Spinach Tomato Orzo Soup

Well here in Michigan Fall/Winter is in full swing!  This is the time that most people including myself start to indulge a little more in hearty "comfort" food.  The issue is that comfort food usually ends up making me feel quite uncomfortable once its time to dust off the bikinis!  So last night I set out to find an easy and hearty soup that wouldn't bust my calorie counter.  I have to say I think I found it!


Adapted from Babble



Ingredients
-1 medium onion peeled and chopped
-1 TBS Olive Oil
-1 clove garlic peeled and chopped
-1 package sliced mushrooms
-1 15 oz can diced tomatoes with basil/garlic/oregano
-1 package frozen spinach thawed
-6 cups chicken broth
-2 cups water
-1 TBS red chili flakes (if you want to add some heat)
-1/2 box Orzo pasta

Directions
1) Heat olive oil in large soup pot; add in onion, sauté 3-4 minutes
2) Add in garlic and mushrooms, sauté another 5 minutes
3) Add in tomatoes, spinach, broth, water, and seasonings
4) Simmer 15-20 minutes
5) While soup is simmering cook orzo according to package directions and set aside
6) Place 1/3 cup or more according to how you like it of orzo in your bowl and ladel soup over it
7) Enjoy!

Extras
-I don't add the orzo to the soup until serving because it will absorb most of the liquid if stored.  For me this makes enough for many meals and I recommend but placing the amount of orzo you like in your bowl right before eating and re-heating!
-I added some chopped chicken breast to my bowl as well to bump up the protein and to help make it heartier, this can be done bowl by bowl or you can add a few cooked chopped chicken breasts to the whole soup
-Replacing the chicken broth with veggie broth would turn this easily vegetarian

1 Year

Sorry friends but this will be one of those lovey dovey posts that will make some people gag.  However, it is totally worth it since this weekend marked my 1 year anniversary with BF.  I still can't believe how lucky I am to have him in my life. 

This pic was taken on our first real dinner date.  Funny enough we ended up having "our date" with 12 of my friends at a happy hour and one of them decided to snap this pic.  What's crazy to me is that I have been this happy ever since.  Since this pic we have been on a whirlwind of a year, we have fit more adventures, vacations, dates, and firsts into one year than most people are lucky enough to have in 5.  Each moment has been better than the last, and each one somehow made us happier and stronger then we were before.

 In my life I have seen both my relationships and those of the people closest to me fall apart for so many various reasons, many of them painful.  This set me up to believe that chasing a fairytale was foolish and that to be truly happy with someone you would have to compromise some of the things you wanted or needed.

This man proved it all wrong. He proved to me I was worthy of an unimaginable love, proved to me that I can make someone happy for being me, and proved to me that the fairytale does exist.  Every day I fall in love with him a little deeper and in a new way.  I can't see what the next weeks, months, and (fingers crossed) years hold for us.

Setting some goals

So since the half marthon I have done nothing physical, like zero.  No long walks, elipticals, classes, runs, or lifted a weight.  Having such a big goal really helped keep me motivated so I feel like this place will now be my motivation.  Since this is a new month I figure its the perfect time to set some new goals!

1) Run 10 miles per week:  Not at all once but at least combined a total of 10 miles I figure that isn't too much to ask and will keep me buring some calories

2) Do 1 class a week:  this is more because I am a groupon addict and currently have 20 passes to yoga and 10 to a kickboxing studio HA

3) Fill out my calorie tracker every day but 1:  I love my FitnessPal app on my phone and really do care a little more when I commit myself to filling it in. I do give myself a day off though usually on Saturday when I don't fill it in and take it a little less serious.  Oh and I also don't ever count in booze so I never delete all the walks I take at work which usually add up to a mile a day... I know its not even but a girl needs her wine!

4) Bake more:  I used to bake at least once a week and bring my goodies into work, with all of the chaos of summer and training I really slacked on baking and it truly is like therapy for me.  This will not only make me a happier person but everyone around me as well!

Here is to a new month!!!

Happy Halloween!!

Busy doesn't even begin to decribe the last week and a half but thankfully I have had some time to partake in Halloween Festivities!

Last Thursday my roomies and I decided to have a bunch of our friends over for pumpkin carving and to watch the Tigers in the world series.  We had an absolute blast and I loved my little spider pumpkin!

Saturday was a big party for halloween and for one of my Roomies B-Day.  J and I wanted to be something cute but didn't feel like having to go over the top and I think our Mario and Luigi costume was perfect.  I would also like to note my crafting skills for not only dying my green hat but also all the little pieces we added!

And then today was a big Halloween costume contest at work which I helped throw so I had to get involved.  This man showed up on stilts and of course blew everyone out of the water!  I love my work and how much fun we have.

Tonight is just some movies and candy with the friends and since we live in a house we are hoping we also get some trick-or-treaters. Everyone have fun and be safe!!!

Apple Brunch Bake

With so many close friends (including ourselves) running the race on Sunday the roomies and I decided it was the perfect opportunity to host a celebratory brunch!  We had all burned off at least 1300 calories and wanted some food!!  My grandpa used to make this bake for us on Christmas morning and it was perfect since I could make it the night before and just throw it in the oven when we got home.  Everyone loved it and it is the perfect pair with a savory casserole as well to round out a crowd pleasing and filling brunch.

Cinnamon Apple Brunch Bake

(Adapted from McCormick)

Ingredients

1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 can (12 ounces) refrigerated biscuits
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional I usually don't include the nuts)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Mix apple pie filling, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and vanilla in medium bowl.

3. Spread 1/2 of the apple mixture in 2-quart shallow baking dish.
4. Cut or rip each biscuit into quarters. Arrange biscuit pieces, points up, over apple mixture.

5. Spread remaining apple mixture over biscuits. Sprinkle with nuts.

(this is when you could cover and let sit in fridge until next morning)
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.



THIRTEEN POINT F*ING ONE

I DID IT!!!!

Sunday was the day, and yes I am just now blogging about it today because the only thing I could think about yesterday was how much pain I was in lol.  I have never been so nervous/excited/scared/anxious then I was that morning.  The alarm going off at 4:45 wasn't so pleasant but I was surprised at how quickly I popped up!

Getting pumped with the girls!

The course was absolutely gorgeous.  The coolest part about the Detroit Free Press is that you get to cross the ambassador bridge at dawn into Canada, run about 5 miles through Windsor, and then back through the tunnel into Detroit.  The views were amazing and it really did distract from the whole running 13 miles part ha!

I am happy that my body held up for the first 10 miles really well (actually beat my training pace which was probably an issue) and then at mile 11 it all fell apart.  My hip gave out which meant that I had to walk a majority of the final 2 miles but I still finished it.  I am so proud of myself this is something I never imagined I would do and accomplishing it felt amazing inside.  BF did really well too, his hips started to give him troubles around mile 21 which meant he had to walk/run the rest but he still finished just over his goal time. 





My Finish time 02:45:48  BF Finish time 04:18:00

Overall it was an amazing experience, and something that I will never forget.  Since I am still in so much pain I keep telling myself that this is my first and last... but we will have to see :-)

Counting your blessings

There are times in life when you realize how lucky you are.  My life hasn't always been easy, at times it has been far from it, but thankfully it has brought me to the life I now have.  Every once and a while events occur that make you realize just how blessed your life really is. 

I recently learned that a high school classmate, and elementary school best friend, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.  We haven't spoken in years but learning of her fight brought tears to my eyes.  She has been gracious enough to track her progress in a blog and yesterday I finally sat down and read from the beginning.  Needless to say I was shocked.  Not because of her diagnosis, or her treatments, but because of her spirit.  Through her blog I laughed more than anything, her comments, and reactions to what is occurring to her are priceless.  Even in one of the most difficult times in her life she is still wittier, more positive, and outgoing (the girl shaved her head into a mohawk when her hair started to fall out) then most people, including myself, will ever be.

 It’s a reminder that things can go wrong, plans can change, the world can fall from your feet, but you can still remain a person that can make yourself and others smile.   It’s a reminder that when life is good to embrace it, don't let the little stuff break you down, and in her case even this big stuff.