Good morning!
I’m glad you enjoyed The Story Of The Green Monster. :) It feels good to have it told.
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Eating dinner with Christmas ambiance is so much more fun, wouldn’t you say?
The view from our dinner table makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The time spent in our family room has increased ten fold since these decorations went up.
Last night Eric and I finished watching Julie and Julia. Oh my gosh was it ever a great movie!!!! Eric had me in hysterics laughing because he kept imitating Julia/Meryl’s accent. I don’t think I have laughed so hard in ages. I could relate to the movie a lot because of course it was about blogging and cooking! Definitely check out this movie…it was unique like no other!
I’m still on my huge Quinoa kick…I now buy all my grains and protein in bulk to save on packaging and cost. Beans, lentils, quinoa, brown rice, couscous, you name it, it’s in my basement. One bonus of a vegan diet? You end up saving so much money not buying meat. Grains and lentils are so cheap, especially when you buy in bulk. This meal below cost me approx. $1.35 (and that was mostly because my olive oil is pricey).
I am crazy for this Organic Chamomile with Lavender herbal tea. I had NO idea that I loved this tea until I had it last night. Dare I say that it may be my favourite tea aside from sencha?! WOW. To say it is a relaxing tea is an understatement. I felt like I was in a spa while sipping it! I am going to buy more asap. I wonder if they have it in loose leaf?
In case you are wondering, it takes great balance to hold a SLR camera + backlight + fork + food and get the picture to turn out. LOL. Aw, the things I do for you guys. ;)
Black Beans, Corn, and Tomatoes over Quinoa
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked black beans
- 1 can diced tomatoes (with salt)
- 1 can corn
- 1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Italian Seasoning
- Fine grain Sea Salt (to taste)
- Black Pepper
- Cooked Quinoa
Directions: Cook the black beans (or you can use canned too). Add first 7 ingredients into a saucepan and heat over low-medium. While this is heating up, cook quinoa. Serve the bean,corn, and tomato mixture over a bed of quinoa.
This dish was very basic, yet quite satisfying. Very high in protein too! It made a great recovery meal for my poor abs.
Other fun happenings to know about…
1) Glo Bakery:
- I meant to mention yesterday that the pre-ordering of Healthy Holiday Lovers Variety Packs are 10% off until November 20th! Get those orders in early and save! You can join Glo Bakery’s Facebook fan page to learn about all of the updates going on and be the first to know!
2) Whittle My Middle:
- I meant to mention as well that for my waist measurements, I took one at the smallest section of my waist (couple inches above my belly button) and then the widest section of my waist (a few inches below my belly button). This will vary for everyone, so just make sure the area you measure is consistent between measures should you chose to do so.
- Is anyone else finding that the stability ball roll-out (#5) doesn’t work very well? I don’t find it that challenging. I am thinking about subbing the exercise with something else. Maybe I am doing it wrong? Ideas?
- My abs hurt. But in a good way if you know what I mean. Everyone said they hate me onTwitterthis morning. :( heh.
- Someone asked where my before picture was for the last Bikini Boot Camp Challenge. It is here. In two months I was able to loose quite a few inches, so hopefully in a month I can do about half that progress. I will likely be revealing this challenge’s B+A at the end.
- Don’t forget you can follow my Whittle My Middle workouts each day on the new Abs page!
3) Veganize My Recipe Challenge:
- US Thanksgiving is approaching!
Do you have any special Thanksgiving recipes that you make each year and you want them veganized (no animal products like dairy, eggs, etc) and made healthy? Email them to me angela@ohsheglows.com and I will be selecting a couple to ‘make-over’ over the next two weeks! It can be anything from side dishes, mains, to desserts.
Enjoy your Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!
{ 57 comments… read them below or add one }
OK that looks delicious… I am in on your WMM challenge (and I have a few non-blogging friends joining in). I wanted to ask you if you have ever had coconut water, and if you know where it can be bought in bulk in the GTA? I am an addict.
I would guess Whole Foods or a health food store?
Hey Ange-
I did the stability ball rollout move yesterday and did not find it to be challenging either. At first I didn’t think I was doing it right but I went back and watched the video and, sure enough, I was. I was thinking about maybe substiting that move with plank twists- holding the plan position and rotating each knee up towards the opposite elbow.. hurts so good!
*substituting, sorrry
I love plank twists!
Lexi may be doing an video on the roll out so hopefully that helps!
I love the buying bulk idea…how do you store all your grains so they stay fresh? I’ve been eyeing a huge bag of quinoa at CostCo but not sure how I would store it.
Courtney
Adventures in Tri-ing
I store it in the basement (so its cool) in huge food bins that I buy from Uline.ca
I make a similar quinoa dish and spice it up with cumin and a tiny dash of cayenne! If I have an avocado, I’ll add that too. It is so good!
Um, I would be super excited if you could veganize gravy! Hehehehe. :)
LOVE quinoa. I’ve been on a “quinoa kick” for over a year now, and I don’t think it’s going to end anytime soon! It’s just so good!
Hmm maybe I’ll make something with lentils a quinoa today. Yum!
I agree about the stability ball rollouts. I find that good old bicycles work much better, or V ups!
I am definitely obsessed with Quinoa right now :-)
I would love to see a vegan-ized pecan pie…yum!
Quinoa is my favorite grain! I love to add bunch of vegetables and mix in some Trader Joe’s peach salsa. It hits the spot every time.
love the pictures of your christmas decorations at night! so pretty and festive.
Hiya! I’m new to your blog and just wanted to say I really enjoy reading it.
I’ve been thinking of watching ‘Julie and Julia’ for a while now, but most of the reviews that I read online were a little off-putting. But as I’m getting into blogging and trying to get into cooking (to get myself healthier) I think it’ll be a good film for me to watch.
I’ve also recently checked out your Green Monster website, and I’m thinking of trying it out soon.
I am living Christmas through you right now, but I”m sure I’ll have my tree up soon too. I did my first whittle today. Whoa planks are so hard!
I am glad you mentioned the protien in your quinoa dish makes for a great post work out recovery! I’ve been trying to figure that one out (but I have to workout late at nigth.)
I signed up for you Whittle my Middle challenge and did day (2) last night (I’m a day behind) I can’t figure out how to do #5…I am going to give the video another look see. I wanted to thank you for a great pre holiday challenge! I needed it.
for our thanksgiving I am getting to bring stuffing and my baked yams (no marshmallows) and some home made cranberrie sause…
but I am making our desserts and they are raw tarts. (cranberry orange flavored and maybe apple cinnamon) I am still making a traditional pumpkin pie but might make some tweaks (yah, I am sure I will)
I love the holidays and I am really enjoying your Christmas decorations. we don’t have ours out yet!
Good job on keeping up with your abs challenge! Julie and Julia is playing at the “$1″ theater near my house. Now I’m thinking about sneaking out to see it while the husband is sleeping.
Your house looks so cozy and welcoming! I love the holidays. Quinoa is so great because you can mix with so many different things and come up with a delicious, healthy dish! And that tea sounds so wonderful… soothing actually.
OK, I have to try Quinoa now! Your dish looks amazing :)
I agree w/ veganizing Gravy :)
Raise your hands if you love Quinoa! Both of mine are raised!! i love this stuff :) Great Recipe Doll.
I am going to purchase this tea it looks delish!
Have a happy day!
My abs are KILLING me today. Mostly on my sides. I tried to do a plank earlier this morning and I couldn’t hold it longer than a few seconds! Ah! My middle really does need to be whittled!!
I find the stability ball roll-out to be a challenge if I bring my knees all the way to my chest and make sure I’ms staying stable, not wobbly. And make sure to contract your abs the whole time!!
hmm I think you are thinking of the jackknife (#4)? That one is HARD as hell.
I forgot I have quinoa in my pantry. I could use this for the vegan for a week challenge with Mish and Katy. Perfect protein :-)
Oh, I’ve got a challenge for you. My family has Italian Wedding Soup on Thanksgiving (meatballs, eggs, chickenstock, chicken)
Gahh – I need to find that Chamomile Lavender tea. I hope they sell it down in the US too! I must say, I got away from reading your blog in recent months (with good reason — job was life-sucking, found a new exciting one, and I start at the end of the month!) and I am enjoying your blog so much again! I’m getting in on your whittle your middle challenge — I need to whittle the middle I developed in my days of awful office drudgery!! :)
I haven’t yet seen the movie for Julie and Julia… but I read the book and it was great!!
mmmm…. vegan thanksgiving goodies! I miss thanksgiving. This year Britton and I celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving with not one, not two, but THREE vegan pumpkin pies. I wanted to test which “pie pumpkin” was the tastiest variety. We tried a regular pie pumpkin, a cheese pumpkin, and some kind of japanese pumpkin!!! The japanese pumpkin won in the flavor department, but the color (it’s a slightly green color) was off puting. Overall, the cheese pumpkin won!!
Hmmm… Britton’s dad is living in NYC… maybe we can use that as an excuse to have another thanksgiving feast here in Canada??
I only did 3 minutes of core work last night and it was already burning! This will definitely be a challenge :)
Love the Christmas decor.. can’t wait to put ours up!!
I have to tell you that you totally inspired me to start decorating my house already for Christmas!! The day after I read that you were decorating your house, I was in the BX (a military version of Target, but not as cool), and I saw a fake tree. We are going on a cruise this year, and we won’t have time to deal with a real tree. I bought it, and I am so excited to start decorating! Thanks for helping me spread the cheer!!!
wow! That quinoa looks FANTASTIC! Thanks for sharing ;)
I tried the stability ball roll-out yesterday at the gym and I could’nt find any balance and truly, I don’t get the movement AND I have to say, looked a little like a fool ;) So I stopped (loosing my time AND looked like a fool) and did some ball rotation -for the obliques- on the ball with a medicine ball instead.
PS : My abs hurts!! I love this challenge!!!
And, I have to say, I love the fact that I can find motivation among other people that I would have never “known” if it wasn’t the blogs and who are as dedicated in living an healthy and active life! ;) Indeed, sometimes I feel alone in my world! My closest friends are not the sporty kind (outside of the ones that I’ve made at the gym!) ;)
Keep going!! :) (this is meant for all of you, not only Ange!)
Oooh, I am so excited to hear more about your vegan-ized recipe challenge!! I have been trying to make healthy baked goods lately, and they keep coming come out too bland or too dense compared to the non-vegan versions. Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
you should try millet if you haven’t already. I like it better than quinoa!
I’m at work so I can’t watch the video but in one of the workout classes I go to the instructor said the stability ball roll out is way harder if you don’t bend your arms. So I guess try keeping them as straight as you can and see if that makes it harder, I remember my abs were burning when I did them.
Have you started planning your Christmas dinner yet? I know it’s November but i’ve been thinking about mine since September (yes I know I’m weird) :)
Love the Christmas decorations! I agree buying bulk is the only way to go.
I want to know what your ideas are for an entree? I have NO idea what to replace the turkey with. Must be vegan :) Or just a general menu idea. I’m having a tough time visualizing. I would be happy to help plan/cook some if you don’t have a menu already I just need a jumping off point!
I’m ready for Christmas it’s my favorite holiday. I just wish I had some little kids around to share it with. I love kids at Christmas so innocent and the Santa thing.
And wanted to say Jackknifes if you haven’t done them already! They are a biatch for the abs. LOL I was dying at yoga today.
I’m going to add Julia and Julia to our Netflix queue. That tea sounds fantastic… I heart tea!
The quinoa dish looks amazing. I really want to see Julie and Julia.
Julie & Julia was a great movie. Luv your Christmas decorations; I just can’t do it till after T’giving.
I was starting to pull out some christmas decorations this afternoon, seeing all your stuff has gotten me excited. I need to go to the dollarstore and pick up a few things, I love the dollarstores lol
I love stuffing – but unfortunately can’t have gluten and can’t seem to find a good recipe that is both vegan and gluten free for delicious stuffing. I’ve always loved the veggies and sides more than the turkey and gravy so don’t really miss much else.
Hi Angela,
Do you think you could come up with a vegan bread pudding? Last year I made it for dessert for the very first time, it was flavored with cinnamon, molasses and raisins and was really awesome. But all the milk and eggs to make the custard? Not so healthy:) The next flavor I wanted to make I wanted to incorporate chocolate chips somehow ;)
I make that dish a few times a month. I like to take it to lunch for work. Yummy…
Your Christmas decorations is making me feel festive … and I like it! ; )