Hello Friday

I wasn't sure how I'd feel this morning, having given blood late in the day yesterday. I let my body dictate how hard to push my workout this morning. I headed to the gym for a treadmill run and yoga class. I ate a banana on the ride to the gym.

My run went pretty well! I ran 4 miles in exactly 40 minutes at a 1.5 incline. I varied my pace but it worked out to be a 10 minute mile average. I could tell I was dragging a bit, but I still enjoyed my run (well, as much as I can enjoy running on a treadmill). And yoga was PERFECT today. We focused on hamstrings, which is exactly what I needed.

And guess what? After my workout I got a latte! Imagine that!

I nibbled on a Clif Builder's bar with my coffee. It took me over an hour to eat this bar. They're HUGE, but delicious. Since they're high in sugar I treat them as an indulgence. Chocolate Mint is my favorite flavor -- it tastes like a Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie.

Several hours later I wanted a savory snack. I decided to have some Mary's Gone Crackers with a wedge of Laughing Cow Light cheese.

Then about an hour later I was hungry for real and was in the mood for a smoothie.

- 1/2 frozen banana

- handful spinach

- 1/2 green apple

- scoop 0% Fage

- flax

- hulled hemp seeds

- oats

- ice

- water

It looks a bit like a witch's brew, but boy this was a good smoothie.

Chris got home from being out of town all week so I decided to make us a nice dinner. I opened a bottle of MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir to enjoy while cooking.

I sliced up the sweet potato I bought at Fresh Fields Farms yesterday and made sweet potato fries. Can you believe this is ONE sweet potato?

The spread: okra, sweet potato fries, rice and bean cakes for me and chicken for Chris. The chicken and veggie cakes were served on small side plates. The fries and okra were on a dinner plate.

Morning Star Farms southwestern style veggie cakes. I usually only eat one but I ate two tonight since I'm carbo loading for my 13 mile run tomorrow morning.

Okra "fries" and sweet potato fries. I tossed the okra with a bit of olive oil, Old Bay seasoning, S&P, and roasted them at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. I'm not a huge okra fan, but they were pretty good! I'm trying to incorporate a greater variety of veggies into my diet so I gave okra a shot tonight. The sweet potato fries were da bomb.

The dipping sauces: organic ketchup, horseradish mustard, bone suckin' sauce

Now I am STUFFED. I really didn't need that second veggie cake. My stomach is protesting. No dessert for me tonight. It doesn't even sound remotely appealing.