Happy Birthday Dad!

This post is a special post for my Dad. He doesn’t get much press here on the blog but he often leaves me awesome comments that make me smile with their use of “kiddo,” and “love, Dads.” Today is his birthday and I’d like to take a moment to thank him for just a few of the things he has given me:

1. When my Dad was a little boy, my great grandfather used to pick him up for road trips regularly and, as something of a human compass, my Dad has instilled the same love of car trips and new destinations in me. To this day, I love being in the car and taking “the long way” home – even though I can’t get anywhere without my GPS.
2. A special regard for all of the Back to the Future and Star Wars movies, in addition to Independence Day and Dances with Wolves. Even though Mom won’t, I will watch these movies with you anytime, Dad. Oh, and we can put on Fleetwood Mac and jam anytime you’d like.
3. “Be interested and interesting!” You see, bloggies, I wasn’t always such a dashing and magnetic individual. During the awkward teenage years (and, um, let’s face it, beyond), the struggle of meeting (and keeping) boys was a regular source of malaise. My Dad, ever the pragmatist, coined this phrase to keep my head in the right place. Let me tell you, being interested and interesting works. Tell your friends – and make sure to tell them about my Dad.
4. Endless support. My Dad is the biggest (and hairiest (TMI?)) cheerleader I know – thank goodness no pom poms or pleated skirts are involved. He is always, always there for me and my brother. Without him, my life would be entirely different. He has given me the courage I needed to move somewhere new on my own, go to graduate school and strive to always be the best – I still remember when an A- showed up on my previously all A report card and you told me that you “didn’t like the trend." Its amazing to have you in my corner, Dad.
   

My Dad is such a special person and I’m so lucky to have him in my life. Thanks for helping me to wish him a Very Happy Birthday!

Love you, Dad!

Royal Wedding Food

Hey guys! Happy Friday! I was just checking in on the news and found this comical blogpost featuring speculations (and criticisms) of the Royal Wedding Food and wedding food in general. While I didn't watch the wedding, I've perused a few pictures and have to admit, I was pulled in more by thinking about the food. :) Surprise, surprise, huh?

Did you guys watch the wedding? Have any wedding food stories (good, bad or otherwise?). I've been pretty lucky with wedding food. I've always had delicious vegetarian entrees and amazing desserts. No weapon-like appetizers for this wedding guest! :)

Have a great weekend!

xoxo,
Em

P.S. Thanks for all the support and tips on my skin care post. I'm glad to know that I'm not alone!

Emilyday Skin Care Challenge

Hey guys! Happy Emilyday! This post is going to be a bit of a departure for me. I don’t very often talk about personal things or things that may bother or embarrass me but I’ve decided that in order to hold myself accountable and perhaps learn some tips and just generally share my experience, it is worth divulging sometimes. Also, if there is one thing I’ve learned while blogging, it’s that the quality of people that stop by this little blog is stellar. So, here goes!

I’ve never had particularly terrible skin. I remember one day when I was getting my haircut in high school, my aunt and hairdresser told me that I had beautiful skin. At that point, I remember being taken aback by her assessment. It wasn’t ever anything that I thought about. I don’t really even remember a skin-care regimen other than washing my face with Neutrogena at night and a wet washcloth in the morning.

As time went on, I would occasionally get a pimple here or there that I would attempt to zap overnight with Oxy spot treatment cream. Usually, they were few and far between – mostly just right before my period.

Over the past couple of years, and especially within the past 6-9 months or so, I have been frustrated to find that despite getting older (and naturally wiser), my skin has actually been getting worse. And by worse, I mean noticeable blemishes, black heads and pimples on my face. Blech.

My two “problem zones” (I hate that particular combination of words for several reasons and apologize for using it) seem to be my forehead and chin, in particular. While I diligently wash my face and moisturize during the cold months (and only around my eyes and cheeks in the warm months – lest my forehead and chin become a bit…oily), it seems like something is off, or missing.

Combine the seemingly naturally blemished face with the fact that I simply cannot leave things alone (read, most blemishes turn into very read and noticeable bumps after constant…attention), and you have an embarrassing problem that affects my mood and confidence (silly, I know, but true).

I’ve been assessing my diet, sleep patterns and washing regimen (elements that I can control) and I’ve determined that I don’t think it is my diet nor my water intake that is causing the change. I eat healthfully and drink lots of water. I also don’t believe that it is a lack of sleep because I’ve been very diligent about getting enough (lest I become cranky and miserable). When it comes to face washing, I am generally very good about washing my face upon waking and then before going to bed. Where I sometimes fail is in the case when I get home from exercising and don’t necessarily shower right away. I NEED to wash my face right upon finishing exercise – especially on days when I go right to the gym in my makeup.

Now, there is one other element that I know impacts my skin – stress. This is something that I can’t necessarily control, but I think that my overall plan will help to reduce its impact.

So, with that in mind, here is the challenge I am posing to myself.

1. Wash my face directly after working out, always. Prevention is the best medicine and I have invested in some new products to help prevent my breakouts and blackheads from occurring. I purchased some Aveno cleansing pads that are easy to use when I’m not at home or on the run. They are gentle and make my face feel super clean and soft. I also purchased a new Grapefruit Cleanser from Neutrogena that also makes my face feel super clean without over-drying.

2. In cases when blemishes appear (and they will!) I will leave them alone! I will not pick at them or squeeze them (sorry for the grossness). I will apply a spot treatment and let it go. My face will thank me.

3. Continue to eat lots of fruits and veggies and drink lots of water.

4. Get enough sleep.

5. Do yoga and meditation – for the mental benefits.

Well, there you have it. Thanks, as always, for allowing me to ramble and put myself out there. Do you guys struggle with keeping your skin clear? Do you have any tips?

For the Love of Alfredo Sauce

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday. How’s it lookin’? What started as a nasty, grey day has suddenly turned into a bright, summer-like afternoon and I’m lovin’ it (do I have to trademark that? Mmm…Chicken McNuggets…kidding! Or am I?).

Anyways, today’s post pays homage to an old favorite food of mine – alfredo sauce. While it wasn’t something that I ate very often, alfredo was a luxury of eating out. It was something that I dreamed about – right up there with oh-so-thick cheesecake and gooey grilled cheese sandwiches and homemade mac and cheese (sensing a theme, here?)…

Although I can’t remember the last time I ordered, or even ate, alfredo, its delicious creaminess and the way it blankets pasta in saucy goodness still drives me wild. It was with that exact sexy and delightful image in mind that I concocted the following recipe. It happens to be vegan, but entirely by happenstance.

Vegan “Alfredo” Pasta for One

The supplies:

For the sauce:

1-2 tbsp tahini
2 tsp dijon mustard
Hot pasta water (enough to thin)
2 tsp nutritional yeast
Dried basil (to taste)
Red pepper flake (to taste)
Garlic powder (to taste)

For the pasta:

3/4 cup pasta of choice (I used whole wheat bow ties – there’s something about bow ties…)
Veggies of choice (I used broccoli and sundried tomatoes)
1-2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

The assembly:

For the sauce:

Combine tahini, dijon mustard and spices in a small bowl. Prior to draining the pasta, add about 2 tbsp (more if necessary) of the hot water until sauce reaches desired consistency. (Mine was pretty thick… I’ll wait while you tell me something about what “she said…”).

For the pasta:

Prepare pasta as directed. (Make sure you remember to save some of the pasta water for your sauce!). Sauté minced garlic in olive oil until golden brown and translucent (please don’t burn it!! Blech). Remove garlic from the pan and add a bit more olive oil and your veggies of choice. Once the veggies are cooked, add the garlic back in, toss with your pasta and drizzle on your “alfredo” sauce. Give everything a good toss so that the sauce is allowed to permeate. Mmm...permeation.

I topped mine with a bit more nutritional yeast, basil and black pepper. It was pretty darn delicious, if I do say so, myself. I'm already looking forward to making it again!

Do you guys have a comfort food recipe that you have made over? Any food memories that continue to drive you wild?

Finding the Festive

Hey guys! Happy Monday. How was your weekend? Mine most definitely did not go as planned. I got home to my parents’ house on Thursday night in preparation for our trip to Long Island Friday morning to find a very sick Dad. You see, my mom had been sick with a stomach bug earlier in the week and although we thought it was long gone, my father finally succumbed Thursday night.

Needless to say, we did not end up going to Long Island and with an urgency precipitated by my hatred for stomach bugs, I made my way back to Massachusetts Friday morning. While the good news is that I seem to have made it out without catching the bug, it made for a very different (and much more solo) Easter than I had planned.

Regardless, I treated myself to several delicious meals and utilized some seasonal ingredients to add a little festivity. Namely, I have been using oodles of delicious, fresh, unsweetened coconut flakes and dates. Yum.

My first, and perhaps favorite, meal that I’d like to share is my take on almond joy oatmeal.  I started with 1/2 cup soymilk, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup oats, cinnamon, vanilla and some chia seeds and added coconut, chopped dates, and the piece de resistance – chocolate almond butter. This was delicious and decadently dessert-like.

Next up was another amazing breakfast – french toast. The base of this French toast is a loaf of locally-made multi-grain bread. I used a huge slice of it and dipped it in a mixture of one egg, some soy milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Once nice and crisped, I topped my toast with some pb, more chopped dates (they look like olives!), coconut and a drizzle of maple syrup. Yum.

The coconut most definitely made these breakfasts. I’m so pumped to have it in my cupboard and can’t wait to come up with other uses for it.

Do you like coconut? How do you use it?

Operation: Bike to Work

Hey guys! So, you all know that I'm currently training for a 10K race on May 1st. I'm pretty excited about it but am taking a fairly laid-back approach to it and my training. Really, I just want to have fun and get another race in before the summer heat kicks in. And, while I'm really enjoying my training runs and running in general, I'm absolutely giddy about my new adventure - commuting by bike to work! :)

As you know, I'm visiting with my family for Easter and will be bringing my long lost and newly tuned-up bike (thanks Dad) back home to MA with me. I live only about 5.3 miles from work and so it won't be a long ride (google estimates it at a half hour!) and its a safe route (I also just bought a new helmet with pretty blue flowers on it!).

I think that my goal will be to ride to work at least 2 days per week (to start). I have a feeling there will be a definite adjustment period and I'll have to figure out certain things; mostly, how to cart all my crap along with me. "Crap" in this case refers to shower supplies and a change of clothes as well as my food bag. I think I'll probably be breaking breakfast up into 2 portions so that I can eat something before and after my ride. I'll probably have to get an insulated bag and ice pack so that I can keep necessary items cold.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to fit everything into one backpack and I think it can be done. I may just end up leaving my shower supplies in my office and can use the locker room from there. We'll see!

Do any of you take alternative transportation to work? Any tips for a new bike commuter??

Chipper, brought to You by the Letter C

Well, happy Wednesday, my friends. How are you? I’m quite chipper today. You see, being that this is today and tomorrow is Thursday, I have only one more full day to wait until I can begin my mini-vacation at my uncle’s house in Long Island. I’m going to be leaving to drive to my parents’ house after work tomorrow and from there we will make our way to The Hamptons (said in very nasaly bourgeois voice). While there, I have no plans other than a couple of lovely runs (perhaps on the beach!?) and lots of eating (including my mom’s carrot cake and duh duh duh…banana cream pie). Can you see, now, why I may be chipper?

Anywho, today has been a good day in its own right. I started out with what was probably the most difficult three mile run in a long time. I have a really hard time with morning runs. Particularly morning runs that start before 7am and before a proper breakfast has been consumed. Somehow, though, I muddled through and even did a bit of core strengthening upon my return (a strong core has been proven to help with cake and pie consumption).

When I got to work, I was more than ready to break into my packed breakfast – overnight oats made with 1/3 cup oats, 1 cup plain soy milk, 1 tbsp chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla, nanner and the piece de resistance: candied pecans. I made those babies a while back and they are sitting in my freezer for occasions such as this one. They were crunchy and delicious on my oats.

For lunch, another yum from home – spinach salad with cucumber, chick peas, carrots and cashews (um, hello to the letter “c” – perhaps the sponsor of this post?). I had some Newman’s Own balsamic dressing on this bad boy and some kashi crackers on the side.

Snack came early – morning workouts make me hungry! Some plain greek yogurt with muesli mixed in. I ate nearly all of it before remembering to photograph. Yum.

I have kind of a busy evening ahead – dogsitting, laundry and a special trip to a local candy store so dinner was quick and easy. Roasted broccoli (with ketchup, naturally), scrambled eggs and toast with hummus. Simple and delicious.

Do you guys have plans for the weekend? Do you celebrate Easter? Any foods that you’re looking forward to?

xoxo

Em

Whirlwind Weekend

Hi guys! Happy Tuesday! How are you? I’m doing quite well. The long weekend was a great one.  It started off the best way possible – a delicious dinner (recapped here) with my good friend Di. The rest of the weekend followed suit and I don’t think I could have packed more into it. We’re talking some serious rugby watching, a delicious brunch, awesome ocean ogling…

…a hike through the woods (complete with sky blue salamander eggs!), a winning Celtics game, a refreshing (and expensive) new favorite beverage…

…running, weight lifting, spring cleaning, Boston marathon watching, a thick a$$ chocolate cherry smoothie…

…all topped off with a delicious dinner to celebrate/commemorate soccer Mondays (no more indoor soccer for a while!) and a viewing of the original Arthur (which I highly recommend…lets see how Russell Brand does with it!).

How are things in your neck of the woods? Did you have a good weekend and start to the week?

Ode to Overnight Oats

Happy Friday, friends! What is the good word? Can I guess? Is it weekend?? :) It is a long weekend for me and a lot of other New Englanders in honor of Patriot's Day. I don't know much about Patriot's Day except that is also Boston Marathon day and means a long weekend. I'm ok with that.

I don't have much to talk about in addition to the exciting three day weekend except a favorite new breakfast of mine - overnight oatmeal. Overnight oatmeal is not a new concept to me and certainly is not a new concept to the blog world. For some reason, though, I have just fallen in love with it this week.

The first of my recent forays into the overnight oatmeal world involved 1/3 cup oatmeal, 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1 cup unsweetened plain soymilk, dash of vanilla and tons of cinnamon. I mixed all of the ingredients well and let them sit overnight in the fridge. Upon waking, I had a delicious, pudding-like breakfast that I amped up with a banana and some peanut butter. Tasty!



This morning, I used the same overnight mix but then this morning I mixed in some delicious cranberry, cherry and almond muesli and served the oats in a nearly empty peanut butter jar. The muesli was an awesome decision - it added some texture to the oats and sweetness from the dried fruit. Yum. (Sorry no picture, I was in scarf mode this morning).

Do you guys like overnight oats? Have any combinations for me to try?

Have a great evening!
Em

Rosemary-basil Baked Tofu with Marinara and Feta

Happy Thursday, friends! How are you? While today is absolutely beautiful, yesterday was exactly the opposite...rainy, windy, cool. It was actually kind of nice, though. I love the sound that it makes on the windows and it makes being inside the office kind of cozy.

To go along with yesterday's weather, I decided to make a cozy dinner. Some of my favorite memories of home involve my mother’s (or father’s) homemade sauce and pasta. The smells of garlic and onion and the promise of a delicious loaf of bread are pure bliss. Sometimes, we would even pull out the Godfather soundtrack to make the meal feel that much more authentic (don’t worry, no mobster guns are allowed at the dinner table).

For dinner yesterday, I wanted to recreate that warm meal and feeling. Granted, I did not take the time to make my own sauce – I used Classico tomato and basil sauce instead – but it still came out deliciously and, along with some Godfather soundtrack, reminded me of being home!

Rosemary-basil Baked Tofu with Marinara and Feta

The goods:

Extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
Marinara sauce
Spinach (frozen or fresh)
Feta
Pasta of choice (I used a mix whole wheat shells and penne)
Garlic powder
Rosemary
Dried basil
Red pepper flake
Olive oil

The execution:

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut tofu, drained and pressed (I pressed mine between two plates with the jar of sauce on top for about 20 minutes), into thin strips. Toss tofu strips with olive oil and spices (to taste). Spread on greased baking sheet and place in heated oven.

While tofu is baking (about 20 minutes or until nice and toasty brown), prepare pasta to directions and begin heating sauce on low heat. Add spinach to sauce to allow to wilt (if fresh) or heat (if frozen).

Serve sauce and tofu over pasta and sprinkle with feta. Allow yourself to bask in the easy, but delicious, meal.

Fin!

My New Gadget Love

Hey guys! Happy Monday! How was the weekend? How was the work day? My weekend was pretty solid. We had some serious spring weather. I don’t think the nice weather is going to get old any time soon so you better be prepared for me to revel in it! :) 

I was able to get out for a walk during lunch today and got super excited to see a beetle crawling along on the side walk. I could have easily stayed and watched him and enjoyed the sunshine for 45 minutes but alas, my desk was calling…

Anywho, I have an exciting new gadget in my life. CSN stores contacted me a few weeks ago to see if I would be interested in doing a product review. I jumped at the chance with one thing in mind – a spiffy new blender. While I’m not in the market for the king of blenders ($$) at the moment, I did manage to find Cusineart Smartpower blender that seemed to suit my fancy.

 

I did try my blender out for the first time about a week ago but that was when I was having my camera trouble and wasn’t able to take pictures. Fortunately, I captured this morning’s delicious smoothie breakfast.

In the blender went 4-5 ice cubes, 3/4 cup cherries, 3/4 cup plain soymilk, and a packet of chocolate hemp protein powder. I wanted a thick smoothie and so it took a little bit of spooning the mixture down into the blender but in less than 5 minutes I had a delicious, thick bowl of smoothie goodness that I topped with some granola.

I’m always nervous about the ice crushing capabilities of blenders but this baby does not disappoint. Woot! I’m definitely happy with my new blender and so excited to come up with some new smoothie recipes. What are your favorite concoctions??

Friday Plans…

 

Happy Weekend, Friends!! <3

Speedwork is my Friend

Hey guys! Happy Emilyday! How are you? Things are going well here. It’s a beautiful New England spring day. I could get used to this!

My day started off with a fun and delicious breakfast hosted by work. I had half of a corn muffin (that tasted SO much like the beloved Boston Chicken cornbread of my youth) with eggs and some fresh fruit salad.

It was really tasty but not quite filling. I was more than ready for my trip to the salad bar for lunch. I loaded up on mixed greens, cucumber, carrot, onion, chick peas, kidney beans, feta cheese, some sunflower seeds and fresh croutons.

For my dressing, as usual, I used olive oil, balsamic and hot sauce. I always get crazy looks regarding the hot sauce, but it’s so good! Don’t knock it until you try it!

For my snack this afternoon, I had quite the treat. I saw this Bobo’s Oat Bar at Whole Foods the last time I was there [insert link here] and couldn’t resist trying the peanut butter variety.

This bar did not disappoint. It was like a healthy dessert and wasn’t skimpy at all. It was perfectly moist and not too sweet with a hint of peanut butter. Delicious.

Today, my 10K training plan called for 6x800 meters at my 5k pace. Unfortunately, I have a hard time doing speedwork outside and so I made my way to the treadmill after work.

Fortunately, I was feeling like a well-oiled machine today. It was awesome. I rolled through my intervals and felt strong. For some reason, I always psych myself out about speedwork and have to talk myself into it. BUT, once I get myself to the track or treadmill, I love it!

Anywho, to fill my speedy belly, I made some easy black beans and rice topped with salsa, nutritional yeast and avocado. Quick, healthy and tasty.

Now, I’m off to meet up with a friend for some girl time and dessert. Have a great night guys!

Em

No Cameras Were Harmed…

Hey guys! Thanks for your comments on the camera. Wouldn’t you know, less than ten minutes after posting, I accidentally dropped said camera smack on the counter. Just like my brother Sam suggested (thanks, Sam!), I immediately turned on the camera and BAM! it worked!! I was so pumped. Apparently, giving the camera a little bit of tough love is the way to go. Still, cameras were only helped and not harmed in the making of this post. :)

Anywho, how was your day? Mine was really good, actually. You see, I’ve been kind of in a work rut. I think I have been dealing with some serious adult ADD and was having the hardest time focusing and feeling productive and driven at work. I decided to reassess things after a particularly long and stir crazy day at work on Friday.

I think a lot of my problem had to do with a particular morning routine. I’m always one of the first ones at work, which is a good thing, but usually, I spend a good amount of time eating breakfast and waking up to some blog reading and internet surfing. While I still get my work done and work an 8 hour day, I think for me, starting the work day off in this way set a bad precedent for the rest of my day (think frequent internet breaks).

To try and fix this, I’ve decided to stop eating breakfast at work and give myself some “me” time in the morning to read blogs and enjoy a home cooked breakfast. For the past two days, things have been going very smoothly and I find that I’ve been super focused at work. I allow myself blog reading/internet surfing during lunch, but other than that, I’m keeping out of it! Let’s hope I can keep this up. :)

My home cooked breakfast this morning was super delicious. I made an egg sandwich on everything rye bread (have you tried this!? its awesome), with avocado, sundried tomatoes, salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flake and nutritional yeast.

I could get used to this. :)

Do you guys ever have motivation issues at work? Any suggestions for how to overcome them?

Technical Difficulties

Hey guys! I hope that you’re doing well!! Did you have a good weekend? We got some amazing weather this weekend and it was just so nice to be able to get out and enjoy it. I hope that you enjoyed yours, as well!

I just wanted to check in and let you know that it appears that I am in need of a new camera. I get a lens error message when I turn it on and can’t seem to get it to work at all. Do you guys have any tips for how to deal with it or what might be going on? Until I figure things out, I may be posting a bit less and with cell phone pictures when I do. Yikes! I apologize in advance!!

Have a great night, my friends.

Em