Olive and Basil Focaccia

Normally when I surprise Mr. Incredible with baked goods they are of the sweet variety.  This time, I decided to go savory and, judging by his reaction, it was a huge success.  As he was gleefully stuffing his face with piece after piece I asked him what he thought of the recipe.

"Ehs derishious!" he said as his eyes lit up with joy.  I was glad he liked it, but I think I will wait until he is done chewing before I ask him for blog quotes again.

Green Monster Smoothie Pancakes

I've been drinking Green Monster smoothies for breakfast every morning since November. If you're unfamiliar with these bright green concoctions, there are a number of variations, but the classic recipe is made with just milk, a banana and spinach. (You won't taste the spinach, I promise!) While I am addicted to them, there are some days (like today) that I crave pancakes. So instead of feeling sad and deprived I decided to combine the two. I get to cave into a craving while getting some veggies in the process. Win-win.

I was worried that the green color wouldn't be as vibrant once cooked. As you can see from the photo the color really pops. This would make a wonderful addition to the breakfast table on St. Patrick's Day. Another win.

French Bread

Last week, a stray pup started hanging around the rail yard Mr. Incredible works at. It had been raining and the poor thing was cold, tired and hungry. She took shelter underneath one of the workman's trucks. The men gave her food and a bowl of clean water each day, but she still wouldn't go near them. Mr. Incredible bought her doggie treats to try to coax her out from under the truck, but she would run away frightened. He kept trying and after a while, the dog started following him around the rail yard. Mr. I, would send me updates via text message saying, "She let me get 5 feet from her without running" and "she runs after my truck when I leave."

Long story short, I had to meet her. So I went down to the railroad, befriended the furry little thing, took her home, gave her a good bath, scheduled a vet appointment to get her shots and spayed and am hoping to find her a good home. I have to admit, in the short amount of time I've known her, I've become attached. Maybe Mr. I. will let me keep her :) I've already named her Sadie.


In other news, spring break is finally here! I get a full week to do whatever I want when I want, so I plan on tackling the list of recipes I've been wanting to make. First up, French bread. This was my first attempt. I found it fairly easy to prepare, although I do recommend starting early in the day, because it will take quite a few hours to rise properly.You can't rush the rise, baby.

Blackberries and yogurt

Today marks the 10 year anniversary of the catalytic event that prompted me to change my lifestyle and eating habits. 10 years ago I was a 21 year old college student and was at my heaviest at 168 pounds and a tight size 14. This may not sound like much, but on my 5'0 frame the extra weight was unforgiving. 

Anyone who has ever started their own weight loss journey has that one trigger that made them lose the weight. Mine came in the form of an older lady, whom I had never met, who struck up a conversation with me at a local bookstore. She talked about her son and how he was single (and ready to mingle). She showed me his picture and said she would like for us to meet, but that "You need to lose weight first." Ouch. "At least 30 pounds." Really?!

Wanting to date this complete stranger's son was NOT what prompted me to lose weight, because honestly he looked like if Geico caveman had a baby with Screech Powers (Not medically possible, just trying to give you a visual). I was angry that someone thought I wasn't good enough because of my weight. So I challenged myself to take better care of my health and land myself a guy who was way hotter than caveman, Jr. Mature, right? 

The first year I lost 45 pounds and the next year, another 20 lbs, giving me a healthier Body Mass Index for my height. There were three things that made the weight drop off. No magic pills or potions, just portion control, exercise and consistency.

It has been 10 years since starting the journey towards better health and I'm still on it. I've realized it doesn't end once the weight is off. The "maintenance" component is just as challenging as initially losing weight. Some days it's easy to make healthy choices and other days it's a struggle. I'm still learning to balance it all out.

Speaking of healthy choices, I want to share a healthy snack with you today. It only has 4, (Four. Cuatro. Apat. Quatre) ingredients and there is no cooking or baking involved. GASP!