Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Day 315: New Product, New Recipe, 6.5 miles and Make it or Break It?

Yesterday was like really… I have to go back to work? Blah. I drove in with a bajillion other people in awful traffic. Grrr. It did give me time to eat yogurt, shazam three songs, update my facebook status, check my email (and write a couple back) and locate my work badge. Sigh. I worked until lunch, then headed out for 3.5 miles with Stacy/Sue. We chatted, and I got an exciting phone call from my buddy Mary – she got a job!!! (she was laid off a few months ago – sad) I’m so happy for her! Then it was back to work… then back to the gym for another 3 miles (read Karin Slaughter’s Blindsighted – SO good). After 6.5 miles it was time to head home to whip up a new recipe, a variation of Cooking Light’s Pizza Pasta Salad for 2!

2 oz. uncooked rotini pasta

3 oz. artichoke hearts (from jar), drained

1.5 oz. turkey pepperoni

1 oz. fat-free feta cheese

1 oz. fat-free mozzarella cheese

10 grape tomatoes, quartered

4 oz. roasted red peppers (from jar), drained

¼ cup Light Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (I used newman’s)

2 basil leaves, minced

1/8 tsp pepper

Optional: ½ cup mushrooms; ¼ cup green pepper; ¼ onion diced


Cook pasta; drain, rinse with cold water and place in bowl #1. In bowl #2, combine artichoke hearts, pepperoni, cheese and tomatoes. Stir in salad dressing, basil and pepper. Place roasted red pepper in blender; process until smooth. Add pepper mixture to pasta/bowl #1. Stir. Add pasta mixture to artichoke mixture and toss well. In bowl #3, combine lettuce, mushrooms, onions and green peppers. Toss. Add artichoke/pasta mixture to bowl #3. Toss well! Serve with pita (1 pita smeared with 1 tsp olive oil and sprinkled with rosemary and kosher salt baked for 5 minutes at 450 degrees). Nutritional Information: 450 calories, 61 carbs, 13 fat grams and 26 protein grams (with pita). For You Low-Carbers: Without pita: 370 calories, 49 carbs, 11 fat grams and 26 protein grams. Without noodles AND pita: 270 calories, 28 carbs, 10 far grams and 22 protein grams.

Yes, I’m the only person on earth who can make a salad with almost as many carbs as my fried rice recipe!! Haha I knew the noodles would push it over but didn’t realize how all of those veggies would add up – who knew??! Anyway – we loved it! Super filling and fabulous, definitely hit the spot. Can’t wait to make another salad and try more salad dressings. Speaking of – the dressing was GREAT – I’m a fan – I want more ASAP.

This is my first attempt at buying a salad dressing that’s not fat-free- wow – the fat is TRES worth it! After dinner me and Austin watched Veronica Mars, got in bed and caught up on Weeds. CRAZY. I love Nancy & crew but wowza – the writers are so ballsy.

Anywho, I leave you with a vitally important life or death question: are any of you watching ‘Make it or Break it’? I am (I know, shocker) – and I absolutely love it!
It’s like The Hills but with talent in the mountains (takes place in Colo.!)! Tell me I’m not the only one sucked in to this tumbling melodrama. After the best show on earth Make it or Break It, I finished Blindsighted – WHOA…crazy. I ended the day at 1,825 calories, 250 carbs, 54 fat grams and 86 protein grams. Blast! I had way too much chocolate. But, at least I burned approximately 335 calories with my 6.5 mile walk – sweet! Here’s what I ate.

Tomorrow I’ll review Blindsighted and post (yes, again, shocker) another new recipe: Pulled Chicken Sandwiches! Off to celebrate Mary's job, her boyfriend's promotion and their upcoming move this Saturday (therefore a send off to their beloved 1414 - the house they've been at!).

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

You know I'm going to add that show to my DVR as soon as I get home, don't you?! hahaha awesome.

Thanks for the low-carb adaptation to your recipe! I will definitely make it and add some noodles for Andrew. Skinny butt head needs more carbs than I do! :(

I can't wait for you to get your HRM, b/c I have a feeling you're burning a lot more calories than you think!

Kaneil, balanceisbest

Mica said...

The salad looks tasty! I keep looking for good salad recipes now that it's too hot to use the oven or stove too much. Thanks!

I haven't watched "Make it or Break it" yet, but I'm pretty sure that if I did, I'd have an instant love-hate relationship with is, just like with all ABC Family shows.

Amanda (My Summerizations) said...

omg i love your blog! so glad i found it...now i can read more!

dehumidifier said...

I actually have watched an entire episode of Make it or Break It. That's the show on ABC Family, right? About gymnastics? Yes, I've seen that. It's no "NYC Prep", but it did suck me in.

Anonymous said...

That salad looks delicious.

I love Shazam.

Anonymous said...

I never would have thought to watch that show but I may have to check it out........

april said...

Yummy pasta!!

Andrea@WellnessNotes said...

The pizza pasta salad sounds great! I'll have to try it!

fittingbackin said...

Balanceisbest: YOu must!! It's just too much fo sho! I try - I do- next time I need to make the noodles for ONLY Austin. I can't wait either - I hope to see how it pans out. Dang REI for not carrying the F7 Austin ordered! :(

Mica: Same here! I loved it - super yummy and filling!

Amanda: Yay! Thanks for stopping by!! Will visit yours ASAP. :)

De: Yes - you got it! haha haven't watched the prep show! LOL I love fun, random, mindless tv.

In my tummy: it really was! haha It's so fun! Name that tune in the coche will never be the same!

eatlivelovedream: me neither - Austin brought it to the table and me and his brother loved him for introducing it!

April: SO good! :)

Andrea: Yay! Super easy to make an adapt for more peeps!! I hope you try it and like it!!

whole body love said...

I have never even HEARD of this show! When was it on? I may have to utilize the DVR!

MizFit said...

:)
Im a sucker for any additional mindcandy and shall add that to my DVR PRONTO

Ive been too caught up in BRAVO lately.

You know, NYC PREP, MIAMI SOCIAL all that intellectual stuff.

Anonymous said...

Your meals make me drool! YUM!

Aggie said...

Oh that pasta salad looks awesome! And I love Newman's Own dressings!

Anonymous said...

that pasta looks awesome! i might have to steal that recipe. and yes, i've seen a few episodes of that show...it is totally addicting! :)

fittingbackin said...

Whole Body Love: hehe it snuck up on me too! It started this summer – only a few episodes in on ABC Family after Secret Life of the American Teenager (another awesomely bad show!)

MizFit: YES – exactly! Hehe I had a friend last night telling me that she is officially addicted to Bravo! Ooooh I’ve never seen NYC Prep OR Miami Social!!

Redhead75: :) LOL thanks!

Aggie: It’s yummy!! I just loved the dressing – LOVED it!

Summer Slim: Thanks! Please do!! right? It’s too cute- I love gymnastics!

Paige@ Running Around Normal said...

The pizza pasta looks great! I'll have to try it :-)

Anonymous said...

That pasta looks delicious! :)

devon said...

That salad DOES look good! I'm still amazed by how much you cook now and how creative you've become with it.:)

Mom

(posting from Dev's laptop)

Stephanie said...

I love Make it or Break it! So cute :)

By the way, I am a lurker, so I didn't chime in earlier, but I think the reason you're hungry and your original calorie range is too low-- I think you're burning more than you think on the treadmill!

fittingbackin said...

Stephanie: Hi!! Hmmm I never thought about that - honestly I was eating fewer calories but upped it a couple of months ago and worried I upped it to high. You could be SO right about the treadmill, my HRM needs to get here pronto!! Thanks for commenting - once i get the HRM working I think i'm definitely going to reevaluate my calories!