Weekend Recap 2

Where did I leave off? Friday after work we went out for dinner with Ray's mom. I had a sirloin steak salad with strawberries, pecans and feta. Delicious. But. I have reached my absolute limit as far as eating anymore leafy greens for awhile. I've been having spinach salad for lunch every day for months now and before that it was mixed green salad. I cannot eat anymore rabbit food. Give me the rabbit! Just kidding.

What my immediate withdrawal from salad did was force me to create a new lunch menu item which would still be healthful and include veggies and protein. Enter Curried Chicken Quinoa. It is so delicious and although I'm not a huge fan of posting recipes, I am going to do so on this one because you can make the whole recipe on Sunday afternoon in about 15 minutes and not have to figure out anything for lunch for the rest of the week!

4 chicken breasts, diced (I used the packaged precooked chicken which worked beautifully!)
1 tbsp tamari (sub soy sauce if desired)
2 tsp yellow curry powder
If using precooked chicken, dice chicken, toss in large bowl with tamari and curry. If using breasts, cook in tamari and curry, then put in large bowl.

1 cup quinoa
1.5 cups water
2 tsp yellow curry powder
Rinse quinoa, put in pot with water and curry, bring to boil. Reduce to simmer uncovered 12-15 minutes or until all liquid absorbed.

small handful craisins
1 or 2 carrots, grated
bunch green onions, chopped
can black beans, rinsed and drained
half large red pepper, julienned
10 or so cherry tomatos, halved (or regular tomato chopped)

Mix all together in large bowl. Top each serving with halved pecans or diced avacado...or nothing.

Now, it you're counting calories, this recipe in full works out to be about 2,000 calories. There is MORE than enough to divide into 5 days worth. If you're not counting calories but just eating for health, this beats the band. It's about 40g protein/serving, good fat, good carbs and good fibre. Colourful and varied, just what we should be eating. (PS, that's my new hat there in the background, made by my talented sister!)



OK, recipe aside, I am beyond thrilled to report that I insured my motorcycle on the weekend and we went for our first tandem ride (two bikes) in almost 8 months!!! It was, oh my goodness, SO nice to be on my bike with Ray ahead of me on his and everything seemed so perfectly normal for a short time. The posture of him riding his bike is actually very easy on his injury and we mostly have to stick to backroads and minimal traffic areas so that there is less chance of him having to put his foot down. But for a short hour or so yesterday I was able to pretend that everything was normal again. Besides riding my motorcycle behind my sweet love, motorcycle riding is an amazing soothe for my soul and it was sooo needed. I was a little shaky in the corners and at traffic lights I had a few hard landings but it was all good. So good.




Spinning on Saturday morning sucked, the instructor was horrible....the workout was intense though....you just had to convince yourself to get after it rather than listening to the instructor because she pretty much didn't say anything. My legs burned though for the rest of the day and into Sunday so I supose that's good! Saturday night we went for dinner with Sister and her boyfriend and Sunday was riding and groceries and cooking and housework. All in all, not a bad weekend!

I made a decision on the weekend that if I'm eligible for the heart surgery to get rid of my A-Tach then I'm going to get it done. It's scary and a little nervewracking but they do it all the time and once it's done it's gone forever!

Today after work is Long Jog Day and I have 5 miles (8km) lined up. I realized this morning that even if I have to take one or two walking breaks (which I hope not to), that does not constitute failure of the task. I was busy hydrating myself last night and will do so all day today in order to avoid last Monday's debaucle.

See you tomorrow!