Salata Bar = Girls Night 'Out'

our saturday morning workout started with bear crawls!

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ONE on ONE prenatal training sessions are available! email me for details at le@fitfoodiele.com.  if you'd like to have the fittest pregnancy possible (or know a mama that needs one) it's my pleasure and purpose to show you how.

i don't think i say how much i love my job enough.  Salata, The Next Generation Salad Bar, contacted me about giving their new catering options a try and you know i jumped right in, head first! i called my sis-in-law, Michelle, right away; she was all for getting together for a "girl's night 'out'" kinda thing! a brand spanking new Salata was built next to my gym a few months ago and i stop by there every so often to get my fix.  if you are a lover of gigantic salads with a TON of variety, you need Salata in your life.  trust me on this one! i stopped by the City Centre Houston location to pick up my goods and decided to eat my post workout lunch there.  if you're a Salata first timer, follow me:

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'thank you for finishing your call before ordering.' you tell'em, Salata.  vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free peeps unite!  i started with a salad and i wanted to go big. really big. post workout 'hangry' BIG.

i love that the calorie count is listed for every.single.item, right there in front of you.

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i jokingly told the sweet girl who took my order that i wanted a lil' bit of everything and she responded, 'ok!' with a smile and got her scoop on.  mind you there are like 50 different things you can build your salad with, people!  you don't pay by weight at Salata; everything is portioned out reasonably by the server.  look at all that gorgeous, healthy color!

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dressing on the side, you know it.  that Chipotle Ranch though... don't say i didn't warn ya.  i wanted to drink it.  i got a small side of it along with the fat-free mango dressing.  if you'd like to sample one first,  just ask.

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protein!  i went with the seafood mix which is a scrumptious combo of herb marinated salmon, krab, and shrimp. those three proteins are available individually along with these choices: baked tofu, quinoa,  falafel, pit-smoked turkey, asian BBQ chicken, pesto chicken, spicy chipotle chicken, and herb marinated chicken.  complete nutritional stats and ingredients are available on their website.  avocado is extra but get it anyway!!! you're worth it.

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next, you have a choice between croutons, a multigrain stick, or a basil asiago roll on the side,

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a cup of yummy, gluten-free soup,

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and/or one of these sweet treats for just a buck.

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nothin' to it, right?

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i found Dego and i a quiet corner of the restaurant so i could do my Periscope thang buuut, as usual ya girl couldn't catch a signal. womp.  man i love the app so much though! i just wish i could get a gauranteed signal whenever the moment to broadcast strikes.  i am not a fan of scheduled scopes (or super crazy long scopes that you can't fast forward through lol), so maybe i'm finally accepting that 'winging it' is just my thing.

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just know it went down.

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Dego woke up right after i dove in.  he loves bread so he swallowed that multigrain stick.  he is my little garbage disposal and still eats everything. *knocks on wood*

on my way to finishing the entire bowl.  i just couldn't stop.

i picked up my goodies and headed home to get ready!

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my lopsided bun and i were on our way to Michelle's house with the Salata Bar in tow.

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thank you, Michelle, for graciously hosting our lil' shin-dig! i set everything up on the kitchen island before we dove in.  the Salata Bar serves 15 people and came with:

• plates
• large tongs
• small tongs
• napkins
• cutlery
• 1 protein choice (we chose the Asian BBQ chicken)
• 3 housemade dressings of your choice (we chose Chipotle Ranch, Ginger Lime Vinaigrette, & Lemon Vinaigrette)
• 12 fresh toppings
• multigrain sticks, croutons, pita chips, & basil asiago rolls

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the ladies circled the island like sharks while i took pictures, haha.

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aaaand GO!

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twice in one day.  ok, 3 times cause i took the leftovers home and ate again.

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the Salata Bar was perfect for us, but there are a few more catering options to choose from including Wrap Trays, Boxed Lunches, Salata Bowls or you can customize a combo package.

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i also brought along this low carb, dairy-free dessert for us to enjoy: Chocolate Chick Cookie Pie. i didn't tell a soul about the secret ingredient ;)

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what a fun night; all the ladies raved over how delicious, fresh, and healthy everything was.  they also now want to order cases of the Chipotle Ranch dressing!!! if you're in the business of hosting parties, gatherings (family, friends & professional) then the Salata Bar is convenient, highly recommended, and fitfoodiele approved.

Q: would you rather actually go out for a girls night, or stay in?

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thurtay

sup yall!

my workout buddy, Miko, celebrated her 30th birthday this past weekend! so, we made plans to attend her big dinner.  we were all (me, Sonny, the boys) in the car headed home before taking them to their designated sitter when Chiso (3) started vomitting out of nowhere! it was so random and unexpected, and also the first time he's thrown up since he was an infant. Sonny and i looked at each other in disbelief instantly.

parents.com has some of the best 'what to do if your child is sick' info i've come across.  what to NOT do if your child is sick: freak. out.

 after a warm bubble bath he said he was feeling much better... but as a mom you know your child's sick and healthy demeanors right away!  i had already missed Miko's first birthday event the night before (a skate party i really wanted to go to) so i was put between a rock and a hard place.  luckily he really was better, and we were able to go celebrate with her and speed right back home.

happy 30th birthday, Shymika!

 i'm usually the one making other people feel short but not that night!  i didn't even bother changing clothes from earlier that day since we were already super late getting there.

the food ROCKED.  i work in City Centre and see this place aaaaaall the time but had never been.  it's a churascaria (all you can eat Brazilian style meat) called Texas De Brazil and it's super similar to FoGo De Chao.  i don't like to eat a large meal late at night (past 8pm really), so i skipped all that delicious red meat they kept buzzing around us with.  i LOVE fancy, elaborate salad bars though! i circled it twice three times before calling it quits.  all plates looked identical and were filled with veggies galore and seafood. except for that prosciutto i didn't even eat!

i wrote a post about tips on conquering the buffet my very 2nd month blogging. time is FLEETING! seems like i just started this thing! anyway, there's some useful info in there that i stick by to this day.

do you like churascarias?  well done, medium rare, or medium?

le

from the buffet with love

i am far from a girlie girl.....but i convinced myself to jump on the cornball bandwagon on v-day and make some heart-shaped strawberry banana pancakes.

topped with fat-free sugar-free cool whip and pink sprinkles.  it was, dare i say, kinda fun :shock:

in the middle of getting Sonny's meals together for day before he headed out, he snuck this guy on the counter while my back was turned.  stunned?  not even the word!  my HP died like 2 years ago and i have really needed that thing since i started blogging last year.  also, i wrote down my dream of becoming a well-known blogger just the day before cause Beyonce instructed her followers to do so on Instagram. lol.  coincidence? not at all.

 God will grant us the desires of our hearts on HIS terms and HIS time.  He promised!  be encouraged and know that He will take your hand and walk with you on your journey, and put the things and people you need in line to help you get there! i knew from the jump it would take a TON of commitment and time to establish this blog.  anything worth having is worth fighting for and i'm ready and willing to grind it out!

leading up to v-day, there was something that had been on my mind all week and i couldn't shake it.  i was asked to sub a class format that i had never taught before.  while i have used the 'sorry i don't teach that' excuse for a while now...i couldn't bring myself to pull that card this time. unless it's like cycling  or something..i shooole don't teach that, WHEW! LOL.  i forced myself to accept the challenge right then, but immediately afterwards, doubt, negative thoughts, and nervousness darn near CONSUMED me.

would the members not like my teaching style since i'm not the regular instructor?  would i mess up and forget some of my routine? would the members walk out? aaaaggghhh! SHUT UP!   i mean really!!!   i've been doing this for over 5 years now and can sit down and make up a routine within minutes.  what was i scared of?  the fear of the UNKNOWN.  i couldn't answer any of those questions and it was not my job to do so. my job was to be on my game and prepared to do my BEST.  control what you can and don't worry about the rest!  my faith was really tested, and through nerves and all, i wanted to teach this class to prove to myself that i could do it.

darn right it does.  it's how we GROW.  i put that mic on, took a deep breath, said my 60 billionth prayer, and let it go.  before i knew it, time had flown by, and class was fun as CRAP! i got positive reviews from the members and guess what? it's over and I LIVED.  'fear only becomes powerful when we give it power.' stop doubting yourself and your abilities when you know darn well what you are capable of.  usually when someone asks something of you, they already expect and believe you can do whatever it is...so prove them right!

Sonny and i headed to a late, intimate v-day dinner at a churrascaria type restaurant in the museum district.  i tried to take it easy and just hit the salad bar HARD.  when i have to teach a class the following morning, i don't like to go to bed feeling too full, cause i wake up feeling the same way sometimes and it's harder to get going.  also, my appetite takes a hike when i'm nervous about something.  does that happen to you?

plate #1- red and orange roasted red peppers, grilled egg-plant, smoked salmon, artichokes, grilled zucchini, roasted beets, carrots, and swiss cheese.

2nd plate- the only new things were the crab salad on the left, and the pearl couscous salad at the top. everything was fresh and delish!

my hubs, on the other hand, had no class to teach the next morning nor did he hold back. his competition diet will be starting soon and he went ALL OUT  that night, lol!

before,

after.  no wait,  he was just taking a break and went two more rounds after this. no kidding.

see?

when the meat men came around (look i don't remember what they were called) i stuck with 1 nice sized bacon wrapped chicken breast fillet.  oooh bacon can flavor SO WELL!

full, happy, and Chiso-less for the evening;)

 as we start this new week, remember ^THAT^!!

le

buffet, shmuffet

early service was amazing this morning!  so much so that  instead of heading back home, Sonny suggested we go out for breakfast this time.  i didn't mind at all, especially since he chose Luby's!!

people, i know there are a gazillion other brunch options we could have picked LOL, but Luby's is a childhood favorite of mine that i'll never, ever let go of.  i am more a fan of their lunch/dinner options (especially their mac n cheese), but they have a breakfast buffet that is crazy cheap and reasonable, as most buffets often are. *sigh*

it's goin down.

 i had a scoop of the veggie/egg scramble with salsa, hash browns, 1 piece of bacon from Sonny's plate, one pancake, and one piece of french toast.  the oatmeal was for the little guy, but i had a few spoonfuls of that too.

the food coma inducing buffet used to be a scary place for me.  i have mentioned before that my will power is  flaky and is sometimes non-existent. because of this,  i used to try my absolute best to avoid buffets completely.  however, who wants to live like that??  i have learned to have and promote a healthy relationship with food at all times.

you can conquer the buffet.

few of my fav tips:

• relax. calm down. it's not that big a deal.  this tip is actually per Sonny (unsurprisingly).  when we would be discussing dinner options and he dare throw out the name of a buffet, i'd always be like 'no!!! i would have worked out harder this morning!!' or 'no!! i don't want to get FULL full like that tonight!!'.  ok, nobody is forcing me to shovel food down my throat or get so full it hurts to move.  don't let the pressure of the abundance of food make you feel like you have to eat an abundance of food.

• stick with water. it's calorie and fat-free. the last thing you want to do is drink even more calories, carbs, and sugars when the buffet will most likely put you over your normal intake already.

• soup or salad first. is there a broth based (not cream) soup or salad available to start your meal with? go for it- it will take the edge off of your hunger.  if neither are available, load up on veggies.  again, you won't be so, so hungry and liable to inhale everything in sight by the time you are ready to eat the more calorie dense foods.

• scope out the entire scene (plate-free) before you dive in.  i can't tell you how many times i've started from the front of the buffet line and just kept piling my plate higher and higher cause i kept seeing things that i wanted!  doing a once-over helps you pace yourself, plan your meal, and weigh your options.

• MINImize your portions.  nothing wrong with wanting to sample/taste a bunch of different items at a time- heck that's what the buffet is all about.  just reduce your portion sizes. again, especially with the more calorie dense foods. if there are multiple sides i'd like to try, i'll get 1-2 heaping tbsp's of each.  maybe you only see 1 or 2 sides total that you want- ok, a bigger serving size is cool.  if it's pieces of something (chicken strips, pizza, wings, etc.) try one of each to start.

• sauce on the side, always. most buffets are self-serve, but if a server ever asks you if you want any sauce (tartar, syrup, salad dressing, etc.) get it on the side in a separate container.  you want to remain in as much control of your meal as you can at all times.

• use your resources. you didn't go to the buffet alone, did you?? (if you did that's totally OK.) talk to your friends and/or family!  put your fork down every now and then and carry on conversations between bites.  it normally gets quiet when people start eating in my house.  that's not a mandatory rule.  chewing with your mouth closed is though, haha.   if you did come alone and you are in no rush, bring a newspaper, your ipad, smart phone, etc., and read some articles, blogs, or do some facebooking.

enjoy your food, your company, and ultimately the entire dining experience.

ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz.

le