Breakfast Pizza

I love brunch.  And I love pizza.  So why not combine the two into an epic Saturday morning feast?

Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients:
- Crescent Rolls
- 6 Eggs
- Splash of milk (optional)
- Cheese of choice (I used cheddar)
- Veggies of choice (I used green peppers, onions, mushrooms, and spinach)
- A little butter to saute the veggies in

Directions:

1.  Chop veggies and saute in a pan with desired amount of butter, 1 tbsp is plenty.  Put the spinach in right at the end just to wilt it. 

 
2.  While veggies are cooking, place crescent rolls in a greased baking dish.  Stretch them out a little so they cover your entire pan and press the seams together to create your crust.  I usually save a little dough so I can patch any holes at the end.  To avoid eggs sloshing all over your oven, use a baking dish with sides on it or if you don't have one, create sides using tinfoil.

3.  Crack your eggs into a bowl, add a splash of milk (optional to make them more fluffy), and beat with a fork.

4.  Layer veggies, eggs, and cheese in the pan on the crust.

5.  Bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes or until eggs are set throughout.

This recipe is so versatile... you could add any vegetable you want, potatoes, meat, different types of cheese.  I've also made this for a large group of people using 2 packages of crescent rolls and a dozen eggs, it just takes significantly longer to cook.  I also cover it with foil for the first half of cooking when I'm making the larger quantity.  I'm honestly not sure how long I cook it for, but it's easy to tell when it's done... just check for when the eggs don't jiggle!

Man I love me some bfast, wish this would appear magically tomorrow when I wake up for work!  Kitchen fairies, where art thou?

What's your favorite brunch?

Half Marathon Training: Week 8

Week 8:

- Tuesday, 1.81 mi around my neighborhood, 21 mins
- Thursday, 2.02 mi around my neighboorhood, 22:08, boot camp with my cheerleaders, 20 mins

- Sunday, 15 minute dog walk, better than nothing arm weights
- Total Mileage = 3.81 mi

I ran with no pain!  I'm so pumped.  I only ran twice this week, but I think it was good to ease in.  I'm really looking forward to more runs with my new toy.  I figured out I can sync it with my account at DailyMile so I'm pretty excited about that, but I feel like I still have a lot to learn about it.  For some reason I hate reading owner's manuals, but I guess I'll have to suck it up!

Thursday was great because I got my run in before cheer and then did a little boot camp sesh with my cheerleaders at the end of practice.  We did push-ups, tricep dips, wall squats, jumping switch lunges, lemon squeezers (I don't know the real name but it's an ab exercise, balanced on your butt, in with knees bent, and then out into a V), scissor kicks, high knees, high kicks, and planks where you jump your legs in and out.  I don't know about the girls, but I was sore the next day!

Goals for the week:
- Workout 3 times: B+
- Lots of foam rolling: B+
- Do a yoga workout: C-

I did work out three times, but my Sunday workout was pretty lame.  I did some foam rolling, I could've done more, but I'm not in pain so I guess I did an ok amount.  I failed to do a real yoga workout, but I did a lot of stretching throughout the week and did think more about my breathing while I was stretching.  Goals for this week: run 3 times (woot!), keep foam rolling, lift my arms twice, and do a real yoga workout.  Get it!!!

What's your favorite boot camp style exercise?

Look what I got!!!!!

Best boyfriend ever.  Look what I got for our 2 year anniversary (which is tomorrow)!

I wasn't sure if I wanted to spend the money to purchase a Garmin.  I figured I was going to start just by mapping my runs out at DailyMile and calculating my average pace over the distance.  Well now my world has been rocked.  I am SO excited to play with my new toy.  Right now it's on the charger but I'm definitely going for a run with it tomorrow (as long as I can figure it out)!

More good news, I went for a run last night and I didn't have any hip pain today, yay!!!!!!!!  I ran 1.81 miles at an extremely slow pace and even walked 0.2 miles in the middle.  I didn't want to push myself, but it felt so great to get out.  I have a pretty random running playlist on my phone and when James Brown came on belting out "Owwww, I feel good, I knew that I would now" I was beaming and thinking, yes this is my jam!  I did a lot of stretching and foam rolling when I got home and I was very pleased when I made it through today without developing any pain.

This injury has taught me that running is a privilege, not everyone is able to go out for a run whenever they want.  I need to take care of my body by providing it with the proper equipment (aka good shoes!) and not adding more mileage than my body is ready for.

Have you ever taken something for granted until it was taken away from you?

Half Marathon Training: Week 7

Week 7:

- Wednesday, better than nothing workout (random body weight exercises in Dave's kitchen)
- Thursday, better than nothing workout (random body weight exercises at cheer practice), 2 yoga videos

- Sunday, 20 minute dog walk
- Total Mileage = 0 mi

This week was a big fail.  I actively took this week off from running to rest my hip, but that shouldn't have given me a free pass to be lazy all week.  If I can find time to run 3 times a week, I should still be able to find the time to workout without running!

Something that really surprised me over the past two weeks was how much I missed running!  I can't believe I'm saying it, but it's true.  We had some gorgeous weather and I just wanted to get out and go run.  I guess I could've gone for some walks instead, but it just wasn't the same.  Maybe I need to work on my all or nothing mentality, although I don't seem to have that issue with working out in general... I love those better than nothing workouts.  Thursday I did some jumping switch lunges and a bunch of cheer jumps and my hamstrings and shoulders were burning for a few days!

Goals for the week:
- Workout 3 times: C
- Buy a foam roller, learn more about it, and roll: B+
- Do some type of yoga: A
- Stretch 4 times: B-

Well, it's behind me now.  This week I'm looking forward to testing out the waters with a nice easy run.  If I don't have any pain then I'll be getting back into my training plan.  I definitely won't be following the week 8 schedule of my training plan, I need to ease myself back in.  My goals for week 8 are to workout 3 times (hopefully there will be some running, but either way I need to get moving), do another yoga workout, and do lots of foam rolling.

Oh and guess what I did this week, I signed up for the Broad Street Run!  It's a huge 10 mile run in Philadelphia, 3 weeks before my half.  Please, please, please let my hip pain be behind me, or at least something I can manage with rolling, yoga, and ice!  We will see... crossing my fingers!

How do you motivate yourself after a bad week?

All Grown Up

Even though I'm 25 years old, I usually still don't feel like a real adult.  I like to dance in a public, watch Disney movies, and swim in creeks.  Every time I have to deal with something like my health insurance or an issue with my car, I just want to go whine to my parents.  But this Saturday night we did something that screamed "wow we're actually adults."  We had a triple date dinner party!

On the menu was some Green Curry Chicken, we were trying to recreate one of our favorite dishes from Thai Place.  Also on the menu was an amazing salad that Leah brought.

 

It came out amazing!  I will see if Heather is posting the recipe on her blog, because you need this recipe.  We had a blast, I love cooking with a team!

 

 

And then the hooligans got home and gave Puddin' some love.

Puddin' may or may not have just put her tongue in his mouth...

Next time I want to do a build your own Chipotle bowl night, yum!  The rest of my weekend was pretty low key with a coffee tasting at a new local coffee shop, catching up with some friends, church, an epic 3 hour coma nap, and some quality time with my new roomie.  Speaking of which, we have big plans for an Ikea date night on Friday to look for a wardrobe so I will have somewhere to put all my clothes.  Another you know how I know we're old night... and I'm excited about it.  I guess being an adult isn't so bad :)

What's something that made you realize you're an adult?  Do you know of any good clothing storage furniture deals?

On a Roll

Yesterday I bought this!

I did a bit of rolling when I got home.  It hurts when I roll my hips, but it's like when you get a massage and it hurts... but it hurts so good.  From what I've read, I believe this just confirms that I will definitely benefit from the rolling.  I'm thinking it will also inspire me to clean the kitchen floor more often, because for some weird reason sliding my body along the floor yesterday was a little less than desirable!

And tonight I did some yoga.  I went into the fitness menu in Xfinity On Demand and found a yoga for athletes video and a yoga for all video.  I did all 17 minutes of the yoga for athletes workout and then I sort of did a pick and choose method with the 20 minute yoga for all video since it had a lot of repeat poses and my hamstrings were over it.  I liked the videos and will definitely be trying them again.

I'd like to think I'm pretty fit and more flexible than most, but yoga is so humbling.  I am a beginner!  I love that there's so much room for improvement, but I just need to stick with it.  There are so many videos on youtube, I need to find some that I like so I can master them!  One of the hardest things for me is just to remember to breathe during the poses, but practice makes perfect.

Tomorrow is Friday!  Get excited!  We are getting some days in the 50s, I love it.  Happy Weekend to you, my friends :)

Do you like yoga?  What's your favorite pose?  Any online yoga video suggestions?

The Past Few Days in Photos

 

Insert sushi & wine pictures from our Monday ladies date... picture taking fail!

 

Do you see that?!  It's a key!  Dave asked me to move in!!!!  I hope you had a wonderful Vday :)

Did you do anything special for Valentine's Day?

Half Marathon Training: Week 6

Week 6:

- Monday, 7 mi on the bike in 40 min, 30 push-ups, 100 mountain climbers, lots of stretching
- Tuesday, 2 mi around my neighborhood, 23 min

- Saturday, 30 minute dog walk, 10 minute treadmill walk, mixed interval workouts
- Total Mileage = 2 mi

What a bummer!  As I mentioned, I am currently taking some time to let my hip rest and hopefully avoid a serious injury.  I will be so disappointed if this hip thing stops me from running the half, but I'm hoping it won't come to that and I'm going to think positive!  It's still so far away so I can't worry yet.

Yesterday Dave and I had a full to-do list, so we decided to fit in a better than nothing workout.  I did a bunch of different things, alternating between two moves for some interval sets.

Alternating Interval Workout

Push-ups 3 sets of 10
Mountain climbers 3 sets of 30

Assisted dips 3 sets of 10
Calf raises 3 sets of 30

Alternating sides bicep curls 3 sets of 20 (10 on each side)
High knees 3 sets of 30

Straight arm raises alternating between in front and out to the sides 3 sets of 20 (10 each way)
Planks 3 sets of 30 seconds

My calves are so sore today!  And guess what I found at Dave's gym... a foam roller!  I did some rolling on my hips, legs, and lower back and it was awesome.  The roller was a lot harder than I expected it to be, which makes sense, because if it was soft I guess it wouldn't be very effective!

My goals for this week are to not be a lazy bum and still workout at least three times this week.  I also want to buy a foam roller, learn more about rolling, and put that baby into action on my body.  My last goal is to stretch at least four times and do some type of yoga.

Do you like interval workouts?  What are your favorite things to do in intervals?

Say It Ain't So

So I think I'm injured.  Womp!  About two weeks ago, I started having some pain in my hip.  At first I though it was only some muscle soreness, but then it hurt at lot and I figured it was probably time to actually go spend some money on shoes.  I ran twice last week in my new shoes, the first time with no pain and then I felt a little pain at the end of my second run, which was the 5 miler.  Then I didn't run for the rest of the week because I was sick but I did feel some hip pain on Saturday night after our day in Philly.  Tuesday night I ran 2 miles and I started out with a little pain in my hip, but then it went away once I warmed up and I felt perfectly fine that night and the next morning.  But halfway through my workday on Wednesday, my hip started to seriously hurt, like I was limping around work.  I was so upset.  I decided to skip my group run (which was cancelled anyway due to snow) and head to the chiropractor.  There I received some massage, an extended stretching session, and an adjustment.  Now it's two days later and my hip is still in some pain.

As of right now my plan is to take two weeks off from running and then see how I feel.  I'm so frustrated!  I thought I could get away with running in the shoes I already had for the first month of my training, I wasn't going that far, I was only running three times a week.  I guess I learned my lesson, proper running shoes are mega important.  I'm not really sure what my injury is exactly.  The pain is concentrated on the outside of my right leg where my thigh meets my tush, so from my internet reseach I believe it could be one of two things:

Hip Bursitis
Hip bursitis is a common problem that causes pain over the outside of the upper thigh. A bursa is a fluid filled sac that allows smooth motion between two uneven surfaces. For example, in the hip, a bursa rests between the bony prominence over the outside of the hip (the greater trochanter) and the firm tendon that passed over this bone. When the bursal sac becomes inflamed, each time the tendon has to move over the bone, pain results.
(source)

or

IT Band Syndrome
Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) occurs when there is irritation to this band of fibrous tissue. The irritation usually occurs over the outside of the knee joint, at the lateral epicondyle--the end of the femur (thigh) bone. The iliotibial band crosses bone and muscle at this point; between these structures is a bursa which should facilitate a smooth gliding motion. However, when inflamed, the iliotibial band does not glide easily, and pain associated with movement is the result.
(source)

Either way right now I believe the magical formula is some good old RICE - rest, ice, compression, and elevation.  I'm considering buying a foam roller too, I've heard great things about them and they're cheap!

(source)

I guess if the pain is still there in two weeks, I'll be headed to the doctor!

Have you ever had a hip injury?  Any suggestions?  Do you foam roll?

Weekend Shenanigans & Taco Dip

Despite being sick this weekend, Dave and I still had some fun.  He had tickets to the Flyers game on Saturday afternooon, so we cancelled our Friday night plans to stay in and get some rest.  Saturday morning we got up and took the train into the city and for some strange reason, we got to ride the regional rail for free both ways, win!

The game was a bummer because the refs were awful and the Flyers were not playing well.  We left at the end of the second period when the Flyers were losing 0-6.  But of course after we left they scored 4 goals and the refs actually let them fight.  Womp for us!  To drown our sorrows we headed over to Nodding Head Brewery to grab a drink with one of my friends from work.  It was a pretty cute place and the beer was tasty.  And omg, the fried mac and cheese!

The rest of Saturday we did some more bumming around because we were prepping for our Super Bowl Party... aka my family of Giants fans yelling in the living room.  Even though our little shindig wasn't anything too fancy, we had a great spread: wings, pizza, and some taco dip!  It's so easy to make that you don't even need a recipe but you're in luck, I'm giving you one anyway!

Taco Dip

Ingredients:
- Cream cheese
- Queso
- Salsa
- Mexican blend cheese
- Chopped lettuce (I used a prechopped bag because I am lazy)
- Tomatoes (I used canned, fire roasted - make sure your drain them!)

Directions:
1. Spread the cream cheese on the bottom of your pan.  You can use sour cream but the dip can end up watery.

2.  Lay all ingredients as you wish.

I tend to add some random layers of cheese throughout.  You can't go wrong with cheesy layers!

3.  Enjoy with whatever chips you like.  I recommend some Scoops, we love the whole grain version!

This recipe is so great because there are so many possibilities.  You could add some refried beans mixed with some taco seasoning, black olives, some guacamole, some avocado chunks, maybe some onions and peppers, whatever you want!  I love making things that you can't mess up.

And now it's Tuesday, I'm still relishing in the Giants' win and I'm not sick anymore!  Well I'm still friends with the tissue box, but I'm feeling a lot better!  I even made it to the gym last night and went for a run tonight, woot!  I hope your week is starting off on the right foot :)

Did you do anything fun this weekend?  Did you watch the game?  What's your favorite party food?