Weekend Summary : Seattle & Mariners Baseball Game

That went by way too quickly!

Seattle Adventure

I was going to post this yesterday but had a bit of health scare. I've had this sharp pain in my sternum that started on Sunday evening and yesterday it turned into swelling on my whole right side. I saw the doctors and they are a bit confused. Luckily the swelling went away while sleeping last night. Hopefully all stays well (fingers crossed).

Back to my weekend. We had planned on and were on our way to leave for Seattle from Vancouver at 10am in the morning. Little did we know that plans were going to go hay wire and change quickly. A friend was going to drive with my mom and I was going to drive with the BF down to Seattle. Our friends car sprung a gas leak and only made it 5 blocks from his house. Luckily he noticed and he had to call the fire department to ensure the gas was all soaked up. We eneded up having to pick him up from the side of the road and wait for a tow truck to come. 3 hours later... we were on the road again.

When we arrived at our hotel (Silver Cloud Broadway) we only had 30 minutes to get everything checked in to make it for the first pitch at Safeco Field. Well... that didn't happen. Instead, my shorts ripped (across the butt - no hiding it) and I hadn't brought anything else. I had planned on buying some shorts the next day while shopping. ooops - a quick rush sew job later and we were on our way. We arrived 30 minutes late but the game was moving at a super speed pace. I've never seen a baseball game move so quickly. By the 7th inning we were running to the food stands to grab some snacks but had to be so quick because we could possibly miss a whole inning. The game only lasted 2.5 hours! That was the shortest baseball game I'd ever seen in my life. By the end of it we were laughing uncontrollably. We were all in disbelief on how the whole day unfolded. Then again ... it might have been boring if you we didn't have some challenges lol. We did get to enjoy some of those snacks. We had some spicy nachos that were slathered in pulled pork (I picked some chips out from around it), a little bit of kettle corn popcorn and a couple drinks. All in moderation remember.

After the game we had fun going out to a pool hall that was right beside our hotel. It was really large (20 tables). After that exciting day we were all tired and headed to bed. We woke up around 7am and grabbed a coffee from Tully's. It wasn't my favourite coffee in the world but it did the job. I tried Peet's coffee while I was in Silicon Valley a couple years ago and fell in love. I only wish we could get it closer to us in Vancouver. We made a couple shopping stops along the way home. The weekend was over - where did it go so quickly? All around I had an awesome time filled with so many laughs and unexpected moments.

Oh and in case you want to know: Seattle Mariners WON! against Texas.

How do you deal with unexpected speed bumps in your travel plans? Do you freak out and get nervous? Or do you go with the flow and everything happens for a reason?

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : July 13th

Freaky Friday the 13th - nope not for me. It's my lucky day!

My mom and I have always believed that Friday the 13th wasn't a bad luck day but instead an awesome day (and lucky). So far so good with this idea. 

Past Family Trip to the Seattle Mariners Game

This weekend we are heading down to Seattle and going to watch a Seattle Mariners game. We are leaving early in the morning and it's supposed to reach 34 degrees while we are there. Yes! I love the sun and heat and can't wait to sit in the stands and enjoy a nice crisp drink.
It's funny how excited we get for the baseball food. I usually don't eat greasy food but when it's a special occasion (haha) like a baseball game.... I'm all for giving myself a little break and letting loose on the diet. I don't go overboard or I feel absolutely terrible after an hour. I usually go for the garlic fries - oh yum. There will definitely be an order of kettle corn popcorn too.



What is your favourite food at the baseball field to indulge in? Or any sports event, what food do you snatch up right away?

Here are some interesting links from the past week:

• Mala Beads - how to choose the right ones for you.

• A mexican twist on quinoa - a must try recipe for me next week.

• Sushi restaurant that doesn't serve fish ?! new in New York

• A perfect recipe to take along for a picnic on the beach or in the park

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
-Michelle

Healthy Food Recipe : Homemade Granola

I love cereal! but cereal doesn't love me. So I've found something new. Granola!

Mixed up Before Adding Wet Ingredients and Dried Fruit



I love all cereals but they do not agree with my stomach and usually aren't that great for you due to the processed ingredients, added additives/chemicals and all the sugar (even in healthy ones). Let's be honest, you didn't really think those frosted flakes, fruit loops and shredded wheats were good for you? It's all broken down and rebuilt ingredients in a box. The reason it can last so long on the shelf is because of how broken down the material is.

A great alternative to cereal is... Homemade Granola. My BF and I were buying a small bag from the local cafe that makes everything fresh and the bag was costing us $9.00 each time. So I thought it was time to just make it at home and save some money. Big bonus: now I know exactly what is going into my granola and add what we want to it. I love to change it up for the different seasons.

Here is my homemade granola recipe:

 

Summer Sun Granola

 

Dry Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups of rolled oats (try to use organic)
• 1/2 cup of slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup of shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed
• 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
• 1/2 cup of carob chips

Dried Fruit:

• 1/2 cup of cranberries
• 1/2 cup of golden raisins

Wet ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of real maple syrup  (no Aunt Jamima's)
• 1/2 cups of real honey

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Directions:
Take a cookie sheet and spray with pam or pam olive oil. In a measuring cup combine the maple syrup and honey together.

In a large bowl stir all dry ingredients except for the dried fruit until fully mixed. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl. Stir until everything thing has a light coating on it. You can add more of the wet ingredient mixture to your taste*.

On a large cookie sheet spread the mixture out evenly. Once the oven is ready set it on the middle rack to bake.

After 10 minutes take the pan out and gently mix the granola around on the pan. Place back in the over and set time for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes check on the granola and see how golden brown it is and add the dried fruit. Mine took another 5 minutes to reach the golden brown I like.

Remove the pan from the oven and let set for an hour. Once the granola has hardened you can break it up into a sealed tight container.

*try not to use too much sugar.

Tip: I like to eat this in the morning so I am able to burn off the calories from the dried fruit, oats and maple syrup/honey.

What do you add to your granola? I would love to hear some ideas I can add next time.

-Michelle

5 Tips on How to Avoid Weekend Weight Gain

I have to admit: I fall into an unhealthy eating blunder on the weekend more often than I would like. Weekend weight gain!


Appies & Brunch on the Weekend


This past weekend there were a bundle of events happening and I didn't want to fall into the trap of wasting all that hard work exercising and eating lean and green to go to waste. Sometimes we can get caught in the moment of having fun with friends and family and get carried away with our food choices. I've learnt how to make minor adjustments and plan ahead. I wanted to share with you how I'm making changes to avoid the weekend weight gain.

On Saturday evening we decided we were going to have an "appy night" so I knew I had to get in more exercise than normal to counter the calories I would be taking in later on. We went for an hour hike along the lake on Friday evening and woke up early Saturday morning to fit in some tennis before the sun was too hot to handle. Knowing how much work I had just done helped me be conscious of what appetisers I chose and how many I consumed. Your appetite may increase from doing more exercise so be careful not to eat more as you actually may not need that extra food and it may just be your body craving some protein or even water.

Stay Active - Get Outside

Sunday came around and that's always a hard day to push through for me. I had brunch planned with a girlfriend and I created a plan in my head before I left. Okay.. what am I going to eat? What is a healthy choice that I will find to be delicious? This let me look at the menu in a different way when I got to the restaurant. Instead of feeling limited, I now was excited to find exactly what I had planned on eating. No last minute decisions and no stomach winning over the brain. My girl friend and I decided to split a fresh veggie eggs benedict. It had just a touch of sauce on top and was placed on a whole wheat english muffin. To go along with the one egg, we split a crisp seared ahi tuna salad - more protein and vegetables = perfect.


Being honest here: I love to have a couple drinks on the weekend (really.. who doesn't?). Well I've noticed over the last few months that if I go over my "selected amount" of drinks, well.. I can see it in the mirror and it ain't pretty! There's the bloating, puffy face and the weight around the mid section that sneaks in. So I decided I needed to take control of this nasty habit. Not eliminate completely but just take control and give it some guidelines. I've set a limit for each day and I don't allow myself to exceed it or if I do... a big warning goes off in my head reading : "Muffin Top Growing". I've also found "Skinnygirl Cocktails" and love the Lime Margarita one over ice. Fits right into my "healthy liquid" plan for the weekend.

Here are 5 tips to help you avoid weight gain over the weekends:

• Set your day off right and rev up that metabolism by eating a healthy breakfast meal full of protein and fibre. This keeps you feeling full and prevents you from grabbing for those munchies

• If you're heading out to eat and being a good girl by eating a salad or veggies: avoid creamy dressing/sugar dressing and ask for a balsamic dressing. Calories saved instantly.

• When choosing an alcoholic drink: think simple. Less ingredients and fresher the ingredients the less it will stick to the body. Try a vodka soda with a lime. Avoid those sugar blended drinks. It's a meal in a drink!

• Water, water, water - you may think you are hungry but it may just be that your body is needing some water to keep up with you on the weekend. Try to have a glass of water between each special drink you have. Frappes included!

• Stay active - you may not want to hit the gym on your weekend but find another way to exercise. Maybe even take the dog out for an extra long walk in the morning. Just don't do nothing, find something fun.

Do you have any tips to staying on top of your healthy eating lifestyle over the weekend? I would love to hear about them in the comments below or you can find me on twitter @mishy_moe and tweet me your smart tip for keeping lean through the weekend.

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : July 6

Here in Vancouver people are in MUCH better mood than last weekend. Wondering why?



Sunset in Port Moody, British Columbia



Sunshine has arrived! Just in time for the weekend the temperatures are creeping up and all my plans include being outside soaking up the rays. I've been watching the tennis matches at Wimbleton while I get ready in the morning before work and I'm sucked in again. I love not only to watch tennis but I love to head out and play tennis. So tennis is a guranteed event on the agenda this weekend. Tonight we are going to take the dog up for a hike and then a dip in the lake. Oh she's going to love it! I've been making sure to get up early in the morning to take her for a run so she doesn't get over heated from the heat and sun.

Any plans for the weekend? Are you heading outdoors for some adventures?

Here's a few links I've enjoyed from the web this week:

• Top 100 websites for women by Forbes. I've been exploring it all week.

• Dogs in the office - good or bad for your work related stress?

• Boozy popsicles? EveryGirl offers some great recipes for the those hot days.

• Speaking of booze: tips to avoid weight gain on the weekend.

• Looking for new breakfast ideas? Breakfast Quesadillas? Delicious healthy breakfast ideas.

• I recently found an interesting recipe on Pinterest by Queen of Quinoa

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

-Michelle

Healthy Food Recipe : Paella

I first tried Paella when I was in the Dominican Republic and they had it in this massive pan over an open BBQ pit and they had to use a paddle to stir it. I was hooked instantly!

Paella is a rice dish that originally came from Spain. I love how versatile it is by adding whatever seafood you like and subtracting the meat.  It also brings the whole family together to enjoy. I recommend having it at lunch time due to the starch and carbohydrates content in the recipe. This gives you more time to burn off that energy (carbohydrates) from the food. You can also remove the chorizo sausage (I would recommend), which can have a lot fat in it. If you can find a lean sausage that would be fine. We put the sausage in the Paella as my BF enjoys meat but I ate around it.

My BF is in the midst of trying the recipe out using Quinoa in place of the rice. He's still fine tuning it so it has that moist texture like the Paella. As you might tell over time here on my blog, I'm not the cook in the family anymore - he's taken over. He's a big meat and carbs guy while I'm a pescaterian who loves fruits and veggies. We are learning to meet half way. Together we are coming up with ways to make a recipe healthier. A learning process we are excited about.

Seafood & Chorizo Sausage Paella

• 1 pound of mixed seafood - chopped in 1 inch chunks. We use scallops, shrimp, snapper and salmon.
• Small touch of fresh parsley - chopped up
• 1/2 pound of chorizo sausage
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 litres of chicken broth (can use veggie)
• olive oil
• 2 cups of arborio rice
• 2 handfuls of frozen peas
• 2 lemons

Place a large skillet/frying pan on high heat and add small amount of olive oil (enough to lightly cover the pan). Add the parsley, onion, garlic, chorizo sausage to the pan. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until onions become soft and the chorizo sausage is fairly cooked.

Stir in the arborio rice and season with salt and pepper. Add in the boiling broth until the pan comes to a boil. Make sure to stir so the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Put a lid on the pan and bring the heat down to a simmer. Occasionally stir up the paella. Lots of rice is different so read the package of your rice for cooking time.

When rice is nearly done, add in the seafood and peas. Gently stir in the seafood. Squeeze the juice of one lemon on top. Cook for another 5 minutes. If the rice seems a bit dry then add in a bit more water. You want the rice to be more moist than dry. Have a taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bring the Paella pan to the middle of a table and everyone can dig in.

Serves 6 people.

Enjoy!



Chef Hard at Work



Have you made Paella before? What did you include in yours?

I would love to hear your version of the recipe in the comments below. Or you can send me a link via Twitter.

-Michelle

Weekend Summary: Canada Day & Celebrations

This past weekend we crammed a whole bunch of activities into one weekend. Even though we were really busy it felt like it went enjoyably smooth and relaxing. I wanted to share my awesome weekend with you all.

It started on Friday when I got the opportunity to babysit my dogs (Bernese Mountain Dogs) while my mom enjoyed a lovely evening out with the girls. There was lots of cuddling go on with me and the dogs. Even though it was warm out I convinced them to cuddle. This picture is of them watching us eat on the patio. They look like they've never been fed! Which is the total opposite.

Amazing Strawberry Buckwheat Crepes

Sunday (Canada Day) came around and it was time to party. I started the day with some exercise as I knew I was going to be tossing back a lot of liquid calories later. I headed up to our local mountain trails and went for a rejuvenating 4km run. I made sure too really push myself as I predicted the next day my tolerance would probably be down. For breakfast we headed to a local breakfast/lunch place called Cora's. I had strawberry crepes in celebration of Canada Day (red & white). The plate came out and my boyfriend's eye went extremely large. Uh Oh... this crepe was HUGE! Luckily they make them whole wheat/buckwheat so I wasn't feeling too guilty. We hosted dinner at our condo before we walked over to the Golden Spike Days/Canada Day Festival. We had thought there was going to be fireworks but we were told (firmly.. lol) that there hasn't been fireworks for 10 years. Oops - oh well. Instead we came back to our condo with family and made a Canadian Classic Caesar! Yummy! I always have to ask my boyfriend to make one for me as mine just do not compare to his. Soon the dance party was happening and everyone wanted a turn at being the DJ. Great fun with the family. It was too bad that my mom couldn't make it due to having a cold that just won't hit the curb.

 Monday was another day to celebrate: I enrolled in school to become at health coach through the Institute of Integrated Nutrition. Now I'm on my way to have credentials to back up my natural passion for health and wellness. This is also one step closer to opening our Health Retreat - B&B one day. Celebrate!

How was your weekend? Any steps you took to get a little bit closer to your dreams?