Dave’s return from his business trip gave me an excuse to whip up a fancy dinner Friday night. It was perfect: Dave thought I was cooking for him, and I got to try healthier options.

So what did I make? Chicken Parmesan! Can you believe it

Although I substituted the Chicken with Morningstar Chik’n patty (for me), and the pasta with spaghetti squash. Clever, huh?

Since I really don’t like to cook because of the work involved both before and after the meal, I was a little nervous about this undertaking of mine. If I ever feel pressure or rushed to cook, I get really crabby (I should use my crockpot more often). I was pleasantly suprised about how easy and DELICIOUS it ended up being.

First thing to do is to find an apron that lends to the appearance of “Happy Homemaker”.

Oh, and yes that is Vera Bradley. It’s been an obsession of mine since college when I worked at Vera retailer. It’s a good way to blow money that could be going towards student loans.

ANYHOW. Next is to think of the most frustrating, irritating person, place or thing, and take that aggression out on the sqaush with a fork. Should look like this:

Clearly I have anger issues.

To add insult to injury to the innocent squash and stick in in the microwave until it’s soft enough to slice in half.

Cook the halves in a little bit of water then take fork back to it–this time, like your metal detector alterted you to some major treasure lurking within the strands. Think serious fortune here, people. Keep digging until all the spaghetti strands are out.

Look, aren’t I cute? His and hers chicken!

Add some salt, pepper and a hometown favorite…

Voila!

And Dave provided dessert….

This stuff is amazing. I’m actually eating it as I type. Ooohhhh soooooo goooooood.

Oh, and that treasure? A delcious, healthy meal with your favorite person. Life is good!

Greetings from the snowy highlands of Pennsylvania (and my Blackberry)…

For the most part I keep a consistent eating schedule during the week: stuff something in my face as I’m running out the door, light snack around 10, lunch at 12:30, light snack after work, and then dinner around 6:30. Unfortunately for me, my schedule can get really messed up when travel season rolls around twice a year.

Travel season? You ask. Yes. For those of you who don’t know (many of you, I’m sure), I’m an enrollment counselor. But unlike traditional counselors who fly all over the place, I work exclusively with adult students looking to complete their bachelor’s degree. Our program isn’t online, but we do have locations all over western Pennsylvania, so I do day trips–looong day trips. For example, today I’ll be logging a 13 hour day… Most of it sitting at a community college or travelling on snowy roads. Usually I have a two-hour break for lunch during this particular trip, but I have a tempo run scheduled for today. So, being the “dedicated” athlete that I am, I’m spending that time at the adjacent recreation center to log some miles.

So today is pretty busy, and because I’m sitting at a table to talk with students who pass by and fancy meals aren’t accessible, it begs the question, “when and what am I going to eat?!”

I thought this would be a good time to share with you how I keep a healthy diet when my travel season comes around because, quite frankly, McDonald’s and Taco Bell just aren’t options for me!

The key for me is healthy, fresh and satisfying (and unobtrusive) snacks!!

Breakfast:
Breakfast is usually consumed in the car on travel days. Now, I’m not going to be eating scramble eggs as I ride down the turnpike, so I have to think “convenient” and “safe”. I also have to consider that days like today aren’t going to be filled with fresh greens, so I turn to every girl’s best friend: chocolate, wait, I mean, green monster. Ok, both. Today’s mix:
- approx. 1 c. Baby Spinach
- approx. 1 c. Soy Milk
- 1 frozen banana
- approx. 1 Tbsp ground flax
- approx. 2 Tbsp Dark Chocolate Dreams PB
- 1 pkt. Amazing Grass Chocolate Infusion
- Ice until desired consistency
This was mighty tasty and filling, I wanted to add some oats to it, but I forgot! Shame! It was also accompanied by a travel mug’s worth of Prestogeorge Holiday Blend coffee. And lots and lots of Dustin Kensrue. Delish.

Lunch:
Keeping in mind that I have to pound out 4ish miles around 2pm, I wanted a portable lunch with serious staying power. I turn to another favorite: breakfast cookie “with wheels”.
- approx. 1/2 c. Rolled Oats
- approx. 1/4 c. Unsweetened applesauce
- approx. 1 Tbsp ground flax
- approx. 1 Tbsp crunchy AB
- handful dried cranberries
I mix this sucker up in a small tupperware container and in the morning a top with one small apple, cinnamon, and a generous spoonful of Crofter’s Superfruit Spread (Europe). This definitely could have been bigger…oops. But it tastes like dessert. No joke. I also ate a healthy portion of green grapes (for even more satiety).

Dinner:
After morphing into Wonder Woman while on the treadmill, I need PROTEIN. So, being the planner that I am (yea, that’s a joke), I packed a frozen pineapple Chobani (aka crack) in my gorgeous Vera Bradley lunch tote this morning. There are 13 grams of protein in that bad boy. Also along for the ride were some green pepper slices and a kiwi! I also packed Nut Thins (the pecan ones) and a Laughing Cow! That is an amazing combo. If you can’t do gluten, try Nut Thins!! I go through boxes of them like Lifesaver Wint-O-Greens!!

Dessert (not including the lifesavers):
Jessica’s (www.howsweeteats.com) Whole Wheat Peanut Butter and Jelly muffin. Oh. My. Goodness. Go make them. They are delicious.

Hydration: 2 liters of water! It makes my bag heavy, but I need it!!

I will probably eat a little something when I get home while I’m unwinding from the travel, but I am happy that I kept my options clean and healthy throughout the day (although there was some wheat, it was worth it). I didn’t have to rely on some drive-thru menu, or Starbucks to keep me going throughout the day. Plus, I helped save the college money!

I would like to add that it’s not a good idea to wipe your lunch box out with a disinfectant wipe before using it. Everything tastes like Lysol- which brings a whole new meaning to “clean eating”!!

My wonderful Blogging Friend (or “blend”), Yasmin, has tagged me in the 10 things that make me smile post!

And so, without further adieu, here are 10 things that make Abby smile (normally).

10. C.S. Lewis: I’m obsessed. Ain’t no secret. I’ve read it all and re-read it all. No one can say it like him. And he writes it ALL. Philosophy, Theology, Academic, children’s fiction, science fiction…. and it’s all beautiful! Who else can do that?!

9. The Reformation: I love the reformation and any kind of reformation offspring. Martin Luther, John Calvin, the Puritans, modern Reformers like Boice, Sproul, and Dever, the Westminster Shorter Catechism, and the Trinity Hymnal. The theology that was taught at this time is untouchable. It seriously gives me chills. What a wonderful, Biblical, logical expression of the truths of Scripture. I know when my dad sees this, he will smile and say, “I’ve done well.”

8. The Classics: I have been so blessed to have received the education that I have. It’s amazing to be educated on ancient cultures and realize that we are so much like them. We pull almost every part of our way of life from these people: our language, our government, our architecture, our philosphies… The Classics open a beautiful window of insight into our own culture. It also reminds me that there once were societies that prized bravery, honor, chivalry, and hardwork. On one hand we’re not that different, yet on the other, we have fallen so far.

7. Running: I really don’t think I need to say anything about this one.

6. My Puppies: Dexter and Amos! Amos was my first love…he’s my little bro’s dog and I swear he’s part human. The best part is that he LOVES to sing! It never fails to make me laugh when someone tarts singing or playing the piano and he just joins in. Sometimes it’s annoying because you’re trying to watch TV, but really it’s so cute.

Dex is my baby…I got him about a month after I graduated from college so it was just the two of us before Dave and I got married. He’s so goofy and you can tell he just wants to be loved. He also is the most obedient dog I’ve ever known.

5. My College Roommates: I miss these girls! They were such a strong support for me in college. We had so much fun doing goofy things, and making crazy trips to Mad Mex for half-off margaritas in the middle of the week. In the big picture, we spent such a small time as roommates, but I feel like they are my sisters. And since I’m the only one who stayed in Pittsburgh, I never get to see them! My heart hurts sometime.

4. My Better Half: Stacey has been such a wonderful friend to me! She’s the kind of friend that you can be your goofiest self, cry your eyes out, or scream at the top of your lungs and know that she’ll always, ALWAYS have your back. And just like all my other friends, she moved away. But we have a friendship that can’t be shaken by 3000 miles.

3. My Family: My dad is my head, my mom is my soul, my older brother is my courage, and my little brother is my laughter. These people made me who I am and I thank God everyday for them! We are all so blessed with the wonderful relationships that we have with each other. We might be overwhelming to others, and I admit that we’re all a little crazy, but that’s what makes us us. And, I have an amazing, sweet sister-in-law too! My cup runneth over!

2. My Highschool Sweetheart: He married me, why would he not make me smile? Anyone who can put up with my emotions, absent-mindedness, and MESS has to be the most wonderful person in the world. I’m blessed enough to have not spent much time looking for THE ONE, because I met him during my junior year of highschool. Five years later we were married, and here we are almost 2 years after that…still madly in love!

1. My Salvation: It’s not a part of me, it is WHO I AM. I am not my own, I have been bought with a price–the precious blood of Jesus Christ. I am a child of God, called to be His for no merit of my own. What a gracious God I serve!
“What can separate my soul
From the God who made me whole?
Wrote my name in heaven’s scroll?
Nothing! Hallelujah!”
~James Boice

I’m passing this along to… Kat, Caitlin, Katie, Jessica, and Pam. Get crackin’ ladies!

Dave left for a 4 day business trip this morning…at first I thought, ” A little me-time will be a nice change of pace. I can do whatever I want!” But as soon as he walked out of the door this morning with his carry-on looking really nice in his khakis and sweater, I thought, “I miss you! Come back! What am I going to do without you?!”

Well I haven’t figured out what I’m going to do, but I can let you know things I won’t be doing in his absence:

I won’t be taking out the garbage. I tend to shy away from stinky jobs. I’m very sensitive to odors.

This means I probably won’t be taking the dog out to poo. Which kinda puts me in a tough situation because the apartment will start stinking eventually. 85 pound dogs tend to create A LOT of stink.

I won’t be arriving at work on time. Without David to drag me out of bed in the morning, I have no hope of getting there on time.

I won’t be cooking! Not that I do it when he’s around, but at least now I won’t have wife-guilt.

I won’t be watching LOST. He made me promise, and I would like for my husband to think that I’m trust worthy. Maybe I’ll watch older episodes to get my Jack-fix for the week (kidding, Dave.. I won’t).

I won’t be watching chick flicks! This is something that won’t change in his absence. On-Demand comedies and ESPN it is. I like college basketball! P-I-T-T! Let’s go PITT!

Dexter will only be eating once a day, because I won’t remember to feed him at night. I’m a bad dog mommy.

I also know that I won’t be smiling as much, and I won’t be as content, and I won’t be as happy because my best friend won’t be right next to me.

….I won’t cry (well, maybe just a little).

Confession: I ate Mexican Friday night knowing I had to run Saturday. Yea, that whole sensitive stomach thing??? It takes a back seat in the face of Veggie fajitas. I did, however, forego the margarita. Go me!

Confession: I keep a stash of Lifesaver Wint-O-Mints in my car at all times. Mainly to settle my sweet tooth, but it helped this morning to settle my fajita hangover. Annnd there’s usually gum, too.

Confession: Despite my perpetually fresh breath, I still have very few friends in the area. I take this as justification to spend every possible minute in pajamas and workout clothes.

Confession: Armbands for iPods don’t ever fit my arm. Seriously, there are definitely athletes smaller than me. Don’t they atleast make children’s sizes?!I’ve contemplated cutting the bands to fit me, but since my Molly doll, I’ve learned not to use scissors on toys.

Confession: I’ve also used scissors on my own hair, and that didn’t turn out too well. Neither did the school picture that was taken 2 days later.

Confession: I did the same thing 14 years later. Please take note: older doesn’t necessarily mean wiser OR better with scissors.
(There are NO pictures of this fiasco. I was careful to keep it a secret!)

Confession: I haven’t worn my knee brace since I started running after the stress fracture. Why? I thought the tendonitis would have gone away with the 6 weeks of rest, too. A stress fracture doesn’t make you wiser either, apparently.

Confession: I wore it yesterday, because apparently I was wrong. It’s not as bad as it was a year ago, but it’s getting sore. I’m hoping that the foam roller will help that. Welcome back, old friend.

Confession: I ran on the trail that is stll covered in ice knowing it would be bad on my knee and foot.

Confession: I didn’t care. But the fact that the shooting range that sits along the trail was occupied today certainly made me rethink a longer run. I turned back before I could become someone’s accidental target practice.

Confession: I’m paranoid.

Confession: But I am not faster than a speeding bullet (so I’ll continue to be paranoid).

Distance: 6.53 miles
Time: 1:07:41
Avg Pace: 10:21

Mile 1: 10:14
Mile 2: 11:16
Mile 3: 10:38
Mile 4: 10:34
Mile 5: 10:08
Mile 6: 9:55
0.53: 4:54

LONGEST RUN SINCE THE STRESS FRACTURE!! ::Dance Moves::

Confession: I can’t dance.