5k's and protein shakes

The start of the fall season also starts the season of all things races. I couldn't even tell you the last time I ran a race of any distance. Last year one of my New Years Resolutions was to run a half marathon. Lets just say that didn't work out too well for me. Running isn't my favorite workout, I would much rather lift barbells over my head and do countless numbers of burpees. However, I decided that I needed to change that!

Since I've been sticking to my gym routine so well I figured that I could sign up for a 5k and run it easy peasy. After much research I found the Travis Manion Foundation 9/11 Heroes Run in Philadelphia. I knew that this was going to be the perfect start to my running season. I'm not the biggest fan of going places by myself so I was super stoked to know that I would be running alongside my girl Katera! And by alongside I mean way behind her, like 10 minutes behind her. That girl is a beast and I wish to one day run like her.

On Sunday I woke up bright and early so I wasn't a slug driving to the race. I made myself a protein shake (which I will be discussing later) and headed out to the Please Touch Museum. Once I got there, I forgot how exciting it was to get ready for a race. I know that a 5k is only 3.1 miles but when you are doing it for such a great cause it is so much more then that. Before we all got into postion we all sang the National Anthem, which to be honest, made me silently cry to myself. I knew I had to get through this race for all those that couldn't be here to run with us. The countdown began and the anticipation grew. I turned on my bollywood Pandora station (yes, bollywood) and set off. Around mile 2 I hurt my ankle so I didn't do quite as well as I would have hoped. As soon as the finish line was in sight, I reminded myself of those that didn't even get the opportunity to run the race and I finished out strong. The post-run high is such a great feeling! Minus the throbbing ankle pain!

Now, for a quick PSA.
I have finally found my favorite protein powder. It has taken me a few different brands and flavors but I am pretty confident this is the one. Garden of Life's Raw Energy Protein with Guayaki Yerba Mate. This is a supplement exclusive to Whole Foods and if I didn't asked the lovely Whole Body Team Member what she would suggest, I would have never known this was even an option. I can't really describe the flavor because it is like nothing I have ever had before, but it is quite delicious! One scoop of powder + 8 oz. of unsweetened almond milk = one energy packed shake! It definitely keeps me going and pushing through my work out. So go out there and buy yourself some! You won't regret it. I promise!

how I torture myself at the gym.

Since I had to stop crossfitting, I was getting really lazy in the gym. Planet Fitness is cheap but it ain't no Crossfit Manayunk. I would go in, do some abs, maybe run, maybe squat, and then leave from boredom. One day my friend had text me asking what I was up to and I told him I was at the gym. However, when I told him what I did he was not happy with me and I ended up in his living room that night getting told to do burpees, wall sits, and jumping lunges. He told me that if I wanted him to, that he would make me a full body workout routine that we would use for 4 weeks and then he would make a new one the following month. Best. Dude. Ever. I guess that is a perk of being friends with a gym rat/lacrosse player.

I'm on my second week now and I think that it is going great. I love that every day is different and works out different areas of my body. I include cardio before and after each of these workouts and definitely a lot of stretching before, during, and after! I hope that this can help someone else out there who has no self motivation in the gym. Although he isn't physically at the gym with me, I know that I am making him proud by showing up and pushing myself to do the best I can. Since this is only a 5 day cycle, you have some rest days or you can go all in and get yourself to the gym on those extra days. I want to find some classes around Manayunk that I can get to so I can mix it up some. Zumba, hot yoga, barre classes, anything. As long as I'm moving, I'm happy!

Day 1
Dumbbell Bench Press
4x5/4/3/10 (4 sets: 1 at 5, 1 at 4...etc.)
Dumbbell Arnold Press
4x10
Tricep Dips with Lateral Raises
4x10

Day 2
Back Squat
4x5/4/3/10 (The heavier the better!)
Dumbbell Thrusters
4x10
Dumbbell Reverse Lunge
4x10
Calf Raises
4x12

Day 3
Pull-Ups
4x5/4/3/10
Dumbbell Single Arm Row
4x12
Incline Dumbbell Curl
4x10
Crossbody Dumbbell Curl
4x8
Pronated Curl
4x8

Day 4
Incline Dumbbell Bench
4x12
Tricep Push Down
4x10
Tricep Dip
4x10
Push-Ups
4x10

Day 5
Roman Deadlift
4x10
Squat Jumps
4x15
Incline Sit-Ups
4x12
Cable Twists
4x12

hello world.

It's me, Chelsey. The girl who used to blog a least two times a week. All of a sudden, summer started and my blogging stopped. But have no fear, I am back (hopefully)!

Lets see if I can highlight key points of my summer for ya.

• My jeep decided it didn't want to drive me around anymore, so hello 2014 Honda Civic.
• I had to stop crossfitting thanks to a new car payment and higher insurance.
• I surprised my mom with a quick trip to Florida.
• I worked at Whole Foods since my nanny job goes into hiatus during the summer (unfortunately).
• The two times I wore my bathing suit I was at the beach with the boys I nanny and at Sesame Place with the boys I nanny.
• And still no EMT job...

Although I didn't do anything absolutely crazy, I can't say that my summer was that awful. I enjoyed my time away from the boys but I definitely made it a point to visit as much as possible. I can't wait to get back into zoo trips and quick visits to the aquarium. 

Even though I had to stop crossfitting I am still going to the gym at least five times a week. Luckily, I have a kick ass friend who wrote out a weekly workout routine for me because I have no discipline when it comes to gyms that aren't referred to as boxes.

I am trying to stick to a vegan diet, but sometimes I just gotta have a piece of cheese. I have made some delicious dishes throughout the summer so I will be sure to share them with you all! My new goal in terms of food is going to be "clean eating". I do a lot of it now but I cheat far too much then I should.

Sometime in the near future I will most likely be changing my blog name because as of right now, the nanny part is the only one to stand true. If anyone has suggestions please share because I don't want to change it to "kinda vegan, Planet Fitnessing, nanny". Definitely doesn't have a great ring to it huh?

I hope to not disappoint with my posts. So here's to new recipes, workout routines, and conversations between me and Max!

16%

After I turned 24 I decided that I would make a 25 things to do before I turn 25 list. As of today, I am a third of the way through the year until I turn 25. That sounds absolutely nuts and I think I might have a mini panic attack.

Let us review the list and see how things are going shall we?

1. Meet a stranger and turn them into a friend
2. Get a new tattoo
3. Find a kick ass EMT job
4. This.
5. Run a half marathon
6. See a broadway show
7. Buy a bathing suit that I feel confident in
8. Cut and dye my hair
9. Be financially aware
10. Start to learn a new language
11. Have dinner with myself, no distractions
12. Buy a present for somebody "just because"
13. Visit a family member I haven't seen in a long time
14. Be with my best friend when she turns 25
15. Make a meat lover fall in love with a vegan meal
16. Donate to a charity
17. Take a road trip
18. Have a day of pampering for myself
19. Volunteer
20. Pay for someones lunch
21. Say "I love you" even if it scares me
22. Go to the beach and watch the sunrise
23. Learn a new hobby
24. Read The Hunger Games series
25. Go to a Panthers game with Sarika

Well, so far it only looks like I have tackled 4 things on my list. There is still time, 8 months to be exact!! This summer I am hoping to knock out a lot of these because I need some family, beach, and road trips in my life.

Even though I haven't crossed many things off my list, I still have done a lot since I turned 24 and I am truly hoping that this year keeps getting better. I have had no complaints so far and I'm totally digging 2014.

Have any of you made any sort of bucket lists lately? I hope that you are getting to cross some things off of it because it feels great when you get to!!

Buffalo Tempeh Nuggets

The other week at Whole Foods it was Team Member Appreciation Week. For us Whole Foods employees, we can't wait for this week every year because we get a sweet 40% discount! That's right, 40%!

Since me and Sarika were moving the week after TMAW, we decided to stock up on lots of foods that we eat often: refried beans, chick peas, veggie burgers, and ginger ale. I have used tempeh before but I couldn't even tell you what I used it for! I figured I needed to step up my vegan game so I bought some more this time around and figured I could pinterest some awesome recipe.

With a little bit of tweeking different recipes, I decided to make these buffalo tempeh nuggets. When I used to eat meat, I loved anything buffalo. Buffalo chicken nuggets, buffalo chicken sandwiches, buffalo chicken salad. If it had chicken and buffalo, I was eating it. An old roommate of mine used to eat buffalo "chicken" nuggets which I thought were wonderful! When it came to switching to vegan though, I realized that they still used dairy and eggs to make them so I wouldn't buy them anymore so it was up to me to make my own! These might not taste exactly like chicken, but they sure are scrumptious! Hopefully you will also think the same!

1 Package of Tempeh
1/2 Cup Buffalo Sauce
1 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
Chili Powder, to taste
Paprika, to taste
Salt, to taste

1. Cut the tempeh into 1 inch "nuggets"
2. Evenly coat the nuggets with buffalo sauce and let sit for about 10 minutes
3. Mix breadcrumbs and seasons together (if you want to use other seasonings go right ahead!)
4. Dip the buffalo sauce covered tempeh into the breadcrumbs to make a good crust
5. Place in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.
6. Take some of the leftover buffalo sauce and put a little extra on each nugget and put back in the oven for another minute or two.
7. Serve on top of a salad, with vegan ranch and celery sticks, or french fries!

You could absolutely make this recipe with larger pieces of tempeh and turn it into a buffalo tempeh sandwich, I bet that would be delicious!

I'm always looking for new recipes so if any one out there has some yummy recipes using tempeh please feel free to share! I would love to try them out!

This is me.

Do you want to know who I am?

Well, here you go.

I'm 24.
I have a degree in Chemistry that I don't use.
I'm a nanny to the cutest two little boys.
I work part time as a cashier at Whole Foods.
I'm testing to get my certification as an EMT.
I watch Bollywood movies and eat Indian food.
I have no idea what I will be doing in 5 years.
I wear onesie pajamas.
I'm a perfectionist.
I say I'm vegan but cheese tempts me sometimes.
I talk to my mom every day.
I'd rather stay at home then go party.
I only use lavender scented laundry detergent.
I fart.
I'm a Capricorn.
I hate driving.
I use Head and Shoulders.
I'm addicted to social media.
I have a big butt.
I love to CrossFit.
I'm agnostic.
I fall head over heels too fast.
I hate wearing shorts.
I am obsessed with interracial babies.
I eat peanut butter and jelly toast.
I have body dysmorphia.
I miss seeing my best friend every day.
I'm not afraid to talk to strangers.
I'm afraid of rejection.
I collect wine corks.
I always have my toenails painted.
I love love.
I bite the inside of my cheek.
I have constant dreams of my teeth falling out.
I don't care if you don't like me.

Because I love me.

Throwback Thursday

One of the most exciting things that happened in the short long time I had been M.I.A. was my best friend, Paige, coming to visit all the way from Arizona. We have known each other since the 3rd grade but became best friends in 6th. I love this girl more then words could describe.

I couldn't wait for her to get out here because she had only ever been to Philly once before, in our senior year of college her and my momma came out for family weekend. This time around though, I would be in a completely different place, in life and location. I was so excited to show her Manayunk and get to spend quality best friend time together.

The first full day that she was here, we got up, before most people were going to bed from the night before, and headed to NYC! She had never been there before so it was my duty to show her the important sites. Thank goodness for Gabe or I would have had us lost in the first 5 minutes of stepping of the megabus.

First up, Carlos Bakery in Hoboken! I had never been so I was super excited to eat lots of pastries and not feel guilty about it at all. Unfortunately, Buddy wasn't there, or any of his sisters but it was awesome to actually step foot in such a famous bakery.

After our chilly time in Hoboken we headed back into the city which consisted of the following: 9/11 Memorial, Pizza (of course), Time Square (and a movie), Rockefeller Center, and lastly the Highline. I know that I am speaking for the both of us when I say that the best part of our time in NYC was seeing Kevin Bacon at the movies. Yes, Kevin Bacon. He looked like a bum, but it was sure him. Totally made up for the cold weather and lack of sleep!

Of course, we had to go into Philly because she had only ever been once. We walked around Penn's Landing, South Street, and took some pictures with Rocky!

So many awesome things happened, I could write a short story about it. Her time here was far too short and I can't wait to make more plans for her to come out here again so I can show her even more!!

I'm Back!

Holy smokes, it has almost been 2 months since I have last posted. I knew it had been awhile but I didn't realize that it was that long!

Way too much has happened since the last time I posted so let me see if I can summarize this up real quick.

1. I finished my EMT class! I passed the practical portion of the exam, next up, written!
2. I took a hiatus from CrossFit but my first day back was yesterday and it felt great!
3. I signed up for the Susan G. Komen 5k in Philadelphia next month.
4. Me and Sarika are moving into our new apartment Saturday. Pictures to follow for sure!
5. I started working at Whole Foods again because, well, why not.
6. I still haven't scared away the guy I'm talking to. #winning
7. I visited my mom and brother for a hot second in Florida and while there I got a new tattoo!
8. My best friend came to visit me in Philly and I definitely hated seeing her leave. (There might have to be a tbt post to her visit because it was awesome)
9. I found my new favorite vegetarian restaurant Hip City Veg. (Thank you Sandy)
10. Owen has finally started saying Chelsey and it might be the cutest thing that I have ever heard.

I promise not to skip out on posts from now on! (Crossing my fingers I don't regret saying that!)

Since my first day back at CrossFit was last night I thought I would share with you the madness that happened. I am sore to say the least and I know that tomorrow will be even worse.

Deadlift + Ring Rows (20 minutes EMOTM)
Evens- 5 deadlifts at 75% (I did 80 pounds)
Odds- 8 ring rows

15 Minutes on the Clock
A. 6 Rounds of Cindy
(5 Ring Rows, 10 Push Ups, 15 Air Squats)
B. 20 Clean and Jerks (I did mine at 60 pounds because my arms were killing me)
C. 30 Burpee Bar Jump Overs
I only made it through the rounds of Cindy and 11 Clean and Jerks before the time ended.

5 Minute AMPRAP
Straight Leg Sit Ups
Surprisingly I did 72 of these bad boys. Not too shabby for my first day back!

I hope that everyone has had a marvelous week and that you are all doing something exciting this weekend because it looks like the weather here in Philadelphia is going to be wonderful!

Hump Day Happiness

Well, since last Wednesday, I have had a pretty darn good week. There isn't much complaining I can do except for my EMT class but that is only because I dread the 7-10 class after nannying for 10 hours.

The weather this weekend was absolutely perfect! I have been so sick of the cold so I was soaking up as much sun as I could. And then yesterday and today it SNOWED! Unbelievable. If I didn't love living in Philadelphia I would be buying myself a one way ticket to Florida and selling all of my belongings.

On Thursday I got to see all my special athletes at their Valentines Day dance which absolutely made my day. I miss going to volleyball practice every week but it is just too far away for me to drive there every week. I am determined to go at least once a month. I'm scared they might start to forget who I am!

My roommate from the first semester of my freshman year at Arcadia (2008 woot woot!) came to visit me for the first time in a looooooong time. We have always stayed in contact and I couldn't wait for her to come to Philadelphia. I made her eat at my favorite restaurant in Manayunk and then we went wine tasting. If there is one thing we both have in common, it's wine (seems to be a common trend among me and my friends). I had searched for some wineries to go to and decided on Cardinal Hollow Winery in Lansdale. If you love wine, I strongly suggest to go visit! They have a lot of fruit wines and even jalapeno wine! For $30 we got to try 27 wines and got a souvenir wine glass! Just make sure you have at least two hours of your afternoon to sit there because you will need it.

On Monday, when Owen finally decided to wake up I went upstairs to find this. 

Clearly someone should start gymnastics classes. If you were wondering, he just really wanted his duck and then proceeded to quack at me. Yes, I love my job.

Well, there were lots of other things this week that made me smile but it would take me hours to write about and ain't nobody got time for that.

Hope all of you have had a great Wednesday and the week is half way over! Thank goodness.

To Juice or Not To Juice...

Last week, me and Sarika couldn't believe how much we were eating out and not going to the gym. This cold weather in Philadelphia has really put us in a slump. Once you start being lazy, it is really hard to make the effort to come back out of it. Well, we put our foot down and decided we would start eating more healthy! My brother had bought me a juicer two Christmases ago so we figured we would juice for breakfast and dinner and eat a veggie wrap for lunch. We thought that it would be a good way to start fresh and get all that delivery out of our system.

When we went to the store to buy for the week we decided that we wouldn't follow any specific juicing diet, rather we would juice things that we actually would want to eat. I have juiced once before and some of the juices that I had to drink were not the best tasting and I was forcing myself to drink them. As we loaded up the cart with apples, carrots, cucumbers, and ginger I was actually getting excited about how much better I would feel about myself afterwards.

Day 1 went by pretty smoothly. After the breakfast juice I got pretty hungry around 10am so I drowned myself in water until I decided to eat my wrap. Our dinner juice consisted of lots of yummy fruits and ended the day on a good note. Then Tuesday came around.

Holy headache batman. Tuesday was the worst day. My body was pissed I wasn't feeding it Indian or a burrito. All I wanted was a veggie burger with a side of french fries and a big glass of ginger ale. The headache made me want to cry myself to sleep so after going back and fourth to whether or not to eat a real meal, we broke down and ate some Taco Bell. I know, I know. The thought that everything would go downhill after that went through my mind for 5 seconds and then I ate a bite of a bean burrito and that didn't even bother me anymore. Getting rid of my headache was all I could think about by then.

Wednesday came and went with no problem. Most likely it was because my body was once happy again with a burrito in its belly. By this time in the week I wasn't as hungry all the time and I knew that it was starting to work. Then I discovered that frozen blueberries in water is the most delicious way to drink water and now I am hooked!

On Thursday night I went to a dance with my special athletes and all I could do was drink cup after cup of water so that I wouldn't get tempted by all the chocolate, cupcakes, and pretzels that were staring me in the eye telling me to eat them. After the dance I visited my friend Adrianna who decided to have vegan cupcakes and homemade hummus in her kitchen. I couldn't help myself at that point. I caved.  Then I went to my friends house who provided me with a delicious Whole Foods juice and a vegan chocolate chip cookie. I couldn't say no to cookie (that would have been rude), so I ate that too. And I had no regrets.

Friday was the last day, however, I didn't have time to juice in the morning and we ran out of veggies for the wraps. That meant that I would drink lots of water in the morning, sneak a vegan waffle, and go to subway with Sarika with all the kiddos for lunch. My roommate from my first semester at Arcadia came to visit so I knew that dinner would definitely not be a juice (it was pizza if you were wondering!).

Overall, I think we did pretty well. I want to keep up juicing, even if it is just for breakfast or maybe an afternoon snack. After weighing myself before and after the juicing I lost 4.4 pounds. I'm sure I could have lost more but I was more concerned about all the bad food getting cleansed away rather than the weight lose.

Has anybody else out there experimented with juicing? What were your favorite recipes? I would love to try them out!

I can't believe that it is almost March! Warm weather please make your way to Philadelphia. Please and thank you.

Hump Day Happiness

Sorry that I have been M.I.A. for awhile now. My days have been filled with snow, nannying, snow, EMT class, spending time with my dog, and more snow. I'm not only freezing cold on a daily basis, I am also lazy. I will admit to it. I've been ordering take out too often and haven't been going to the gym as regularly as I should be (I won't even tell you the last time I went actually...).

With my laziness comes my lack of wanting to do anything. Literally anything. If I have free time, it is spent under a blanket, on the couch, watching the Olympics. Maybe I should blame the Olympics for my almost 2 weeks of laziness. Who doesn't wanna sit around and watch figure skating all day. I mean, that's what my Saturday night consisted of and I have no regrets.

I really want to stick with blogging. My goal was to blog three days out of the week, but that is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I started doing WOD Wednesday, but as my previous post stated, I have taken a Crossfit break (which is killing me). As I started this post I decided to name it "Hump Day Happiness" and that will become my new Wednesdays. 

I'm always going 110% and sometimes it can make me overlook all the good things happening to me in my life. I tend to worry a lot so I need an excuse to sit down and write out some things that happened through out the week that had made me smile. With that being said, I hope that some of these also bring a smile to your face.

1. First and fore most, MY BEST FRIEND FINALLY BOUGHT HER PLANE TICKET TO COME SEE ME IN MARCH!!! If you couldn't tell, I am super stoked. Paige has only ever been to the east coast to come visit me once in college and my life has completely changed since then, so I can't wait for her to get here!

2. Me and my roommate, Sarika, decided to make an Instagram for Sandy because lets be honest, she is the cutest dog that you will ever meet. So if you are having a ruff (get it?!) day head on over to sandy_the_hurricane and look at some adorable pictures of my pup.

3. I went on a date. Like a real date. At one of my favorite Manayunk restaurants that he choose before even knowing I loved it (2 points for him). Who wouldn't be smiling about pizza, warm cookies, and great company. And if you were wondering, I haven't scared him away yet. High five Chelsey. Until maybe now...

4. I had a gift card to a nail place on Main Street and since I had a snow day on Thursday, me and Sarika decided it would be a good idea to walk down and get our nails done before Valentines Day. And then ate some yummy veggie burgers afterwards!

5. The Heat, Now You See Me, Monsters Inc., and the third season of Dexter are now part of my ridiculous amount of DVDs.

6. At work the other day, Max and I were laying on the couch and he decided that it was going to be my bed time. He took a cushion and put it on top of me (like a blanket) then said "Okay, now here's a kiss... And a hug... And goodnight." and stopped talking to me. And when I say he said "now here's a kiss... And a hug..." I mean, he actually did them as he said them. Probably the cutest thing that happened to me all week.

7. I pushed Sarikas car out of her snowy/icy parking spot so we could go get Dunkin Donuts. This did, in fact, make me happy because I solely pushed it. Thank you crossfit.

8. Since I got my tax return, I decided to buy some little presents for people and I can't wait to hand them out.

9. I was asked to work a few hours at Whole Foods and I was so happy that I did because I absolutely loved seeing everybody there and it made me realize how much I miss the workers, however, not so the much the customers.

There you have it folks. If anything, I hope that you smiled at least once. And if not, we always have next week!

My New Favorite Breakfast

Happy Monday Snow Day from Philadelphia! Although I am sick and tired of this cold weather I am never sick and tired of snow days! I will be spending my day watching movies on the couch and stuffing my face with leftovers and maybe a few girl scout cookies.

I was so excited that I could make a real breakfast rather than just the normal milk and cereal. I sure do miss the days of bacon and eggs (more the bacon then the eggs). This past weekend I went to Whole Foods and bought some meatless sausage patties. I know I know, that sounds disgusting and probably isn't the same as the real thing but to my surprise they were pretty darn tasty. It might also be because I mixed it with two of my favorite vegan foods, potatoes and onions!

I have made many variations of this recipe and I thought that the sausage would work wonders in it this time around. I thought about putting some vegan cheese in it, but it didn't even need it! I hope that you can whip this up at home and think it is just as delicious as I do. I almost went for a second helping but I had to stop myself so I could share with my roommate.

There isn't really a name for it so you can be free to make a name up for yourself! You will definitely want to keep this handy in case you ever have to entertain some vegans for brunch.

1/2 of a Potato (or one whole small potato. I used what we had, a russet)
1/4 Sweet Onion
2 365 Frozen Meatless Sausage Patties
1/2 block of Extra Firm Tofu
2ish Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder

1. Dice up the potato into smallish cubes (the bigger the cubes, the longer you gotta wait to eat it!) and chop the onion.
2. Put a little olive oil in a hot pan and add the potato and onion. Cook until the potatoes are almost completely soft.
3. While the potatoes and onions are cooking, squeeze out the excess water from the tofu and crumble into a bowl and add the soy sauce, chili powder, and garlic powder. (You can mix up the seasonings with whatever tickles your fancy)
4. Cut up the sausage patties into about the same size as the potatoes and add to the pan.
5. Once the sausage is warmed up, maybe 5 minutes, add the crumbled tofu!
6. Heat everything through, lets say 2 minutes, and then serve it up!

Makes 2 very hearty helpings!

This time around, I made some toast and put sriracha on top because I love spicy but you can really do anything you are feeling in the mood for! I also tried this delicious iced coffee which is made with almond milk, definitely a must for all of us vegans!

I love this meal because it makes me feel like I am eating real sausage and eggs but it is 100% vegan this time around. I will definitely be making this recipe more regularly with different toppings to see which one is my absolute favorite.

If you get the chance to make it please let me know what you think! And if you went your own way, I would love to know what you decided to put in it to make it unique to you!

It is time now to sit back and watch Music and Lyrics with this adorable puppy dog.

new yum yums.

It was time for me to try a new recipe! There are so many awesome vegan recipes on Pinterest I never know which ones to try first. I got a crock pot on black Friday three years ago and have never used it (what is wrong with me!). I was determined to pull it out and use it for my first ever vegan crock pot meal.

Since I used to eat meat, I love meals that are hearty. I miss meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I miss my moms shepards pie. So when I came across this meal, I definitely wanted to try it because it looked like it would give me that "full" feeling that I used to get from meatier meals.

Hopefully you all will try it and love it just as much as I did!

Mushroom Stroganoff (Original recipe can be found here!)

1 32 Oz. Box of Mushroom Soup

1 Cup Chopped Onions
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Cup Vegetable Broth
8 oz. Sliced Button Mushrooms
Salt and Pepper to Taste
4 oz. Tofutti Cream Cheese

1 lb. Pasta (Any kind will do!)

1. Mix everything except the cream cheese and pasta into crock pot
2. Cook mixture on low for 5-6 hours
3. Add cream cheese and cook for another 30 minutes
4. At this point I had to add a little sprinkle of cornstarch to thicken the sauce
5. Slowly add pasta and stir carefully
6. EAT!

Before

After

One of the main reasons I loved this recipe so much was because it is so easy! It is one of those set it and forget type meals which I absolutely love! The only downside to this recipe was that it made WAY too much food, might have to cut it in half next time. I will definitely be on the look out for more vegan crock pot recipes. If anyone out there has one they would like to share I want to try it!

My New Post Workout Shake

Everybody need to go out and buy this stuff right now.
Seriously, why aren't you in your car yet?

I was so happy that I could finally find something that helped me meet my daily protein intake AND taste awesome. I mix it with vanilla almond milk and it is like a healthy milkshake (it has kale and chia seeds!). Delicious and creamy.

Thank you Whole Foods for making me find my new favorite product!

Do any of you out there have your own post workout shake that you drink? Let me know!

Happy Friday!

25 before 25

This past Saturday was my 24th birthday. I can't believe I am 24. Sometimes I really don't feel my age. Ever. Probably because I hang out with kids all day and love watching Disney movies and dance in my car to N'Sync.

Since I have a whole year until I turn 25 I figured I would make myself a list. A to-do list.

Here goes nothing.

1. Meet a stranger and turn them into a friend
2. Get a new tattoo
3. Find a kick ass EMT job
4. This.
5. Run a half marathon
6. See a broadway show
7. Buy a bathing suit that I feel confident in
8. Cut and dye my hair
9. Be financially aware
10. Start to learn a new language
11. Have dinner with myself, no distractions
12. Buy a present for somebody "just because"
13. Visit a family member I haven't seen in a long time
14. Be with my best friend when she turns 25
15. Make a meat lover fall in love with a vegan meal
16. Donate to a charity
17. Take a road trip
18. Have a day of pampering for myself
19. Volunteer
20. Pay for someones lunch
21. Say "I love you" even if it scares me
22. Go to the beach and watch the sunrise
23. Learn a new hobby
24. Read The Hunger Games series
25. Go to a Panthers game with Sarika

Well, there you have it. Time to print out my list and hang it in my room.

Happy Snow Day! (For all of us out there that get them)

This Might End Badly

I just don't have the time. And it kills me to have to think that crossfit won't be in my life for the next couple months. I had to take a break.

I love crossfit. I might dread walking to the box in the snow or rain but once I get there I get a whole new attitude. One that makes me want to jump over boxes, lift heavy weights, and attempt as many dubs as I can during an AMRAP. But damn, I just have too much going on.

You might not think that nannying two little boys Monday through Friday is tough work, but it is tiring. Especially when I'm getting up at 6:00am to head to work and start driving back home at 4:30pm. I love my job but by the time I get home I just want to rest.

I just chased a three year old and a 15 month old around the house and the playhouse. I just spun them around until they were dizzy. I picked up and put them down at least ten times. It's a constant workout, might not be as intense as crossfit but it is exhausting which means my crossfit days are getting less and less.
Then there is my EMT class. My Monday and Wednesdays are dedicated to a three hour class at night. If I'm not in class I am reading chapters, taking quizzes, or doing ride alongs with the ambulance company to get experience. I haven't had a free weekend in awhile to get a good workout in.

The only downside to crossfit is the scheduled times. There are seven one hour workout times that my box runs. It sounds like a lot, but three of them are while I am at work and then depending on the day, I can't even make it to the other four due to class related nonsense.

I know that it might not be the best idea, but I can't seem to logically think that paying for crossfit when I can't make the time is a financially smart choice.

Once my class is over and I take (and hopefully pass) my state exam, then I will get right back into it.
I will still dedicate some time during the week to go to the normal gym (ugh) so I don't start to slack but I know that it won't be the same. The only plus about the gym is that it is open 24/7 so I can go at the most unusual times and still get a workout in. I know that I will never feel that accomplishment that I do when I finish a WOD but I have to do what I think is right for me right now.

Guess I gotta start coming up with some sweet new posts sans crossfit! Maybe some posts about all the people watching that I do while I run on the treadmill!

C Money Learns To Grout

Are you friends with any of your exes?

It always seems to be a difficult topic for most people. Why would you want to stay friends with someone who broke your heart? Or who's you broke? I can tell you why, because they once held a special place in your heart and they always will, at least for me. I think a lot of people think that I am crazy but it is very hard for me to hate someone so much to just let go of everything we once had. I liked that person enough to date them so why would I want to give up that relationship completely.

One of those guys is Brandon.

Brandon is my go to guy when it comes to just about anything (of course, that's not totally why I keep him around!). Rear view mirror got whacked off by a car (totally my fault), he puts a new one on. Can't paint my bedroom wall, looks like a professional did it. Need new locks on a metal door, he brings over a saw and BAM new locks. 

Not only does he fix things, but he has always made me try new things and learn stuff that I never thought that I would ever be interested in. 

Me? Want to read about stocks? HA! Learn about real estate? No way!

Wrong.

Even if I really didn't want to hear about it, I listened. And learned. That I am definitely thankful for.

This weekend I got to learn something else from him, how to grout tile! I know it probably doesn't sound too exciting but I was definitely excited because come on, who doesn't want to learn how to grou... oh wait, probably no one. But hey! Now if I ever need to redo my kitchen tile I won't have to pay someone an outrageous amount of money to do something I perfectly know how to do on my own! My knees and back might hurt today (I feel like I did three hours of crossfit!) but it was totally worth it. It was also my first time in Wildwood, which is probably a big shocker for everyone who lives around me because everyone goes to Wildwood in the summer. However, I think I liked it better this weekend. Complete ghost town. No hot sun beaming down on me, no drunk people bumping into me, and no over priced lunch. And especially no sun burn! I know, I'm that girl who just doesn't like the beach. Sue me.

I hope that everyone else had a great weekend like I did and enjoyed the gorgeous weather on Sunday (boo rain on Saturday).

Now it's time for me to give a shout out to Brandon who can take some pretty darn nice pictures if you ask me! I might just be saying that because they are of me and the little munchkins that I nanny.

First Day Back!

FINALLY!

Who in the world is ever excited about going back to work?! Well, I will tell you who.

This girl.

Technically, this past Thursday was my first day back but it was a lazy day that consisted of the kids staying in pajamas all day. Friday was a snow day (the perks of working for teachers) so last week was kind of a dud. 

Everybody else out there was dreading waking up and dragging themselves to work today. Not me. I woke up at 6am and was ready to go! Today was actually one of the first times that I went to work and didn't want to automatically pass out on the couch until the boys woke up. Luckily for me, Max decided to wake up at 7:45 so we got to cuddle on the couch and watch videos on the iPad until Owen woke up at 10. Then it was off to the mall with my roommate and the girls that she nannys. It was a great first day back with only one potty accident! Its hard to remember that you gotta take off the underwear before sitting on the potty. Baby steps, guys.

Some quotes for your entertainment tonight:

As we are getting in the car to head to the mall.

"Hannah's hot!" -Max

"Max what are you doing?" -Me on our way back from the mall

"I'm picking my boogies!!" -Max

"Well that's cute" -Me

"Hi mom!" -Max

"I'm not your mom" -Me

"Okay, hi grandma!" -Max

"What?! How old do you think I am?" -Me

"Seven." -Max

... and my all time favorite question to ask.

"Max, who cuts your hair?"

"Farmer John!" -Max (he means barber, but its so darn cute!)