ craving. C’mon, we all have it. I decided to keep it really simple but you could also serve these with your favorite salsa, sour cream, or even a little plain greek yogurt. I never eat my tacos with anything other than corn tortillas, but you could substitute for flour if you like. 

 

I still think of my Dad everyday, especially when I pair the egg + black bean combo. I am thankful he passed his love for cooking down to me. I only wish I was AS good at it as he was 😉

What recipe or combination comes to your mind when you think of your childhood?

I hope you enjoy this combination as much as I do!

Black Bean Breakfast Tacos – Makes 4 tacos, 2 per serving

Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs + 2 egg whites
  • 1 15 oz can black beans
  • 1 large red pepper, cut in to strips
  • 1 large avocado
  • 4 corn tortillas (or flour)
  • 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • a couple pinches of sea salt to top

Directions:

  1. Heat olive in a skillet over medium heat, add peppers and chipotle chili powder. Cook until peppers just begin to blacken. 
  2. In a small pot, heat black beans and mash with a potato/bean masher until thick
  3. Whisk eggs and egg whites in a small bowl and scramble over low to medium heat
  4. Slice avocado in to small strips
  5. If you have a gas stove, heat each tortilla directly on the stove plates for 5-10 seconds on each side until tortillas just begin to brown. If you have an electric stove (or are afraid to pick up the tortillas with your hands on the gas stove =P ), lightly dampen each tortilla, wrap in a paper towel, and heat in the microwave for ten seconds.
  6. Assemble each taco with 1/4 cup black beans, 1/4 of the scrambled eggs, a few slices of red pepper, avocado, and top each with a pinch of sea salt. Add your own favorite taco toppings

Enjoy!! <3

Overnight Oats

It’s Sunday which means extra couch time, catching up on some a lot of laundry, and planning our meals for the week. Am I the only one that enjoys spending the morning with a cup of coffee, a couple of cookbooks, Pinterest recipes, and my grocery list? Admittedly, I enjoy our weekly Mariano’s trip gathering everything we need for the week – though it might be because I start the each trip with a visit to the smoothie bar. 

I’ve noticed I spend most of my coffee/grocery list time thinking of easy to grab, WW Point-friendly, and creative breakfasts to eat during the week. You can only eat so many Cheerios before you start to get a little bored. I wrote about some delicious breakfast sandwiches here but sometimes I find myself craving something a little more sweet than savory. When it comes to sweet breakfast choices that leave you feeling full, overnight oats are at the top of the list. I have no idea why it took me so long to make these a staple in my house, considering that there are a million different ways to cater them to your taste. 

My new favorite OO’s recipe comes from Ashlyn from ‘A Dancer’s Plate’. Her recipe for Chunky Monkey Overnight Oats tastes like a healthier but just as tasty version of the famous Ben and Jerry’s flavor. The only way I can describe these oats and give them justice is a cross between ice cream and a parfait. The banana + peanut butter + coconut + chocolate combo is like eating dessert for breakfast with zero guilt. I swear I had these every morning for a week straight. You can find this very simple recipe and find more of Ashlyn’s delicious ideas here.

The best thing about Overnight Oats is how little preparation – if any – they take. Mix up a few ingredients, pop your container in the fridge, and add whatever flavors/toppings/proteins you’re feeling the next morning. This is what makes them so simple to customize. Ashlyn’s idea for Chunky Monkey OO’s gave me the idea to start playing around with other flavors that I like. A few ingredients I had on hand gave me the idea to replicate my favorite dessert – chocolate covered strawberries. 

 

After a little unsweetened cocoa powder, some Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter, and a few dark chocolate chips, these OO’s were absolutely decadent. Top with some strawberries and they are ready to go. I always make sure to pack OO’s in a small mason jar or plastic container so I can throw in my bag and take to the office. You can find my recipe for the Chocolate Covered Strawberry OO’s below, but it’s so simple to experiment with your favorite flavors. All you need is your oats and dairy or non-dairy milk base to sit overnight. If you decide to add anything in powder form (cocoa, protein, collagen, etc.), flax, or seeds mix those in the night before as well. Yogurt, butter/nut spreads, fruits, and toppings can be mixed in the next morning. 

What other flavors do you enjoy?

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Overnight Oats

*Yields 2 servings – 9 WW Smart Points per Serving

1 cup quick oats

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup vanilla greek yogurt

2 tbs Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter

1 packet Stevia

2 tbs dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup sliced strawberries

 

-Combine oats, almond milk, and cocoa powder in a small container. Refrigerate overnight.

-Mix in greek yogurt, chocolate hazelnut butter, and Stevia in the morning.

-Top with chocolate chips and strawberries. Enjoy!

 

 

Pure Barre

Recently, it seems like it’s every day I hear of a new type of fitness concept that isn’t your everyday Pilates or Zumba class. There is something for everyone whether you are interested in engaging your core with an aerial fitness class or participating in some extreme cardio during a session at a trampoline arena. I love mixing up my workouts and trying new classes because it’s easy to get bored with your normal routine. Finding new ways to push yourself is a sure-fire way to to keep yourself motivated and find what works best for you and your body. 

After the umpteenth time of passing by a Pure Barre location and the incredible things I’ve heard about the experience, I knew I had to get in on the fun. Pure Barre offers a total body workout that uses the ballet barre to guide you through 55 minutes of small movements that isolate muscles in your body you probably don’t realize you have. The result is a lot of fat burning and building strong, lean muscle. No workout class is exactly the same and the routine is easy to follow for even the newest to organized fitness classes to follow along. While browsing the website, I found that there was an open house / free classes being offered at the Pure Barre location nearest to my house. Along with my best friend, Lexi, I signed up for a Saturday morning class and prepared myself to sweat. 

Upon walking in to Pure Barre, you’re greeted by a couple of instructors that seem genuinely excited that you’re there and a very warm and inviting atmosphere. There were racks of colorful fitness apparel and accessories, an over-sized chalkboard sign with the class checklist, definitions, and latest membership specials, and a couple of incredible smelling candles to add a feminine and relaxing touch to the studio. After filling out a short form, you’re invited in to the barre studio to grab a Pure Barre exercise ball, tubing, and a set of light and heavy weights (I chose 3lb and 5lbs). The class was full and I was excited to get started. 

                                   

Less than ten minutes in to our workout, my muscles were already shaking, which they tell you at the beginning of class is the goal. I could not believe that I was already getting twice the workout I normally would and I was using smaller, quicker movements to isolate my muscles. The instructor, Jacqui, was extremely helpful in making sure everyone was able to follow along and that we were using the proper amount of movement that gave our muscles a burning workout. We worked everything from thighs, hips, butt, arms, and abs. The 55 minutes went by really quickly with the help of Jacqui and some fast-paced music in the studio. We spent the last few minutes with a cool-down that resembled something you would experience in a yoga class. I was completely soaked with sweat and felt so strong after finishing. I figured I would be in pain the next morning (spoiler alert: I was. All over.), but the good kind of pain that leaves you wanting to take a class again. The only (strong) recommendation I would have for Pure Barre newbies is that the “sticky socks” are absolutely necessary. Pure Barre recommends you wear socks with rubber ribbing on the bottom so as not to slip on the carpeted studio. I thought I could probably survive my first class without these socks so I did not purchase a pair. BIG. MISTAKE. Take it from me, planks with normal socks and no traction might be one of my worst workout experiences to date. I could have gotten even more out of the beginning of class if I had had something that provided some traction. Plus, they were really cute. Buying a pair is a win-win. Unfortunately, I did not take advantage of the new member special they were running last weekend (right now it’s $99 for the 1st month of unlimited classes) as it wasn’t in our current budget, but I absolutely plan on going back. What’s nice about Pure Barre is you can purchase single classes, class packs of 5, 10, or 20 classes, or pick from a various amount of memberships. There’s literally an option for everyone depending on how often you can attend. 

I have a newfound respect for those who train in Ballet or who take Pure Barre Classes regularly. Pure Barre Intstructors teach you that you can get just as good (if not, better) of a workout by using small isometric movements to burn out your muscles than if you were to spend a couple hours lifting at the gym.  I can definitely see this becoming one of my new favorite ways to workout and I look forward to seeing some progress and results in my body after a few sessions. I already have a couple cute pairs of sticky socks picked out 😉 

Hal Higdon and a Relationship with Running

When I think back to the worst parts about being a pre-teen/teenager, gym class and the dreaded mile run would be at the top of my list. I would do everything in my power to cheat (running REALLY slow during the 9 minute run so that I only had to do two laps instead of three), or to skip out on it altogether (your gym teacher didn’t want the awkward argument when a 13 year-old girl said ‘she wasn’t feeling that well’ that week) . My asthma had a lot to do with it, but I didn’t like it in general. Though, I did envy the girls who could go out there, run a 7-minute mile, and not spend the rest of 7th and 8th period with a beet red face. It wasn’t until I got to college and lost a little bit of the weight without evening trying/changing any habits (the constant uphill walk to the business school will do that to you), that I decided to step foot on the track at our campus workout facility. I’m not saying I was running miles and miles at a time, but half a mile here, a mile there, and slowly I wasn’t dreading it anymore. Once I made up my mind to change my bad habits (read here), I was able to run further and begin actually enjoying going for a run around campus. It became a wonderful way to relieve some stress before a big exam or just enjoy how gorgeous the IU Campus was. 

It was a coincidence that Bryan found his love for running in college too. During Thanksgiving breaks, we started signing up for the annual Bonfield Express 5K Turkey Trot. Jim Bonfield was a teacher, coach, and dean of Downers Grove South High School and passed away in 2003 due to complications with Hodgkins Disease. The Bonfield Foundation was started in his honor and the foundation works to support and build character and community commitment in high school students in the area. The annual Bonfield Express 5K is a very special event that we look forward to every year. Being able to support our community is another reason we began to fall in love with running. 

Most recently, Bryan decided he wanted to push himself and set the bar a bit higher. He will be running his first 10 Miler in April and has been training for a few weeks already. He discovered the Hal Higdon Training Program and what I find interesting about this program is that there is a Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced schedule for any race distance: 5K, 8K, 10K, 15K/10Miler, Half Marathon, and Full Marathon. It provides a healthy way to gradually introduce running distance to the newest beginner yet a challenge for those who have been running distance for years. I am so incredibly proud of his dedication to the training schedule (and even more impressed he’s been running OUTSIDE in January and February). The schedule includes weight training, stretching/strengthening, and a rest day and he has taken each part of this as serious as the run days. 

We’re optimistic he won’t need this cold weather gear much longer. 🙂

In some ways, I have admittedly been pretty jealous of the hubs when he goes on his long runs. For about a year now, my long runs have been very sporadic. I found myself struggling to climb stairs, run, and sometimes even get up and down from a sitting position without some killer pain in my knees. In September, I finally decided to get some x-rays and learned that my knee caps are basically not where they are supposed to be- aka all of the cartilage in my knees is not protected by the knee cap. I was instructed to work on strengthening the muscles on the insides and outsides of my legs to try and pull my kneecaps back into place. From what I can tell, it’s made a difference but I still have really bad days and somewhat good days. Without surgery one day, I don’t think I will ever be able to train for a run that’s much longer than a 5K which gets discouraging. Though,I try and remind myself why I love running to begin with and that I can still feel as good after 2-4 miles as I would after 6-10. 

In addition to strengthening exercises, the only other thing that has allowed me to be as active as I am is Kinesiology Tape (or KT Tape). This tape is used by professional athletes and Olympians to basically provide an additional layer of support for sore muscles, ligaments, and tendons. You can leave it on for days at a time and withstands sweat and water. I have noticed this tape provides DAYS of support even after I remove it. It’s literally like a second skin. For runner’s knee, I wear half a piece straight across each knee just under the kneecap, and anchor it with two additional pieces crisscrossed over it and adhered to my mid-thigh down to the top of my shin. If you have any ache or pain related to fitness activity I HIGHLY recommend purchasing some KT Tape. It works really well for elbows, shoulders, lower back, and knees and I love that each package comes with instructions on how to apply the tape for each kind of ache or pain. You can purchase the tape right on the KT Tape website or through my Amazon link below.

 

 Needless to say my relationship with running has been an interesting one. I’ve learned to listen to my body and not overwork myself when my knees are telling me not to. Bryan’s dedication to stretching and strengthening in addition to those long runs has been a huge eye-opener because this allows him to push himself a little further each day. I’m hopeful that with a few more months of strengthening exercises, icing, and continually wearing my KT Tape to support my knees, that I can get back to more of a routine, especially as the weather gets nicer! For now, I’ll enjoy watching Bryan’s progress as he continues to train for his 10-miler and hopefully I can join him in a few shorter distance races later in the year. I cannot wait to watch him accomplish his goal and cross the finish line in April!

 

Cheeseburger Wraps

Ahhh Friday, you are a most welcome friend. I hope that everyone is looking forward to the weekend ahead and that we can finally get more than 3 minutes of some sunshine around here. I’ve been longingly staring at my white jeans and open toed booties in my closet for a couple of weeks now and it’s only February. At this point I’ll take any weather that doesn’t require my coat big enough for an Alaskan winter. 

EDIT: Watching the morning weather forecast and looks like more rain and clouds for the weekend. Be right back, putting those new booties away. 

After indulging in many tasty treats during the Superbowl Weekend, it was time to get back on track this week. We were surprised to see how fast we were forced to get back on track as 2am Monday rolled around and hubs discovered he had food poisoning. Let me tell you- Gatorade, bananas, and chicken soup are a blessing. By Tuesday night he was feeling back to normal and Wednesday I wanted to make one of our favorite dinners to celebrate the fact he could eat more than just that trusty can of Campbell’s. 

We don’t eat a lot of red meat but once in a while I think it’s important to get your iron fix and this recipe is a simple way to do it. There are very few ingredients and you can add whatever burger toppings you like! It’s WW friendly and uses Flatout Flatbreads for the wraps. They are only 2 WW points and 90 calories! I still have a hard time figuring out how bread that tastes this good doesn’t pack the extra carbs. We go through quite a few packages of these each month and use them for wraps, deli sandwiches, egg paninis, pizzas,  and in this case- Cheeseburger Wraps. 

The only thing I have to say about these wraps is that they taste EXACTLY like you were indulging in your favorite restaurant Cheeseburger. We often make a couple batches of these to keep for the week and they can easily be frozen. You can even make a bunch of these, cut them in half, and serve as mini burgers for a crowd appetizer. Serve with additional ketchup, mustard, chopped onions, etc. 

*Note: Each wrap is 8 WW Smart Points

Flatout Cheeseburger Wraps
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. -1 lb lean ground beef
  2. -1 tsp hamburger seasoning
  3. -1/2 cup mild shredded cheddar cheese
  4. -2 Laughing Cow Wedges - Swiss
  5. -2 tbs ketchup
  6. -1 tbs mustard
  7. -4 Flatout Flatbreads (any kind)
  8. -Any burger fillings you like! Diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, onions, and avocado would all be delicious!
Instructions
  1. -Fully cook ground beef
  2. -Transfer ground beef to a large bowl and mix with hamburger seasoning, shredded cheese, laughing cow wedges, ketchup, and mustard
  3. -Spoon 1/4 of the ground beef mixture (and any additional toppings) on to a Flatout and roll in to a wrap, tucking in ends as you go
  4. -Place four wraps in a skillet over medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until each side begins to turn golden brown.
  5. -Enjoy!
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Happy Weekend’ing! 😉