Purely Indulgent

Good evening all~
Lookie what I found in the comments on one of my long-time fave bloggies, Oh She Glows .... another like minded chicka! Angie started a discussion on our "favorite quotes" and this one caught my eye immediately:

Hmmmm, seems like a lot of girls struggle with this same issue: too much planning! My friend Leana told me she does it too, and she hates it! Why do we do it if we hate it? I hold that it's natural for women to be overly concerned and we have to actively fight the tendency to over-think and over-plan our lives.

-- Shout out to Leana her because it's her birthday today!!!! Happy birthday beautiful!
I can't wait for our sleepover next week girl, we're gonna have a blasty :D --

Back to planning though: there's definitely a fine line between being spending enough time planning to be well prepared and being a frazzled wreck from excessive worrying, planning, re-planning, and then ending up no better off than when you started. Talk about a cruel curse of womanhood! Ooof.

So there's that little nugget... what I really got on to blog about are the things that I found truly irresistible, indulgent, and so enjoyable is utterly indescribable this week... Mmmm mmm!!

No matter what, there are 3 things that never fail to make me happy:

1. Clothes ...... Two words: Retail therapy, not so cheap sometimes $$ (ok so never)
2. Food .... I love cooking and food blogs! But sometimes it's not such a health comfort. Must resist the sweets!
3. Music .... Play on play on! This one has never gotten me into trouble :)

~ Clothes:
We will begin with clothes and the pleasures I've found on el Internet this week. Oooo yes my friends, I have bad case of cyber lust with some serious clothes cravings! Luckily such cravings rarely end in kitchen raids or ruining my contest diet so I see no reason not to INDULGE! (As long as it's window shopping)

Exhibit A: Sky Dresses (as seen on Jamie Eason)

Every since one of Sky's dresses. IN. EVERY. COLOR.

I love dresses <3 They make you look so good and people always compliment my "cute outfit" when I wear one, little do they know that 9 times out of 10 the reason I wore a dress is because I am terrible at making cute outfits and/or was running late and didn't want to put on more than one piece of clothing! Easy and stylish? Win Win.

Exhibit B:  More luuurrvely dresses. Courtesy of UrbanOg.com

I am also fascinated with 4 Ways to Wear Tom's Shoes. There's actually cute ways to wear them! Who knew.

~ Food:
Moving on to Numero Dos... FOOD. Warning, prepare to fend off instantly induced snack-attack from the following food porn. "Hi, my name is Ruthie, and I google 'peanut butter and chocolate'."

Peanut Butter Fluff Donuts

Read the recipe... You'll understand my obsession...

 Oreo Stuffed Peanut Butter Lattice Mini-Pies

So flipping adorable...
Oreos + PB = Perfection.

Magic Eight Bars 

Eight layers of bliss.

In my defense, I did have a good reason to google decadent deserts! I am putting together goodie bags to give to my friends and fellow Bikini competitors backstage after the show. TRUST me, they'll be ecstatic.

Now the rest of these recipes have no defense. They just looked awesome!

I've shared my love for pumpkin on my blog before, but in case you missed it: I have a huge thing for pumpkin, I just love it! It's good for you and tastes like heaven. What's not to love? I'm the crazy chick buying 10 cans of Libby's Pure Pumpkin as soon as it hits SALE at Safeway. Gotta stock up!

Naturally, I found this thread on the RxMuscle Recipe Forum: Pumpkin Recipes

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Pancakes

The classic: Pumpkin Pie

What you don't know is another of my weird food obsessions ... unless you've lived with me and witnessed my many oatmeal concoctions... but I have a slight obsession with making "gourmet oatmeal." I could eat oatmeal every morning for life and be as happy as a clam.

A Bazzillion Ways to Make Oatmeal

Butterfinger Banana Oats.
No words can describe my excitement :0

 

Okay enough food, I am making myself hungry! Moving on to Numero Tres:

~ Music:

I sometimes forget the power of music to change my mood, but luckily today I remembered just I was having a seriously tough time getting into my evening lifting sesh. I was doing that whole worrying about the future thing and totally zapping my energy... until I broke out my tune-age!

My energy went up about 500% as soon as I started jammin' out :)

I must have really been feelin' Adam Lavine today, because this song had me literally dancing up the stair stepper...

Another awesome jam:

Some real deep Derulo lyrics: "This girl is passin' out in my lap... She's a blond." Ha-ha because that explains it!? (Okay it kinda does.)


Bow-chicka- bow-wow, J-Lo you're one fierce woman! Diggin' her song with Wheezy, "I'm into it!"


One more  kick @s$ tune, and one more fierce woman - courtesy of Gwen Stefani and NoDoubt... a golden oldie!



Oh Gwen. She's got it. Still got it. Always will.


Dang it, now I am all pumped up and I have to go to bed! I have to get some sleep though, I fun plans for tomorrow in Seattle: I'm getting a haircut + color to blend my short hair into the extensions I'll be wearing on stage at the bikini show. I'll share pictures later!

For now it's off to bed to at least try to sleep.
Buenos Noches Amigas :)

~ Ruthie

Coconut-Banana Dream Loaf

End you weekend on a sweet note with this delicious and utterly decadent banana bread. I am so sure you will love this bread I bet it will even turn nanner-haters into true believers. Give it a try!

Cook with caution though, this bread is addicting. You better make 2 loaves because the first one will be gone in a day (or less if more than one person is enjoying it's magnificence). This is the recipe I made for my dad when he visited, and then brought to work for my coworkers, and then made a white chocolate chip "cake" version for my friend Cathy for her birthday. It was a home run on all fronts :)

Without further adieu... I give you:

 "Coconut-Banana Dream Loaf"

> Ingredients:

1 1/3 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. Stevia
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 C. Egg Beaters
1-2 REALLY RIPE bananas (mash 1 cup, then "chunk about 1/2 cup and add last)

1/4 C. water (add gradually until cake batter consistency)
1/4 C. coconut oil (don't skip this, it MAKES the recipe!)

3 scoops vanilla protein powder (or if you have it, try banana flavored!)

1/4 C. Sugar Free Maple Syrup (or the real deal... this is what I had)

>Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350, and spray a 8x4 in. pan or a loaf pan with "Butter" flavored Pam.

2. Mix all dry ingredients together, then add the wet ingredients except the maple syrup and the 1/2 cup of chunked banana.

3. Mix well, and add the banana chunks.

4. Pour into your 8x4 in. pan or a loaf pan.

5. Swirl in the maple syrup with a knife, like you would with a cheesecake.

6. Bake for 30 to 40 min

**I recommend cooking it for 30min (the top should be getting golden by now), then take it out and check how firm it is by inserting a tooth pick in middle loaf and checking if it comes out clean. If not, GOOD... put it back in the oven for 10 more min, then TURN OFF the oven and leave the loaf it while it cool down. This way the center stays really moist but the top is golden brown. That's my secret :) **
 

Oh yeah, Step #7: SMOTHER with Smart Balance butter and eat!

I adapted this recipe from a Bodybuilding forum so it's high protein, really healthy and perfect for any time of the day: as breakfast, a snack, lunch, dinner... midnight snack... you get the idea.

Happy baking!

~Ruthie

xoxo 

Coo-Coo for Coconut

Hi guys- Happy Weekend :)
I'm sure I'll see alot of you up on the slopes tomorrow at TECH day up at Discovery Ski area. I hope all the snow hasn't melted up there. While I'm on the subject of snowboarding, below are a few pictures from the last time I was up at Discovery with some friends. 

Leeza and I in the locker room gettin ready to shred...

And we're off: Into the mist!

 

Almost to the top, and the rest is history :)


This weekend has been great so far. I reffed a few basketball games, went to my friend Ashley's Halfa Belly Dancing Party, wrote up my pre-lab for Strengths Lad and did my Fluids homework. Our first test is next week on Friday, I plan to be a buoyancy expert by then :)

I did BodyRock everyday this weekend, and I want to really encourage you to try one of the workouts. If you never have tried High Intensity Interval Training: HIIT, just give it a go and you'll experience the post-workout euphoria that I can't even describe. If you don't kow where to start, try this one: Bikini Beach Workout, I did it this morning and it's amazing. (And your butt will thank me later haha). I am especially motivated because I have a tropical destination in my future and I want to be completely confident in my bikini. More on this later though...

Today I want to share a healthy and delicious recipe for Coconut Pistachio Bars. I made this today, after being inspired by Angela @ OhSheGlows recipe for Tropical Lemon Cranberry Coconut Chia Bars. Here's the recipe, I posted it on SparkRecipes and calculated the nutrition facts there aswell.

~~~~       Coconut Pistachio Bars       ~~~~

 Nutritional Info:

Fat: 7.2g
Carbohydrates: 24.1g
Calories: 105.2
Protein: 5.2g





 Ingredients:
Vanilla Protein Powder, 1 cup
Coconut, raw unsweetened, 0.75 cup
Bob's Red Mill High Fiber Pancake and Waffle Mix, 1/3 cup
Quaker Oatmeal, 1/3 cup
Stevia Powder, 1.5 cup
Hazelnuts, 0.25 cup, chopped
Baking Soda, 1 tsp
Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp
Fat Free Sugar Free Pistachio pudding DRY mix, 3 tbsp
Chia Seeds, 3 tbsp
Coconut Oil, 4 tbsp
Almond Milk, Unsweetened Vanilla, 5oz (about a half cup)
Water, 1/2 - 1 cup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
You will need two bowls, one for the dry ingredients and one for the wet ingredients.

1. In the wet bowl add: pistachio pudding DRY mix, Chia Seeds, Coconut Oil, and Almond Milk. Add about 1/2 cup of water so it's pudding consistency. Set aside.
2. In the dry bowl combine: Vanilla Protein Powder, shredded UNsweetened coconut (I used Bob's Red Mill), the High Fiber Pancake Mix, Oatmeal, Baking Soda, and Baking Powder. Mix until combine evenly.
3. Add the dry bowl to the wet bowl and then add the Stevia Powder and Hazelnuts. Mix until combined, it should be about the consistency of pancake mix. (if not, add more water)
4. Line a 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper and pour the mix into the center. Spread evenly.
5. Bake for 20min on center rack. Remove from oven when the top is set and rises slightly when you press. Cool for 10 min in pan then lift out by parchment paper and cool on counter. Cut into 16 squares. Then enjoy! :)

Makes: 16 servings (squares)

Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

Hi Guys,

Since the weather here is so cold and dreary I felt like sharing a couple nice warm recipes with you. I have been doing a little more cooking in the kitchen recently and forgot how much I enjoy it :). I haven't been able to exercise as much because I've been sick, plus warm food just sounds so much better than pushups if you're ill! 

I got a flu about two weeks ago and tried to continue on with my normal exercise routines for the first week, but I think it actually lengthened my recovery time because last Sunday I relapsed and have been fighting the sniffles and a flu ever since. If you've caught the dreaded flu this season too, I encourage you not to push yourself too hard. Get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, try not to have any mental stress, and eat lots of veggies. Veggies have lots of antioxidants and vitamins that'll do wonders to speed up your recovery.... eat your spinach! Or if you're like my uncle Joe, eat lots of garlic.  

I found that even thought I was sick and couldn't exercise, which was tortuous for me, if I watched my diet really closely, meaning I only ate real food and lots of veggies (things like: chicken breasts, egg white omelettes, sweet potato, brocolli, carrots, broth soups, yogurt, nuts) I was able to maintain all my hard work from working out, even while i was sick.

Here's a couple of recipes I whipped up this week. I had them at breakfast the first time, but you really could eat them at lunch too (which is what I just did today, yum yum!). They're both very simple and don't take very long to make, and are very satisfying.

Disclaimer: If you make these recipes for you're friends they're swear you've secretly been taking chef classes online!

Dish #1: Salmon Spinach Omelette

Ingredients:

• 2 cooked salmon fillets -I had some leftovers from the previous dinner, which was salmon with sauteed mushrooms and onions. But you can start from scratch and cook them now.
• 1/4 cup baby onions (chopped) - You can use any type of onion you like, I used those little ones with long stalks... scallions?
• 1/4 cup mushrooms
• 1 cup of spinach 
• 2 cups of Egg Beaters, or any egg substitute

To Make:

1. If you don't have any leftovers, like salmon or chicken, combine steps one and two and cook the onions and mushrooms at the same time as the salmon. Use a non-stick (very important for later!) pan sprayed with Pam, and cook untill the mushrooms become fragrant and the onions are transparent.
2. If you're working with leftovers like me, sweat the onions and mushrooms in the pan, about 5 min.
3. Use a fork to break the salmon fillets up into small pieces on a plate, then add it back to the pan and warm it through.
4. Rip the spinach up and toss it in the pan untill it whilts.
5. Pour the Egg Beaters in. Mix it enough to make sure the eggs get to the bottom of the pan. If you don't the mushrooms and onions will burn as it continues to cook.
6. Cover and turn down the heat, check it in a minute. Lift up the edge of the omelette and tilt the pan, to allow any liqiud egg to get to the bottom of the pan if necessary. Do this as many times as needed.
7. Re-cover the pan. It is done when the eggs are all puffed up when you remove the lid :)
8. The fun part! Set out a cookie sheet, turn off the heat and flip the pan over upside down onto the cookie sheet. Here's where it's imprtant to use a non-stick pan: Lift the pan off, and you'll be left with a perfect egg pie! Waalaah!

This makes four servings, cut into pie-like slices. Here's my portion. I enjoyed mine with a little spinach artichoke hummus.

I hope you saved room... because the second recipe is like the desert to cap off this delicious breakfast. But it's so healthy you could have it every single day (I sure could). Today I ate the last piece of my omelette, and made another apple mug bake. I took pictures so I could walk you through the recipe :)

Dish #2: Apple Berry Mug Bake- A La Mode

Ingredients for each serving:

• I small apple
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla extract
• about 3/4 cup of plain nonfat greek yogurt
• Stevia- a natural sweetener, and chia seeds- known for their omega 3's, fiber, and vitamin content (both are optional)
• 1 cup of mixed berries - I used frozen
• about ten almonds - for topping, or any nuts

To make:

1. Chop the apple into bite size chunks and place in a coffee mug with a splash or water, about a tsp. of vanilla, and probably about a tablespoon of cinnamon. I just approximated the spices. It will seem like alot of cinammon, but in the final dish it's really just perfect.
2. Microwave the mug for 2 minutes
3. In a separate bowl, get a cup of mixed berries ready. When the apples are done, microwave the berries for two minutes too, or until hot.   

   

   It should look like this

   
4. Add the plain yogurt to the mug with apples until the cup is about 3/4 full. If using the stevia and chia seeds, add about a tablespoon of each to the yogurt and mix lightly (only mix the top, keep the apple and yogurt layers separate.)



Add the yogurt right on top of the apples



   5.  Fill the remainder of the mug with the berries.

   6.  Microwave the mug for a final time, about 1 minute.

   7. In the meanwhile chop the almonds coarsely. I used my Slap Chop to do the job.

   8. Sprinkle the almonds on top. 

Dig in with a big spoon and enjoy your warm apple pouridge!

If you're so inclined, brew up a pot of coffee to drink with this breakfast. Really take your time to savor your food and all the delicious flavors. the whole meal only took me about 20 minutes to make, and I was coming up with the recipes as I was cooking so I'm sure you can beat my time. Which will leave you plently of time to eat slowly.

Let me know if you liked it, and if you have any ideas to improve or change the recipes. Please leave me a comment on my blog, I'd love to hear from you!

Here's a few other Fall Recipes you might like.

In other news, I think we all need to be aware of what our government is up to.. So here's a video addressing the New Immigration Legislation that's on it's way to becoming law. Just click the link above, it should open up Windows Media Player if you have it.

Let's all be sure we know who we're voting from this year, as it's becoming increasingly important to keep good leadership at our country's helm.