my less serious day: fried cheese ball

Your day can't be too bad if a fried ball of cheese is involved, right?

Wearing.

Skirt: J Crew outlet; top: Target; necklace: LOFT outlet; mini-wedges: Jessica Simpson via Marshalls

Doing.

I started the day with a 30-minute stationary bike ride (ramp interval) plus a 10-minute walk with L. I fit in two more 10-15 walks today: one after lunch and one after returning home from the gym in the evening. I ended my day with a 60-minute cycling class (hills and sprints, emphasis on sprints).

Eating.

For breakfast I had a bowl of Kashi Golden Goodness with almond milk and blueberries. I had plans to go out to lunch with friends so I ate a Golden Delicious apple around 11:30 to take the edge off my hunger. This (usually) keeps me from diving head first into the bread basket and making super-unhealthy choices. Today, it worked.

Ahhh, lunch. This particular restaurant, my friends, is home of the best spinach salad I have ever had in my entire life. Ever. It contains fresh spinach, golden raisins, smoked bacon, tomato and toasted almonds, all tossed lightly in a basil and roasted poblano dressing. Oh, and let's not forget the crispy (i.e., fried) mango chevre on the side. I died.

Pre-workout I had a few almonds. For dinner, I made these simple roasted vegetables. Tonight it was squash, zucchini, onions, and broccoli. Coat a baking sheet in cooking spray and toss vegetables (for me, enough to satisfy my ogre-sized vegetable intake plus leftovers) in cooking spray, just a touch of good olive oil, salt, and whatever herbs you have around the house. I used dried Italian herbs and fresh parsley. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes, turning once. A veggie-lovers heaven.

Dinner was roasted vegetables, a Morningstar chicken patty, and a small serving of wild mushroom and herb couscous (Near East). Dessert was a Fiber One chocolate fudge brownie.