Blue Skies, Epiphany, Yum & Granola

Blue Skies…La La La
That’s me singing.  Why am I singing?  Is it because I can see beautiful mountains just outside my window? Or is it because I’ve had two delicious, healthy, home-cooked meals all the while lounging around and enjoying what it is to just be?  You know what it is to just “be,” right?  It’s a zen state. I hope you’re there with me.

Epiphany
So I’m in Utah with my best friend who is running the Salt Lake City Marathon tomorrow. I was supposed to be running it with her.  And while I could get all worked up about how lame it is to make marathon-running a spectator sport when I would rather be at the finish line with her, sweaty and half-crippled, I’m not going to go there (but, believe me, I have!).  I guess the thing about my tendinitis is: it’s a wake up call before what could have been a devastating knee surgery or something else. Seriously, I was over-training and I was not getting enough sleep (which is vital for adequate post-work-out recovery).

As we were driving through the mountains today it came to me.  I am not superwoman.  I can’t do everything.  There are no excuses, but there have to be smart decisions in which I  weigh what the best thing(s) is(are) to sacrifice so that I may accomplish the things most important to me.  Getting 5 hours of sleep a night so that I can work, work-out, go to class, do homework, see my boyfriend, etc. etc. left me feeling falsely empowered, but surely paying the price. Thankfully, my little right knee decided to say “um, no.  Get some rest and leave me the hell alone.”  So I am listening.  And I am evaluating.  And I am sleeping.

House of Yum
Being here in Utah with Tamara reminds me of how important a change of scenery is for our worried hearts sometimes!  Plus, nothing beats seeing your best friend, her husband and her adorable baby while being pampered with the following home-cooked meals today.  Check this out!

Lunch at the Tamara House of Yum

Chicken Pasta salad:

• Grilled chicken breast marinated in sweet & tangy barbecue sauce
• Barilla Plus pasta with nutritional stats here:

• Italian dressing
• Mix together all ingredients = Love at first contact with taste bud.

Dinner at the Tamara House of Yum

(Sorry for the lame picture. I was too engrossed in eating to remember a picture until half-way through!)

• Grilled salmon marinated in lemon, Worcester sauce, garlic salt, pepper & parsley
• I made my potatoes: red potatoes quartered, Pam cooking spray to coat, rosemary, salt and pepper to season. Put in oven for 30 or so minutes at 450 degrees.  Fat free heaven.
• Organic spring salad and Italian dressing
• Rice for Tamara who is carb-loading for the big race tomorrow!

Product News:  Mix My Granola
No it’s not a new slang term (but it could be!).  Mix My Granola is a new site on which you create your own granola mix – like literally pick your granola base, fruits, nuts/seeds and extras (yogurt pretzels. chocolate chips, flax seed, chia seeds, etc.), pick a name for it (oh the possibilities!) and have it mailed to yourself!  The cost for a 16 oz box depends on what you choose.  The mix I’ve always wanted to try is: French Vanilla Granola, Organic Banana Chips, Dried Blackberries, Roasted Almonds, Pistachios, Oatbran Flakes, Organic Coco Shreds, Chocolate Mini Morsels & Peanutbutter Bites.  This would cost $11.91 + $4.99 (standard shipping rate) = $16.90.  One thing to note:  These mixes, like most granola mixes, are calorie-dense!  My mix will have 269 calories, 13 g of fat, 4 g fiber, and 5 g protein for each 2 ounce serving. It’s best to eat this as a seasoning (i.e. sprinkle lightly onto something else, less calorie-dense).  Use a tablespoon or so on some yogurt, atop apple slices, in cottage cheese, in cereal, etc.

So I have been wanting to order my mix, but my recent Holey Donuts and Hungry Girl expenditures made me feel I should postpone this possible love affair.  That was until…

I WON PRIORFATGIRL.COM’s blog contest for a certificate to MixMyGranola.com! Yahoo!  I am so excited to make the “Granola’s Not Just for Tree Huggers” mix.  I’ll let you know how I like it!

By the way, go check out Jen’s blog for inspiration without the b-s.  Plus, she seems like pretty rad girl.

I’ll end with a question:  Have you ever had to re-evaluate your priorities? Adjust your life to better suit what’s most important, even it means cutting certain things out altogether?

Tags: barilla plus pasta, calories, granola, Holey Donuts, Hungry Girl, marathon, mixmygranola.com, nutritional information, priorfatgirl.com, tendinitis, Utah