Friday, July 10, 2009

Days 309 & 310: New Recipe, Requesting Salad Dressing Help, New Prezzy & Good Times!

Wednesday was a total filler day – not much went on! Just worked, went out to lunch with my manager/friend, worked more then went to the gym for 6.5 miles. It didn’t happen though – around mile 4 my ankles felt like they were detaching from my body. In one word: uncomfortable. I hopped off the treadmill and stretched to no avail. So I finished it up at 5 miles and headed home (and on the way had to catch up/stalk/take pictures of this beauty)…


I got in HUNGRY and sweet Austin had surprised me with margarita pizzas! He had also done the dishes and had a surprise waiting on the front porch – another gift from my awesome mom… Veronica Mars Season 2!!



Sweeeeeetttt! I immediately put it in the kitchen DVD player and watched it while Austin finished cooking. This is the life my friends. After an epi (and AMAZING pizza- go Austin!) I crawled into bed and crashed out with Reuben. I did get to sport my new gym bag AND new outfit.

Yes I’m a cheeseball and take photogs of my reflection in my parent company’s ‘urban garden.’ Whatevs. I sent this pic to my fab sister to tell her thanks again for the awesome prezzy! I rounded out the day at 1,847 calories, 228 carbs, 54 fat grams and 107 protein grams – here’s what I ate!


Yesterday was just one of those days where I was a bottomless pit. It was like NOTHING could satisfy me (not fill me up, just satisfy me). Blah. I worked throughout the morning, then instead of doing ST like I planned, I took a break and did laundry, picked up, made lunches for the next day, etc. I also planned a dinner I’ve been DYING to make – Pesto Chicken Rolls from Aggie’s Kitchen! Here is the masterpiece – before, during and after!





Here’s the recipe I followed (altered it a bit for ingredients I had on hand and for two peeps):

Pesto Chicken Rolls for 2

For Chicken
4 2 oz. chicken tenders, skinless
4 tsp of pesto sauce (I use Trader Joe’s)

16 pieces sun dried tomato pieces (Trader Joe’s)
2 tbsp fat free feta cheese (Trader Joe’s)
salt and pepper to taste

For Pasta

4 oz. Barilla Rigatoni

1 tbsp pesto sauce

1 tsp olive oil

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

6 Basil leaves, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Set pot of water to boil. Take each chicken tender and place between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a mallet, gently pound chicken to about 1/4 inch thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Smear 1 tsp of pesto onto each tender. Top with 4 pieces of sun dried tomatoes, and add ½ tbsp of feta on top. Starting from the smaller side, roll cutlet being careful to keep filling inside. Spray a medium-sized pan with olive oil of medium-high heat, and gently place each chicken roll in pan. Cook each side until golden brown, using tongs to gently turn rolls. Once all sides of chicken are brown, transfer chicken into a small baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook chicken in oven for approximately 20 -25 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked through. While chicken cooks, add pasta to water and cook for 11 minutes. While pasta cooks, add olive oil to ‘chicken pan.’ Once hot, add mushrooms. Stir for 5-6 minutes, then add pesto, noodles and basil. Stir for 1-2 minutes. Then serve with chicken. It added up to 457 calories, 48 carbs, 13 fat grams and 39 protein grams – not bad seeing that it was SO good.

I want to stuff chicken with everything now! My next deal will be mushrooms, spinach and feta and I’m going to…. Drumroll please… serve it with SALAD instead of PASTA. Yes, you heard it here first, and I can’t lie because I share all of my eats! With that being said – I need some salad dressing help my bloggie friends! What is your favorite salad dressing?

So after work, my successful meal (patting self on back), and the completion of chores (ew) I headed over to Buckhead to drop Austin off with “the boys” and then over to East Atlanta to Shana’s house for a catch up/wine night and to meet her friend Melissa who was a total doll but was a victim of a breeder’s lie… she has a goldendoodle who was supposed to weigh 20-30 pounds… he already weighs 60! He’s a sweetie and of course she loves him but whoa – he’s a bit of a handful. The babies (my Reuben the shih poo and Shana’s Shaley the shih tzu) set him straight – all 12 pounds of them combined weight – and everyone had fun!

So good to have a girl night and just chat it up. I headed home around midnight and slept like a little baybay. Austin rolled in via cab around 1:30 or 2… I think? Oh well – all I know is he was eating Triscuits and I was like DUDE – eat a louder food! Which probably sounded like ‘shmoo – atfodibiooooood!’ Anyway – losing focus – so I ended the day at 1,926 calories, 249 carbs, 36 fat grams and 108 protein grams. May have been higher – I didn’t measure my wine but had 3 glasses… hmmm. Here’s what I ate and drank! Quite the pasta day, huh? I’ve GOT to eat less of it fo sho!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hope your ankle's feeling better! You're cracking me up - I can't STAND listening to people crunch on things or slurp cereal (cough, Andrew, cough). hahaha have a GREAT weekend!!!

Kaneil, balanceisbest

Kelly Olexa said...

Pasta....why must it be such a carb?? LOL have you ever tried brown rice pasta? I recently did - same calories as pasta, but made out of brown rice so...I'm guessing it's a better alternative. Thoughts?
;-)

Hallie Fullagar Mills said...

omg i swear ive seen that hummer around town! chicken looks so delish and i'm excited to try it!

Mica said...

Aww, you look so cute with your new gym bag!

fittingbackin said...

Balanceisbest: They do - thanks! It was just like they weren't willing to play anymore! haha I KNOW and i swear he was eating triscuits in my HEAD - so loud! haha Subtle, Kaniel! LOL You too!

Kelly: I know it! I haven't tried brown rice pasta! Hmmmm.... perhaps i'll be adding this to my list of new products - thanks!

Hallie: haha Hard to miss, right?! I was like seriously... eff... I must catch up with that monstrosity! Oh you must - I can't wait to stuff more chicken!

Mica: Thanks, girl! I love new toys and am so happy withe the bag!

Everyone: I checked and the brand of the bag is Studiosak! I'll add this to my next post for those who asked in case you don't randoly go searching in my comments. :)

Andrea@WellnessNotes said...

I love the pic of your reflection... The gym bag is awesome; you have a great sister! :)

My favorite salad dressing is pretty boring - a simple vinaigrette with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Lately, I have been adding some ripe, smashed avocado to the vinaigrette. It's quite chunky but very good.

EML509 said...

Hi Kelly,
I have been reading for a while, you are a star... how long does it take you to walk 6 miles? We talk in KM's in Australia, so I trying to do the math ;)
Cheers,
another Kelly!

Aggie said...

So happy you tried the chicken and liked it!! ;) I was the same way when I first made it...you can stuff it with anything!

My favorite salad dressing is one I make at home, I have a little mason jar I saved from some jam someone gave me and I usually throw in some vinegar (I change it up), olive oil, salt, pepper, dried or fresh herbs, and sometimes parmesan cheese. It's not really a recipe, I just throw it all in and shake it up!

PS...love your gym bag!! And that hummer!

fittingbackin said...

Andrea: Thanks! Oh I do - she rocks! Um... i've NEVER made my own salad dressing but that sounds awesome!! I'm going to get lettuce tomorrow so i'm going to pick up an avocado too - thanks!

Kelly: Cheers to you! I love meeting other Kelly's! You’re so sweet! Thanks for reading! I walk at 4 mph (which I think is 3.6 km/hour) – it takes me 15 minutes to do each mile. So when I walk 6.5 it takes 1 hour and 38 minutes. I know – it sucks. Which is why I usually break it up and do 3.5 miles during lunch (53 minutes with a buddy who I can talk with) and then 3 miles after work (45 minutes with a book or music or sometimes a buddy!). When I do it all at once (like on the weekends) – I usually do music for a mile, then read for 2, then music for a mile, then read for 2, etc. to help break it up. I also stop in between (usually after 4 miles – an hour) and just stretch, walk around, get more water, etc. Helps to break it up! Hope this helps!!

Aggie: Oh yes - now i'm slightly obsessed and can't wait until the next time we stuff chicken!! That "recipe" sounds yummy! I'm a measure, measure, measure person so i'm going to try taking these ingredients and doing it! Sounds yummy... thanks for sharing! haha isn't that hummer hilarious?! I'm loving the new gym bag - thanks!

Kris10 said...

My fav salad dressing is Raspberry Walnut Vinegarette. There's a brand by Ken's Steakhouse that is really good or Annie's makes a flavor like that too. They are yummy and healthy!

By the way, your Triscuit story cracked me up! :-)

Your Spark friend,
Kristen

fittingbackin said...

Andrea: Thanks! Oh I do - she rocks! Um... i've NEVER made my own salad dressing but that sounds awesome!! I'm going to get lettuce tomorrow so i'm going to pick up an avocado too - thanks!

Kelly: Cheers to you! I love meeting other Kelly's! You’re so sweet! Thanks for reading! I walk at 4 mph (which I think is 3.6 km/hour) – it takes me 15 minutes to do each mile. So when I walk 6.5 it takes 1 hour and 38 minutes. I know – it sucks. Which is why I usually break it up and do 3.5 miles during lunch (53 minutes with a buddy who I can talk with) and then 3 miles after work (45 minutes with a book or music or sometimes a buddy!). When I do it all at once (like on the weekends) – I usually do music for a mile, then read for 2, then music for a mile, then read for 2, etc. to help break it up. I also stop in between (usually after 4 miles – an hour) and just stretch, walk around, get more water, etc. Helps to break it up! Hope this helps!!

Aggie: Oh yes - now i'm slightly obsessed and can't wait until the next time we stuff chicken!! That "recipe" sounds yummy! I'm a measure, measure, measure person so i'm going to try taking these ingredients and doing it! Sounds yummy... thanks for sharing! haha isn't that hummer hilarious?! I'm loving the new gym bag - thanks!

Kristen said...

My fav salad dressing is Raspberry Walnut Vinegarette. There's a brand by Ken's Steakhouse that is really good or Annie's makes a flavor like that too. They are yummy and healthy!

By the way, your Triscuit story cracked me up! :-)

Your Spark friend,
Kristen