I always wake up hungry

Breakfast is so important to me. If I eat a balanced one! Without breakfast and having all that coffee in my belly, I would be one lost gal.

Breakfast....
Motivates me to eat healthy throughout the day
Gets my metabolism fired up
Keeps me full and focused, especially with tons of protein
literally what is says... Breaks that fast from the night before
And it makes me energized!

Here are a few meals that are my go-to breakfast-

After a work out:
One whole grain waffle with all natural peanut butter and a drizzle of honey. I buy all natural peanut butter and I make sure to look at the ingredient list to see if there is any salt added. It should only consist of peanuts and peanut or palm oil. I like the oil on the top that gets separated. I mix it up pretty well, but if you don't enjoy that you can always try another without the oil on top. Just make sure you check the ingredient label to see if any funky things are added. :) Almond butter is also a great source of protein!

Eggs with peppers, spinach, mushrooms, onions, and zucchini. I LOVE EGGS! I love mixing it up every now and then with different veggies. I put everything possible in my eggs! I add squash, peas, all kinds of vegetables. I love a variety. Sometimes I'll use one egg yolk and one egg white, but other days I'll eat the yolks.

Cottage cheese is also yummy. Some don't enjoy the taste, but I find it delicious and it's low fat loaded with protein. One serving, 1/2 cup has 17 grams of protein! What What??

And a fruit of your choice! I love raw fruit because it has the fiber and all of those extra nutrients. Sometimes if I'm in a hurry I'll make a smoothie though.

 

If you ever have left over asparagus, just eat em for breakfast. I'll put them in a pan, crack an egg over top and season, then put a lid over top to steam cook the egg. mmm, it is super delicious!

Ever remember grandma making hashbrowns for breakfast? Well, they may not be as healthy, but you can definitely have those without the extra fat. I like to cook my potatoes in coconut or canola oil. Good saturated fat and a lot of polyunsaturated fat. I'll grate them in a bowl, but you have to make sure to squeeze all of the water out with a paper towel or they won't be firm and crispy. After a little pepper, I don't even need ketchup! 

I made these light and fluffy raspberry bars and they were perfect for breakfast. They weren't as healthy as I would have liked because I used a lot of brown sugar and all purpose flour, but pairing it with some protein really got me going in the morning. I always like to include fruit in my breakfast because during the day I'm always eating veggies and my protein.

You can prepare breakfast in so many ways. If I were to eat a heavy meal, I would always want it to be breakfast. It keeps your full, especially when you have that fiber and protein on your plate. I always try to pair my carbs with protein. It balances out your metabolism and keeps your glucose levels regular. 

What foods can you include on your plate for breakfast?

Woah baby, it has been a while....

Hey everyone!
Sorry for the break, but I shut down my blog for the spring semester. I was so wrapped up with classes and the kitchen, I just didn't have the time to write about everything. A few things have changed and as always, I learn something new about nutrition everyday. I'm still running, but let me tell you; the last few weeks with finals and work, I haven't laced up my shoes very much at all. But it is okay because summer is here and even though I'll be taking classes, I'll have a lot more time to spare. I'm training for a half marathon this summer so I'll be running an awful lot! I'm so excited, and I can't wait to accomplish another goal of mine.

A few minor changes in my life:
1. Got a tattoo
2. Cut my hair
3. been eating more protein and less dairy products. I still consume milk and yogurt, but just a limited amount. It's been upsetting my digestive system so I'm trying to consume a little less than I used to.
4. Training for a half marathon
5. Grace and I are moving into our own apartment near campus. We are super super excited!
6. I'm learning to rely on myself for happiness and not seek it in other things.
7. I'm no longer going to be working at Huntington's Kitchen as of May 16th. My boss is resigning, and I can't bring myself to continue working without her. I'll miss her so much, but this will bring other opportunities in my life which I look forward to.
8. I've learned to keep it simple, enjoy the little things, and it's okay to have unhealthy food... in Moderation!

Sooooooo I went to Florida for spring break (that's where I got my lovely piece of art) and I had a blast. I took some photos to share with you. :)

 

This was the first day I got there. I went to North Fort Myers beach, and I loved it! I had so much fun getting away from school, Huntington, and even my roommates. I love them, but it is always nice to have a getaway. The first night we went to a little bar. I didn't drink, but I was starving, so I got a blackened Mahi Mahi with vegetables. It was amazing, and I could definitely tell the difference in the freshness of the fish. That was my "Welcome to florida drink!" It was rum and pineapple orange mango juice and a little splash of cranberry. mmm!

I had so much fun with these girls. This is the day we went to the beach and I was burnt to a crisp. Stupid me didn't reapply sunscreen... BAD. But you'll see a little later what I mean. 

This is a collection of pictures I took while I was there. The necklace above, I bought at Plato's closet. I fell in love with it immediately. It doesn't open but it goes with so many items in my closet. 

Michelle, RuthAnn and I went to Pinchers the last day. It was delicious! I got the fish tacos, so so good.

Told ya I cut my hair! So much lighter and it feels healthier. 

I got a blackened grouper sandwhich with fresh chips at a place on the beach. Oh I loved it! 

  

At Pinchers! Beautiful view right? 

So remember when I said I got a tattoo? Well... I did. And that is another thing I couldn't help but fall in love with. Even with the pain towards the end, it was so worth it.

Going into this I wanted something to start a half sleeve, but now, I really just like this. I wanted a Mandala and a lotus mix and this is what the artist came up with and I couldn't be more pleased. I feel it's a perfect start if I wanted to get more, or it's fine the way it is. I Never thought I would actually get a tattoo, but those who know me... once I make up my mind and I really want something, I will go for it! I told my mom the day I was getting it... hmm, big surprise.

Usually people think of a vacation as an excuse to eat as much as you want, drink, and be lazy. I definitely ate a lot! And I definitely drank. But when I ate, I ate 80% healthy and well... maybe 25% unhealthy ;) I also got some running in while I was in FL. If I was on the beach, I would have ran every morning, watching the sun come up. But, I stayed with friends, so I ran in their neighborhood. And Boyyy was it HOT. There were a few days I didn't wear a shirt, just a sports bra. And that wasn't cool for my burns. Literally. 

I don't want to be weird about drinking, because I drink but I want to touch on this topic for a sec. I for sure do not go out every week or weekend and drink to get drunk, but occasionally I'll go out with friends and drink a beer or a glass of wine. I do not let myself get to the point where I'll regret drinking or even get sick. I have enough problems with my digestive system and getting sick as it is, so I only want to drink when I feel like it. I feel moderation is the key here and remember 2 servings of alcohol for men a day and 1 serving for women. Only 7oz are recommended. So that means you can't feel up a whole cup of wine and call that a serving ;) I know that we are all human and even as a dietetics major, I slip up.

Always be safe and smart, and always know to take control of your consumption. 

Andddd this is my sunburn...
Looks rough doesn't it.

Thank goodness that my burn healed before I got my tattoo.

I had an awesome time in Fort Myers. I met so many cool people and I can't wait to go back to visit them. Who knows, maybe I'll find myself packing up and moving there after graduation. pshh... that's in another 2 years. whew! 5 years of college is enough! No more changing majors. 

Thanks everyone for making my time there amazing! I hope to see you all soon :)

As soon as I got back I fell back into my routine. I had just enough days to prepare for the remainder of the semester. The next morning I woke up with some tea and yoga. It set my mind to be motivated and get through the following week.

A Little Late Post, But Delicious Asparagus & Cod

After a work out at the gym, I was craving some fish and asparagus. The two go very well together. Asparagus is loaded with B Vitamins such as B-12 & 6 (Cobalamin & Pyridoxine). These provide energy to help burn more fat. B vitamins can be found in your dark leafy greens such as Kale, Spinach, and of course asparagus. It's very important that you get enough B-Vitamins because they are also bone builders. Dark leafy greens are also a great source of Calcium.
I seasoned my Cod with salt, pepper, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, and some parsley. I drizzled it with olive oil and stuck in in the oven at 400 for about 15 minutes. (It was really really good). I used to not be a big fish fan, but since I don't eat much chicken or beef, unless I'm out at a restaurant, fish & shrimp is all I buy. I've learned ways to make fish taste delicious but I've also had some bad experiences. When it comes to nutrition, I try to substitute seasonings. With meat I ALWAYS salt and pepper, with veggies it depends. I try using a little bit of garlic powder or the usual red pepper flakes. 

For my asparagus I tossed it with some olive oil, sprinkled salt and threw it in the oven with my fish. You will hear the asparagus sizzle as the oil heats up. The oil also helps them not stick to the baking sheet. You don't want to put asparagus in without any type of liquid- oil, butter. You'll come out with very dry, tasteless food. Healthy fats such as olive oil and coconut oil enhance flavor and give the food that beautiful brown, attractive look. 
When you see your asparagus turn a bright green color, take one out and test it. I like mine still crunchy, not soggy. I always look for that beautiful bright green color. I take them out and squeeze a whole lemon over top. 
You can fix asparagus many ways. Another favorite way is to sprinkle Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar and bake. mmmm, that IS really good with chicken or even a steak.   

For desert I had a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter, banana, and dark chocolate chips. YUM!

The best thing about fixing asparagus... is you can't eat all of it in one setting. I always save mine and plop it over a salad or grill it with some veggies for a stir fry the next day. The next day I made a spinach and kale salad with garbanzo beans, cauliflower, broccoli and sweet peppers on the side. Those round orange looking things are dried apricots. These are great addition to a salad or I just love snacking on them. It's the only dried fruit that I actually care for. 

Bolthouse Farms make the best fruit & protein drinks without all of the extra sugar. It's all sugar that comes from the fruit. Berry Boost is one of my favorites. I had it with my salad. 

My New Babies: Saucony's!

I've been needing a new pair of running shoes for a while now. Sorry Nike, but you are just not cutting it. This year for Christmas my parents agreed to buy me a pair. As you know, when you are a runner, you go through shoes like there is no tomorrow, especially when you run 15-20 miles a week. That's a lot of wear and tear on your shoes...not to mention your feet. I'll talk about runner's feet later on and what helps me to overcome sore, dry, and achy feet. (Who knew when you run you are use your feet 100% of the time). 

Anyways, the day after Christmas I went on my first run in a week and boy am I glad I had my Saucony's to back me up. It's difficult to maintain a running schedule 24/7, but when you do, it's seriously the best thing for your body. Because once you fall of the track, it is hard to start where you left off. The holidays are the worst for me. All of the junk food, shopping, and spending time with family, it can be hard to run everyday.

Oh man, I'm in heaven! These lovely things could take me anywhere. If you want to pick up running, please please... if you haven't learned anything else, make sure you have an excellent pair of shoes. If you don't, it can result in injuries and cause you to not be able to  run in general. It is so important to run with a great pair, even though they can be costly. Try to find the deals, order online, or shop the stores like Marshall's. 

Now that we are talking about running, I am pretty disappointed. Like I said in my last post I've come down with the nasty flu. When I'm sick, my life is a disaster. I don't clean, I lay in bed, I want to hire a maid or a cook. I'm just lazy. Last night I crawled in bed and instead of watching the ball drop, I put Aladdin on and waited for Joe to come check on me after work. He didn't get out of the restaurant until after 1am. You know I love him when I wait up for him, even if I'm sickly. I AM looking forward to the soup he is making! If anything, the orange juice and soup will cure me ;)

Right now, green tea with honey and lemon will have to do.

My wonderful roommate Rachel brought me orange juice. 

It's not cool being sick. You miss out on all the fun. When I get sick, I always do around an important time of the year or a holiday. This year I just missed out on all the fun, dressy parties and music, and the ball dropping. Well, maybe next year! 

Happy New Year everyone! Here's to 2014!

Before And After Christmas

Sorry, It's been a week since I've been on here but I have been super busy. I guess fantasizing about being lazy and wearing my pajamas for three straight days isn't going to happen. But I've been having fun. 
Joe and I went to his work Christmas party at the 21 Club in Huntington, which I have to say was a blast. A couple days after that we spent Christmas Eve with my parents and Christmas day with his. Lots of crazy family fun, right? Nah, it wasn't bad at all. We are both family people so it was an awesome couple of days. Besides the last minute shopping... 

Us at the party!

Christmas is one of the best times of the year, besides Thanksgiving. It's filled tons of memories with the family, lots of delicious (unhealthy & maybe some healthy foods) ;) and one of my favorite moments...watching the little ones open their gifts. My niece and nephew are growing up way too fast. It is unbelievable that it seems like yesterday I want holding them in my arms as babies, and now they are big babies. Ah, and Christmas is their favorite time. I love my family. They are crazy at times, but what family isn't? :)

This is my lovely sister Korenne. Love her to death!

Joe & I at my parents

And look here! Even though Joe broke the rule about not exchanging gifts, he got me these beautiful vintage aprons. Aren't they perfect for work at the kitchen?? Love them!

So I hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas and now a Happy New Year! I'm updating my blog on New Year's Eve because I've got the flu and I can't celebrate :( The only celebrating I'll be doing is with my sick roommate watching the ball drop with tissues stuck up our noses and drinking orange juice. The sad thing is, Vitamin C won't cure a cold, it will just speed up the healing process. Whew, I hope we start feeling better soon.

Happy New Year guys! 

Yummy Eggs With lots of Veggies

Any of you have a hard time getting back into a normal routine after you've slipped up over break? 
Well.. I feel your pain. Lately I've been going to bed no earlier than 3am and waking up at almost 2pm. THIS IS A BAD HABIT. I've mostly been caught up in this awful sleeping schedule because Joe works during the day and doesn't get off work until close to 11pm, sometimes 1 on the weekends. When he is off work, that is the only time we really get to spend time together, especially since these last two weeks the restaurant has been crazy slammed with tons of events. It is the holidays! I still miss him like crazy. Hopefully by the time classes start, his work will slow down a bit, and I can get back into my usual routine. I try to go to bed by 9 or 10pm and wake up at 7am. I'm more of an evening runner, so I like to schedule my classes and work in the mornings. 

Anyways... Today after Joe went to work, I was craving eggs. I know, at 2pm, I should have already have two meals... breakfast and lunch, right? Well, unfortunately, this was my breakfast. So I made it a hearty one.

You can never go wrong with eggs. I boil them, put them in salads. Fry them (never with butter or salt), and also scramble them with shrimp to mix in a stir fry. I just love these things. If I haven't eaten much protein for the day I eat the egg yolks, but if I am eating them in a salad, or I know I'll be eating a lot throughout the day, I'll use one white and one yolk to balance it out. It is good to eat the yolks, just as long as that is not the only way you are getting your source of protein (which it definitely shouldn't be). Eggs do contain a lot of cholesterol. One large egg contains about 190mg.

Cholesterol is made in the body, primarily the liver, but cholesterol is also found in animal products, palm & coconut oil. Keeping your cholesterol at a healthy level of less than 300mg or 200mg if you are having additional health issues, will keep your body healthy and your heart happy. Of course there are some cases in which your family history has a huge impact, but your diet and physical activity should definitely be your main concern when it comes to cholesterol. 

I really enjoyed my brunch today. I included yellow & red peppers, spinach, and onions.

 I usually try to pair my spinach (my iron) with a vitamin C source. In this case I used peppers and then my kiwi. This is important: 

Iron is absorbed best when consumed with a Vitamin C food. If I am going to eat a Spinach salad, I will try to include strawberries or blueberries in with it. This week I really need to increase my Iron intake, so I've been eating a lot of dark leafy greens such as Kale and Spinach. Then I'll eat them with a fruit or a vegetable that is an excellent source of Vitamin C. 

The reason why Iron found in Spinach is absorbed best with Vitamin C, is because the Spinach is a non-heme iron source (not from animal product like beef). Iron from beans, lentils, Kale, and Spinach absorb best when eaten with Vitamin C. So eat up guys!

A Little Recap: Running Makes You Psycho

Even though finals are over, this week has been pretty busy. I've been at the kitchen everyday except today. We've had so many events and classes that this week has gone by so fast. I haven't really had the chance to go running, and honestly I've been in a rut. I just haven't had the desire to run everyday like I hoped to. 
After a long week, I pushed myself to go for a run. Yesterday I ran around my town before I had to go back to work. Today, I decided to give the treadmill a try at the gym with my roommate. I lasted for about 2.3 miles and I had to stop. The treadmill gives me really bad shin splints, but today I was just too dehydrated. DRINK as much WATER as you can, especially before a work-out. My performance definitely decreased today. See how easy it is to slip up? Even if you are a dietetics major.

After my work-out, I drank some of this bad boy. I am usually against any kind of fruit juices because I get my nutrients from fresh, raw fruits. I won't even drink orange juice anymore unless I whip up my own. Not many people realize how much sugar is in fruit juices. Even if the label states all natural or no added sugars, you should still check out the ingredients. Naked fruit juiced are pretty good about actually not adding sugar. Before I buy anything, I always take a quick look at the ingredients. (yeah, I'm that person.) 

"Running makes a person psycho"- Grace, my roommate & best friend. 

This is true and any runner out there knows what she's talking about. After a certain length of time, you begin to crave running. You may not want to make the effort to run, but at the same time you crave it. Once you find yourself addicted to running, it's almost all you think about.

Balance your plate. Half of your plate should be fruit and vegetables. I chose grapes and a few pieces of an apple (skin on). When I have kids, I won't be the parent to peel their apple skin and throw it away. The skin of any fruit or vegetable have a lot of essential nutrients the body needs. The outside of an apple contains insoluble fiber so keep the peel on guys! 

Those green little things on my salad is edamame. These are my new favorite addition to salads. Sometimes I saute them up with onions and serve them over rice. Edamame is a premature soybean that are loaded with potassium and protein, along with other vitamins. You can dress up your salad with whatever you have available. Anything is delicious on a salad.

Did I mention I love my job??...

I want to tell you guys a little bit about what I do while going to school. You will know more as the blog continues, but one thing I have to say is... I LOVE what I do. 

I work part-time at Huntington's Kitchen in Huntington, WV. If any of you have watched Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution then you are familiar with this wonderful place. Jamie came to Huntington with a goal in mind... To help families start cooking again. 

We are so busy sometimes, and so distracted with everything around us that we barely make the time to prepare a home cooked meal anymore. Most people are always on the run and they choose fast food. Jamie wanted to bring cooking back. And he did! 

I received the best opportunity possible while studying nutrition at Marshall. Working and volunteering at the kitchen has helped me gain the experience I never thought I could before. I've been given the advantage to work directly with a variety of dietitians, chefs, and many others. I am so so lucky! 

This past week I went to St. Joe with my manager Joy to observe how she teaches the kids about different fruits and vegetables. After the break, I'll be going to different schools by myself to teach. I'm super excited about this opportunity. 

The kids at St. Joe learned about strawberries and raspberries. We talked about where they grow, how they grow, and what season they grow the best in. The kids made little Santa hats out of marshmallows and strawberries. Cute, right?!

I'm thinking about which vegetable I'm wanting to use next time. Maybe avocados? They are definitely one of my favorites. 

Well, I'm going to take a mini nap before my lovely boyfriend gets off work. (he's a chef, so he works those long hours). Later guys!