Grovin'

i started saturday morning with a RUN!  yep, i stepped it on up and turned my power walk into a run. after a restful night i felt the urge and had the energy to do more for my workout.  and uhhh, my legs said GO but my boobs said NO.  ouch. so it definitely became more of a jog/walk kinda thing for about an hour or so. nice, early, humid workout nonetheless.

 great support from both sports bras and regular bras is EVERYTHING when it comes to postpartum boobs.  all boobies are different but i am now back up to a D cup (k, double) after getting quite comfy and confident with my B's post bikini comp last year.  my strongest, most supportive, 'old faithful' sports bra is so old actually that i can only find it used on eBay lol. it's the Asics Athletic Seamless Racerback bra and has served me well, so i'm sticking with the Asics brand from here on out. it's like a brand new bra after every wash- it tightens back up and provides maximum support.

*****

mama and papa stepped out for a hot date saturday night!  dates are good. dates are refreshing.  dates keep things going, exciting, and refreshing. dates give you something to look forward to.  we are going on 7 years of marriage this year!  i actually had something really cool planned that fell through....but i didn't reveal it to Sonny yet cause i'm totally gonna try again.  so, we went to dinner anyway to just enjoy some kiddo-free time. and burgers.

i chose the Grove downtown, and we got a nice big cozy booth to ourselves.

repeat offender.  just one of those things Sonny has grown to 'love' about me.  even if we're at a new spot- i always play it safe and order salmon, and then we argue on how to even say salmon correctly.

excuse the disrespectful flash;  the lighting was super dim and sexy though so i needed it.  reminds me of my early IG pictures pics- i can't stand looking at them!! uuuggggghhhh.

this was a spring mix salad with radish and tomatoes.  now that i think about it, our waiter didn't ask me when kind of dressing i even wanted, so no idea there.  i was living life on the edge and didn't get my dressing on the side this time.

Sonny asked our waiter what the quickest appetizer to make was (kinda hungry, aye?) and he said the flash fried shrimp.

sweet, crunchy, and full of flavor.

a tasty bacon burger and french fry combo for hubby,

and a grilled salmon fillet paired with sautéed cauliflower, kale, and fennel for moi.

much needed!

are they twinning or what?  Dego is much more social and aware these days which means more smiles :D

Q: what's your favorite date nite with your S.O.?

Q: how often do you make time for them? weekly? monthly?

long as i'm eating good food i'm a happy camper; 2-3 times a month is ideal for us when going out. home movie/dinner/game dates are great ideas too!

le

zucchini pepperoni pizza poppers

Bey and J are performing in Houston tonight and guess who's going!??!?! all of Houston!!!  except us. we're at home eating zucchini pizzas and staring at each other.

these healthy, light snacks are bursting with Italian, cheesy goodness and make THE perfect party appetizers by the way! you just need to serve them immediately while they are hot and bubbling. else, the cheese hardens up. but i can eat cheese at any temperature. especially burnt cheese. yummy.

Zucchini Pepperoni Pizza Poppers

the stuff:

• 2 raw zucchini, coined 1/2 in thick
• 1/3 cup homemade marinara
• 1/4 cup turkey pepperoni rounds, chopped
• no stick cooking spray
• Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice (vegan, dairy-free, cheddar, monterey  jack, pepperjack, mozzarella, etc.)

do this:

1. wrap a large flat baking plan with foil and coat with no-stick cooking spray and set your oven broiler to high
2. heat a large griddle to med-high heat  (i made pancakes for breakfast and the griddle was already out but you can use a very large skillet too) and coat it with no-stick cooking spray
3. place as many zucchini coins flat on the griddle as possible and cook for 1 minute (you may have to work in batches)
4. flip the coins over and cook for an additional minute
5. transfer the cooked coins to the baking sheet lined with foil
6. dab some marinara sauce on the top of each coin and using the back of a small spoon, spread mixture out
7. 
8.  sprinkle a few shreds of cheese on top of the sauce
9.  sprinkle some chopped turkey pepperoni on top of the cheese
10. place entire pan in your oven as close to the broiler flames as you can get and cook for approx. 5 minutes or until the cheese is melty and bubbly
11. sprinkle with Italian seasoning. done.

s/n: if you have more zucchini to use up, see if you can stretch your ingredients even further as you might have sauce/cheese, etc. left over.

 i upgraded my fry cutter!  this is the Deluxe Fry Cutter from Bed Bath & Beyond and i got it for 13 bucks after using the 5 bucks off coupon that comes in the snail mail flyer.  great, affordable investment.  the only thing i did have to do first is peel the potato, then slice it in half.  the device only opens so wide, so you might have to cut the ends off to make it fit.  other than that, no microwaving needed before cutting!  sign up for their ads directly on their website to get their coupons.

what a big helper! not just in the kitchen with me but with his little brother as well which is a huge answered prayer. many have asked how the transition with the boys has been and i can honestly say smooth.  putting Dego's dirty diapers in the diaper genie for me is exciting to him. yeah, i'm milking that for as long as he lets me.

also, these are the delish, Spicy Smoky Sweet Potato Fries from my ebook!

WHY didn't i think of this sooner... Quest Bars help out big time with my sweet toof.  i really i only get them when i go to my gym, so now that i'm going almost regularly the bars are making appearances again. THIS time though, i'm going to GNC and buying an entire box. can't keep buying them for 3 bucks at a time, pretty stupid and not cost-effective.  20g protein, 17g fiber, 170-180 cals. coconut cashew is one of my fave flavors! .

didn't get to have my early gym rendezvous this morning so i went power walking this evening.

 i strapped down the girls with two sports bras and hit the bricks.  let me tell you how much i appreciate working my back 2 or more times a week when i was preggo! the weight of these boobs right now..... whew.

le

wienervention - the cleanest hot dog i've ever eaten

another early gym date accomplished this morning and officially 1 month postpartum! i expect to get a lot done today. 

i had my usual preworkout snack, some hot, magical coffee, and headed out for an hour of treadmill intervals. i alternated btw:

5 incline @ 4 mph - 5 minutes

15 incline @ 3 mph - 5 minutes 

walking IS boring but there are ways you can rev it up.  i always swing my arms vigorously, walk heel-to-toe with a wide stride, and i never hold the side rails either. that's cheatiiiiing ;)

can i do a blog #throwbackthursday? i'm doin' it anyway!

**********

while we were headed home from the hospital last month with our brand new baby boy, something beat us there- my Wienervention Kit from Applegate!!!

that nostalgic red and white pattern always reminds you of what? a summer picnic, yep.

however, the Houston heat was too much and i just wanted to lay down somewhere and stuff my face in the AC.  i'd like to give a gigantic high-five and thank you to one of my favorite natural and organic brands, Applegate, for the goods. i knew the kit was on the way, but it slipped my mind after giving birth and all.  my mom and aunt were at our house tidying up and waiting to help out with our new family member, so unbeknownst to Sonny & i, they went ahead and cracked the kit open and prepared a welcome home lunch for us! perfect timing, right?

i actually used to avoid hot dog wieners for this very reason...  i've always thought of them as the wack parts of meat that didn't make the cut all blended up together with fat and other UFOs.  i would only have them every blue moon, like july 4th or memorial day at somebody's BBQ. at home? not so much.  also, reading 'mechanically separated turkey, chicken, or beef' in the ingredients list is not very appetizing. thank God we have many healthier options to choose from these days; these Applegate wieners are in a league of their own! a wienerventioW was overdue.

rest assured these top-notch dogs are:

• all natural
• contain no antibiotics
• humanely raised beef fed vegetarian/grain diet
• gluten-free
• casein-free
• contain no fillers
• contain recognizable ingredients! every single one.
• really, really tasty.

nailed that presentation.

they also sent along condiments, cause you can't build a stellar dog without them.

• Annie's Organic All Natural Ketchup (her salad dressings are crazy good, especially the artichoke parmesan, trust)
• Rick's Picks Zesty Dill Relish - (which tasted like a combo of sweet & dill relish! i've always topped my dog with one or the other..not both. i bet it would be amazing in potato salad as well.)
• Annie's Organic Yellow Mustard

 for the buns, we had a choice of Rudi's Organic Bakery Multigrain or White hot dog buns!  i loved them both and you can snag a coupon for a bag of your choice right on their website. from the bun, to the condiments, to the wiener, this is THE cleanest hot dog i've ever eaten.

time to change the meat you eat and give Applegate a try.

in newborn news, 

i think he'll be tall.

more tummy time, aka, push up practice!

le

4 weeks pp + Dego's 1 month mark

last night i said i was going to get up at the crack of dawn this morning and not just get my treadmill interval workout in, but to pop up on my 5:30am class to say hi while i was at it! i made me some hot coffee and headed out, Beats and ipod in tow.

i kinda forgot to factor in feeding my newborn before leaving though so i arrived way after class started.  it was SO good to see old and new faces all across the studio when i peeked my head in the door!  i caught up with some of my regulars after class finished and they only made me more anxious to put that mic on again.

cardio killaaaaa. i was hoping to be cleared to lift this week, but my OB's schedule is jam packed!!! huge bummer. still crossing my fingers to be worked in somehow. else i'll just wait 'til next week.

Chiso woke up and requested pancakes, so he got'em.  i made him a stack of my WW Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Birthday Cakes complete with dolphin sprinkles and he almost finished the stack by himself!  i gladly killed the rest. remember, you can also sub blueberries for the chocolate chips.

who's 1 month today? that guy! i asked Sonny does 4 weeks make it one month, or will July 17th make it one month... idk and too lazy to Google. close enough.  also up until today, smiles from Dego were only reserved for Chiso. i finally got mine :)

our God is an awesome God.  i make an effort to praise Him for all things, both great and especially small.  after receiving and reviewing Dego's newborn screening results in the mail a few days ago i began to thank Him repeatedly.  i was instantly reminded of the time in my life when my thoughts consumed me and convinced me that i was unable to bear any children, ever.  God has blessed us with healthy baby boy #2, and for that we give Him all the glory.

this is so funny because i actually remember doing this to my mom.  putting my face on the floor to see her feet while calling her name over and over again and everything.  well it's payback time!  who am i kidding... once Chiso doesn't give a flying hoot about my whereabouts i'm gonna have a mommy moment...

grilled sirloin steak and taters for dinner tonight.  we've been outta sweet taters and they are exactly what i need to keep me feeling fuller longer between meals.  the steak was marinated in some Annie's balsamic vinaigrette, pinch of sea salt and black pepper before i tossed it in my grill pan.  that delicious sauce is just Grey Poupon mild and creamy mustard (which is calorie free, sugar free, and fat free) sauteed with white mushrooms. it's bananas!

Q: how do you like your steak cooked?  

blood = no bueno. can't do it. well done, please.

le

baby shower brunchin'

i celebrated the coming of my dear, talented friend Dami's twin boys today.

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  all her events are magical and so well put together, just like this one! i actually like our pic on the right better, but our camera person cut off her yummy blue heels which is a no-no!!! she rocked the blue for the boys of course. i dig it.

brunch. food. galore. my postpartum hormones were in for a treat. i am a bottomless pit these days and as MUCH as i love food, it's pretty annoying always being so hungry.   staying under my macros feels like a joke and is quite a task... but only a few more days til i can finally hit the weights again.

anyway, i cannot wait to see the professional pics of the shower cause i was so busy eating everything i didn't get the best food shots, whoops. there was soooo much variety which is always a great thing.

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there was an omelette station and a pasta station complements of @shecookedit, and they did such a tasty job.  everyone around me loved their food, me included. there was a waffle station as well.

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in addition to that,  there was a buffet table full of more brunch goodies like bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, pastries, fruit, cookies, muffins, bagels & lox, mimosas, fruit & granola cups, etc, etc, etc!

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i was first in line for waffles. isn't she pretty?

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there was an ongoing onesie decorating contest that i adored! i suck at arts & crafts IMO, so after staring at my blank onesie for like 30 minutes between bites and looking at everyone else making bow ties and sewing on fabric suspenders lol, i did my best.

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 i found a lion stencil, markers, and came up with this. Beasty, right? well Dami thought so and that's all that matters. LOL.

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she is a lover of simplicity and well, my onesie (ok, OK, and a few others, haha) fit the bill. sweet!  the winners all received 'love conquers all' stationary from Parchment by Dami. i'm just now noticing my to-go plates in the shot. ridiculous.

 twin boys, triple cakes.  isn't this entire corner fabulous? and the children's books cake stand? genius.

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parting gifts were provided by her hubby, Niyi, of Post-Imperial. yep, a family of many talents.  i can't wait to see who the boys take after and their special gifts and quirks as well! congrats, DaNi.

 back home and back on the grind after a brunchtastic day.  i didn't have time to get a power walk in, so i made time!  morning workouts are my preference, but i will get it in anytime, anywhere, within reason. i'm grateful my hubby holds it down with the boys so i can handle up on other business and make sure we are on track with our meals for example.  spousal support rocks.  speaking of spousal support, check out Dami's  breathtaking beach bump pics from Spain!

Q: what is your all-time favorite brunch menu food or dish? homemade or from a restaurant? drop that name!