Zucchini Stew & My Last Day of "Freedom!"

Well, today was my last day of unemployment. Everyone keeps saying it's my last day of freedom, which I accept. I won't be able to spend hours at the gym anymore, cook long drawn-out meals for myself, read a book a day, or go see 10am movies for $7. But, I am beyond blessed to have gotten this job and am so excited to start my career as a Registered Dietitian! I woke up around 5:30 this morning and immediately got up to get a head start on my day. I had things that I had to get done today, such as cleaning my closet and organizing my clothes, so I didn't waste any time! As I've mentioned before, one of my goals this year is to read through the entire Bible in one year. I finished the book of Genesis today, so one book down and 65 to go! I especially love Genesis 50:20, when Joseph reconciles with his brothers that sold him into slavery and says, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." (Genesis 50:20 ESV)

I love this verse because it basically sums up God's redemptive work in our lives. There is a lot of evil and hard situations in the world we live in, so we definitely need the grace of God to get us through the life He has given us on earth!! But what is meant for evil towards us, God can redeem and work out for our good! I've experienced this countless times in my own life. When things are going horribly or I have no idea why something is not working out, I remember that God means for things to turn out for good according to His plans and purposes! It fills me with peace and comfort, because even though I may have no idea what I am doing, God always knows, and His plans are way better than mine! Just check out the following verses!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8, 9 ESV)

After my quiet time, I had a quick pre-workout meal before going to the gym. I had my favorite halloum cheese again melted in one of my grain-free tortillas! Check a few posts back for the link to the recipe I used by Against All Grain!

I still felt a little hungry after my cheese sandwich, and I didn't want to run low on fuel during my workout! So I had a few of our many macadamia nuts before heading out the door!

My workout was pretty good today! Which is great because I'm definitely going to have to tweak and adjust my workout schedule once I start my new job tomorrow!! This morning, I did 3 miles on the elliptical, and 12 miles on the bike (which is the equivalent of 4 miles for my 150 miles by valentines day challenge)! I'm at a total of 83/150 miles so far.

After my cardio, I did some deadlifts, the lat row machine, and the tricep machine! I'm excited because I've definitely been feeling stronger and needing to up my weight, which is a sign of progress! The minute I got home, before losing motivation, I also did my TIU Love your Booty routine for the Love Your Body challenge I am doing with Tone it Up!

After my workouts, I made some egg tacos and used my last two grain-free tortillas to wrap them up. I was so sad I was out of tortillas, but I'll definitely be making these again on a regular basis because I just loved them!!

It was almost 9:30 after my breakfast, but I was still not feeling motivated to clean my room. I decided to do the quick TIU Beach yoga routine instead before showering and attacking my closet.

The yoga routine is 20 minutes, challenging, and gave me the right balance of relaxation and motivation to get to my closet. But, after my shower, I skyped with one of my best friends that moved away a week ago, which was a definite necessity since I miss her like crazy! Then, I finally turned my attention to the clothes! It felt so nice weeding out things that I've had since high school but NEVER wear, and organizing all of my shoes and outfits. It also helped me see that I really DO have ample clothes for a business casual wardrobe, and will not be needing to go shopping for work clothes...drat! :)

After packaging up by clothes to give away, I looked at the time and it was almost 1pm! I reheated the remainder of my turkey chili and sliced up some cucumbers into little "chips" to dip into my hummus. I was STUFFED by the end of this meal! Something about the protein, fat, and veggie combination in that chili makes it a nutritional punch and fills you up, setting you up for an energetic afternoon instead of a slump! Check a few posts back to see my easy peasy turkey chili recipe!

After lunch, I decided to spend some time out of the house. I wanted to do something fun on my last day as a free woman, so I decided to head to my local Peet's coffee shop and enjoy some time outside while reading and sipping on my favorite Masala Chai tea! The weather has been beautiful here, so I wanted to enjoy every minute of it! And I was even able to wear my cute green shorts in January...and what could be better than that!??

I spent over 2 hours at Peet's reading, journaling, and doing some Bible study homework. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and I didn't want to tear myself away, but knew I had to get home. After cleaning up my room a little more, I got to cooking dinner with my Mama! My family makes an amazing zucchini stew that is usually served over rice, but since adopting a more grain-free diet, I've eaten it just by its lonesome without the rice, and have never looked back! I don't even miss the rice because the zucchini, beef, and tomato sauce give so much flavor to this dish that is still tastes delicious even on its own. It is the perfect bowl of comforting goodness, which is why I put it on the menu for tonight! I wanted to make a meal that was warm, nourishing, and would make enough for leftovers for me to take to work tomorrow. This meal was just that!

Zucchini Stew (makes 6 servings)

2 T olive oil

1 cup diced onions

1 lb ground beef (we used the grass fed 85/15 from Trader Joe's)

6 medium-sized zucchini

1 15 oz diced tomatoes

3 T tomato paste

1 t salt

1/2 t red pepper

1/2 t black pepper

1/2 t all spice

Start by heating up the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until the onions are tender and translucent. Add the ground beef and chop it up into tiny pieces until it is cooked through.

While the beef is cooking, wash and slice up your zucchini into thin disks!

Once the meat is cooked all the way through, add the zucchini, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings! Mix all the ingredients together, then leave the pot over medium heat for about 1 hour, stirring every 10-15 minutes. There should be enough liquid in the pot since zucchini release a lot of moisture, but if the mixture ever gets dry, add a bit of water to it!

Once the zucchini cooks through and gets mushy, the dish is done! It should resemble a stew-like consistency.

We thoroughly enjoyed this meal tonight; my parents added rice to theirs, but I enjoyed the stew as is! I hope you all get to try this dish this winter; it's perfect for cold and cozy nights! Not to mention it is gluten/grain free, paleo, and Whole 30 approved!

Well, my last evening as a free woman is coming to a close! Now I have to pack my lunch for tomorrow (that's going to take getting used to!) and run a few errands before bed! I need to find a purse that is cute, professional, but still big enough to hold my nalgene water bottle, notebook, and any other necessities I may need at work. It's definitely hard to find a purse with all of those qualities, but I am determined!! I hope you all have a wonderful night! The next time you hear from me, I will be a working girl! :)

New job!!! Lemon-mint salad dressing, and Daily Manna!!

Hello everyone! Whoa look at that, two posts in a row! I am so excited today to announce that I finally got a job!!!

I have been in the interview process for a job at WIC (a program for women, infants, and children that provides supplemental food and nutrition education) for a few months now. Since first learning about WIC 6 years ago, I have been wanting to work there! How amazing is it that you get to empower and support women and kids to get the right nutrition and have access to healthy foods?! I am beyond blessed that this job came to me and I have been thanking God non-stop for this amazing opportunity! I officially start training this Thursday, January 16th (ahhh 1 day left!) and I just cannot wait!

My day was quite a busy one! Even though I still feel like I haven't done much. I have been wondering if I will miss the life of unemployment, but I think I am way too excited about this job to ever look back! Dear Home, it's been nice, but I am SO ready to get out there!

I woke up around 5:30am this morning and did some quiet time. Some people are amazed at how I wake up so early, but let me tell you, it's taken years of practicing how to sleep. I'm serious! From the time I was a child, I was a chronic insomniac and was never able to sleep. I would be up all night, tossing, turning, reading, walking around my room, or just staring blankly at the ceiling praying that morning would somehow come sooner...just this once. About a year and a half ago, when I began to cut out gluten and some other inflammatory grains, I noticed such a huge difference in my sleep! I was able to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer (I sound like a commercial). I also learned that I MUST pay attention to my body's cues. If I get sleepy at 9pm, I have to take advantage of that window of opportunity, and actually sleep at 9pm! If I fight my sleepiness, I end up staying awake all night long. So now, if I am sleepy at 9pm, I sleep at 9pm! I try to listen to my body, not only when I eat and when I workout, but also for rest and relaxation. I know that the only way I will be able to be the best version of me is when I am healthy, active, and rested!

So anyways, after my quiet time, I had 2 of my paleo tortillas from yesterday with a bit of almond butter smeared on top. These tortillas are absolutely amazing and are from the Against All Grain website if you want to check it out! I included the link in my post yesterday! :)

I had an okay workout today. I was feeling really low energy for some reason, so I didn't push myself speed or resistance-wise. I still did about 30 minutes on the elliptical and 25 minutes on the bike, but I definitely didn't try to challenge myself. I broke a sweat and burned some calories while still going easy on myself, which is what I needed! I also did some shoulder and bicep work, along with the chest press machine and the lat pulldown machine.

I got home and felt so exhausted, and was starving! I decided to not only have my usual veggie omelet, but also have yet another paleo tortilla (I'm telling you, I love these things!) with some of my favorite Middle Eastern cheese melted inside!

Halloum cheese has been my all time favorite cheese every since I was born. I blame this cheese for the reason why I can't stand cheddar, monterey jack, or any other typical American cheeses. This cheese is just THAT good. It's made from sheep's milk, it's pretty high in fat, and I really don't care one bit! :) I melted two sticks of it in my tortilla this morning, it was delicious, and I enjoyed every bite of it!

After breakfast, I finished up a great book I have been reading called "Lazarus Awakening" by Joanna Weaver about really enjoying your personal relationship with God, believing that God loves you, and living as an ALIVE person in His love and promises. It was such an incredible study, with questions and journal reflections at the back of the book! I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a bible study/devotional book!

Around 10:45am, I headed out to an appointment I had, which was about a 40-minute drive away. The appointment also lasted a while, so I didn't get to have my lunch until about 1:30pm! Boy am I glad I had a filling breakfast! I reheated some of my yummy turkey chili (recipe is in yesterday's post!) and had some veggies with hummus as a side!

I started reading an article on green tea after lunch, but about halfway through I decided to get up and do the new Tone it Up Love Your Arms and Abs routine! I had crazy amounts of energy after lunch, which is ironic considering I was exhausted this morning, and atypical of the usual afternoon slump that people suffer from. So I wanted to take advantage of my energy and do the workout two times through, but my sore muscles were not having it. My arms and back were still sore from my workout a few days ago, so I just did the routine once. I absolutely LOVED it though, and will definitely be doing it again!

The afternoon was busy with some errands: picking up my car from the dealer's and going grocery shopping! My mom and I made fish and salad tonight, with some leftover roasted potatoes from her dinner last night! It was so cute because I walked into the kitchen and my mom was busy portioning her almonds in little containers for work! How cute is that?! She is definitely the mother of a dietitian...in some respects haha :)

We usually get the pre seasoned Cajun salmon from Trader Joe's on fish night! This salmon is so delicious, has good ingredients (nothing funky!) and is so easy to make! We just popped it on the stove top in some foil for about 25-30 minutes while we chopped up our salad, and dinner was served!

Everyone asks us about our homemade lemon-mint salad dressing. Honestly, I have no idea how to explain this recipe, because it's definitely one of those "eye-balled" recipes the women in my family have been making for generations. But, for a standard sized salad mixing bowl (about 8-10 inches in diameter) filled with lettuce and veggies, we use approximately these measurements of the following ingredients!

Lemon-mint dressing:

2 T lemon juice

2 T olive oil

1/4 t salt

1/4 t red pepper

1/4 t crushed mint

1 clove garlic, crushed (OR use 1/4 t garlic salt for both the garlic and salt)

Pour the ingredients straight onto the salad, toss, and enjoy! This dressing is light, healthy, and tastes great with pretty much any salad combination!

After dinner we had Bible study, and then headed back home! Now for some Downton Abbey before bed...unless I get sleepy, in which case it's bed for me! I hope you all have a wonderful night!

Macadamia Catastrophe, Turkey Chili, and Daily Manna! 1/13

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had excellent, healthy, and happy weekends. Today is an exciting day because I get to share TWO recipes with you! The first one is a funky new recipe that came out of a baking mishap! I had a silly baking experience last night and I have entitled this incident, (and this recipe), the macadamia catastrophe. It all started a few days ago when my friend Kelli, over at http://hungryhobby.net (you guys should all follow her blog, it is fantastic!) sent me a Macadamia Nut Banana Cookie recipe (http://immaeatthat.com/2014/01/10/macadamia-nut-banana-cookies/) because of my obvious obsession with this combination since getting back from Hawaii. I had all the ingredients I needed to try it out last night, except for the oats, which I decided to substitute with my protein powder instead. Obviously, I did not end up with cookies, but something more like a cake/muffin batter. I decided to roll with it, added an egg and some greek yogurt, and ended up with a macadamia nut banana flatbread cake square thing! They are flat, cakey, and crunchy but taste DELICIOUS! So I thought I might as well just share my version of the recipe!

Makes 16 squares, one 8x8 glass baking dish

3/4 cup macadamia nuts, unsalted

2 scoops vanilla protein powder

1 banana

1/3 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt

1 T coconut oil

1 egg

1/4 cup low sugar maple syrup

1 t cinnamon

1 t vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. First things first, place the macadamia nuts in the food processor and chop them up until they are coarse.

Mash the banana and add that to the bowl as well. Then add all the other ingredients, and it will form a batter. Spray your 8x8 dish and pour the batter into the dish. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Considering this recipe was a disaster in the making, I think that by adding a few of the tweaks, it turned into a great breakfast gluten-free bread option! I enjoyed two of these as my pre workout snack this morning, and they were delicious! I'm so glad I didn't just dump the batter out and tried to work with it because it turned out to be a yummy, crunchy flatbread!

Anyways, on to the rest of my day...

As I mentioned, I woke up, did my quiet time, and ate 2 of my macadamia catastrophe squares before my workout! ;)

My workout consisted of 30 minutes on the elliptical and 25 minutes on the bike, totaling 6 miles towards my 150 miles by V-day challenge. So far, I am at 70 miles! Woo! I'm feeling great even though I am not being able to run. Don't get me wrong, I really really miss running! But I think the variety of the elliptical and bike, plus all the strength training I've been doing, has been really enjoyable! I have been seeing results in my strength and am absolutely loving the benefits of weight training!

After my cardio, I worked on my triceps and shoulders, then did the leg press and inner and outer thigh machines. I stretched, and then headed to whole foods to grab some coconut flour! I was determined to try the paleo tortilla recipe by Danielle Walker at Against All Grain (www.againstallgrain.com) and that was the only ingredient I was missing.

I HIGHLY recommend this crepe/tortilla recipe if you are looking for a gluten and grain-free tortilla that is paleo friendly! They were so easy to make and so delicious. The recipe is in the Against All Grain cookbook, as well as on her website! Check it out! http://www.againstallgrain.com/2013/01/26/crepes-grainfree-paleo/

I decided to make my post-workout omelet into egg tacos, so I stuffed three of these tortillas with some egg whites, kale, peppers, and pico de gallo! Delicious!

I also loved that you can hold these tortillas and they don't fall apart! Which is such a plus when you are eating a gluten and grain-free product.

After my meal, I read my book for a bit, then headed to my physical therapy appointment. It's only my second appointment and they basically just did some leg exercises with me. Which is good, since all of those exercises are at the gym and I could do them on my own time as well!

When I got back home, I had crazy energy, and decided to do my TIU workout for the day before lunch! I am doing the Love Your Body challenge at www.toneitup.com and today's workout was the Love Your Total Body 2! I love these workouts because they range from 15-20 minutes while targeting each muscle group in your body! Check it out if you want to try it (it is under the workout schedule for Monday!)

http://toneitup.com/2014/01/love-your-body-with-your-weekly-schedule/

After my second workout of the day, I was finally ready for lunch! I got some ground turkey yesterday at the grocery store and wanted to make a turkey chili that could last me a few days! I threw a bunch of things into the pot and simmered the chili for about 30-40 minutes, while enjoying a quick salad as an appetizer.

Here is the ingredients list and the method for my easy peasy turkey chili! (makes about 3 servings)

8-10 oz ground turkey meat

1.5 T olive oil, separated into 1 T and 1/2 T

1/2 t cajun seasoning

1-14oz can of diced tomatoes (fire roasted and low sodium is better!)

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped sweet bell pepper

1/2 cup kale

1/2 t cumin

1/2 t garlic salt

Start out by heating 1 T of olive oil in a pot, then adding your turkey meat. Grind up your turkey meat with a flat edged wooden spoon until it is in itty-bitty pieces. Add the cajun seasoning while it is cooking, and cook the meat until its browned. In a separate skillet, heat up a 1/2 T of olive oil and add the kale and the chopped sweet bell pepper. Sauté these until they are tender.

Once the turkey meat is cooked through, add the kale and peppers, the can of crushed tomatoes, the chicken broth, and the cumin and garlic salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then set the heat on low and let the chili simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Then, bowl it up and enjoy! The easiest chili I've made yet. If you are into beans, you can obviously add some black or kidney beans to this chili as well!

After lunch, I decided to finally attack my desk. My desk has been in desperate need of cleaning and reorganizing. I emptied out all of my drawers and organized all my books. I am a huge organization nerd, so it felt so good to have everything cleaned out and cleared away!

The rest of the day was pretty relaxing. I sipped on some green tea while reading, got my nails done, got my phone fixed, and had a yummy dinner! Unfortunately, my phone getting fixed prevented me from taking anymore pictures the rest of the night. So dinner will remain a mystery! :) Just kidding, we went to a yummy restaurant by my house called Pita Jungle. I had a Greek salad with a garlicky-lemon dressing, which was so light and delicious. I also added some of my mom's chicken that fell out of her wrap to my salad. They stuff those wraps with SO much chicken that she ends up not eating half of it, so I definitely took advantage of her scraps!

Well, that is all for today! I am feeling so exhausted at the moment and can't wait for bed! I hope you all had a great start to the week!

Good night! :)

Our Hawaiian Christmas Cruise!

Hello everyone and Happy New Year! It feels like it’s been forever since I have written anything, probably because it has! We just got back from our two-week cruise to Hawaii a couple days ago, and let me say it has been hard to get off of vacation mode! We had a great time relaxing on our cruise, exploring Hawaii, and spending time together. I have a pretty small nuclear family (just me and the parents), so it was really nice to just relax and enjoy this experience with them! As you all know, I posted an entry before taking off on our cruise on how to make healthy decisions during a vacation! I am so excited to share with you all about my experience on this 14-day adventure filled with good food, intense workouts, amazing sights, relaxing beaches, and more! Bear with me as I try to fit two weeks into a single post; I definitely won’t be posting about every day but will try to give a general overview of what we did, what we saw, and (the best part), what my meals and workouts consisted of! Warning: this is a long post, but Hawaii was worth it! :)

So…let’s begin!

The day we were set to start our vacation, I woke up early to make sure I got a good workout in before my day began! For me, exercise is a stress reliever and I look forward to it in the mornings! I woke up and got a good sweat session in before getting ready to hit the LA dock to get on our cruise!

I did 30 minutes each on the elliptical and bike, then some weights! I grabbed a quest bar on my way out the door!

We checked in and got on the ship around noon, settled into our room, then headed up to the Lido Deck where they had the lunch buffet! Cruises are notorious for the amount of food offered and consumed. There is food somewhere at all hours of the day, so you will never go hungry! The Lido Deck always had a buffet, and the formal dining rooms had formal dinners with courses and waiter service! We usually had the buffet for breakfast and lunch, and then enjoyed the formal dining rooms for dinner. Below is my first lunch on the cruise before we set sail! They always had healthy grilled fish, a salad bar, and some kind of vegetable sides to choose from! The first day, I got mahi-mahi, salad, and zucchini roasted in tomato sauce!

We spent the afternoon exploring the ship, and watched us leave the LA port around 5pm! I was still in shock at this point that I was going to be on that ship for two weeks!

Our dinner seating was always at 5:30pm, so we headed to the dining room shortly thereafter. The dining room had salmon, steak, and chicken offered every night, as well as some seasonal specialty items. Most of the options were a little too crazy for my taste (hey what can I say, I'm a simple eater!) so I usually had the chicken or fish dishes, with the occasional steak dish! The first night, I had a caesar salad with chicken in this AMAZING thyme au jus sauce. I fell in LOVE with this sauce! I am craving the chicken even as I type this; it was so yummy!

These dinners typically lasted about 60-90 minutes, so they were really nice and relaxing! I wish I could eat more like this in my regular life instead of having to rush through meals to get on with the day!

Hands down, mornings were my favorite part of my vacation. I am a big morning person, and the cruise did not change that one bit! My dad and I usually woke up early and were ready to start our day! The first stop on our cruise was in Ensenada, which is the view we enjoyed the first morning at 5am as we enjoyed our pre-workout meals! Most mornings, I had a banana with some peanut butter, or my macadamia nuts (once I got them from Hawaii!) with some kind of fruit from the buffet before working out. These meals definitely hit the spot and gave me the energy I needed to get through my workouts!

I always had some crazy morning hair as well, to entertain all of the other 5 people that were up with my Dad and I at 5am! :)

The gym on the cruise was SO nice. The view was spectacular, usually overlooking either the towns we were docked at, or the open ocean on the days we were at sea. I loved the machines too! You just clicked on the weight you wanted; I thought it was so cool!

My workouts were typically an hour of cardio split between the elliptical and bike, and some lifting and toning work! I really enjoyed working out at this gym while appreciating the view and meeting all the people we were cruising with!

I was also happy to have the weights section all to myself! SO unlike my gym at home, where I usually hide in the corner to get my toning done because I am so intimidated by the people in the weight room!

After our workouts, my dad and I went back to our room to get my mom, then headed up to the buffet for breakfast! I usually had some hard boiled eggs and fruit, and then discovered they also had gluten free toast! I had the toast for a day or two and then just went back to the eggs and fruit choices; they were much more filling, plus I felt strange having "fake" bread since I hadn't had a gluten-free substitute bread for so long! It had an odd, margarine-like aftertaste, so I was not a fan. It was like my body was naturally craving healthier, more wholesome choices instead...crazy huh? ;)

Our many days at sea were usually spent up on the Lido Deck relaxing and reading. My dad and I are avid readers, and my mom is a passionate knitter and loves to crochet. We each got to relax and enjoy our hobbies while being together, which was the best part of this vacation! We would typically stay up in the Lido Deck until lunch time rolled around, when we would head back to the buffet for more yummy food! My typical lunch consisted of salads and some kind of grilled fish or protein source! The salad bar had so much variety, so every day was different! Some days, I added black beans, pumpkin seeds and almonds to change things up. They also occasionally  had my favorite mozzarella cheese balls as a salad topping, so I enjoyed those as well!

While we were at sea, most afternoons were spent doing what we love to do best, relaxing, reading, and knitting. We really enjoyed ourselves! I read 6 books during the two-week vacation! If we got hungry in the afternoon, there was always a snack available! Sometimes I grabbed a piece of fruit, or had some dried fruit and seeds!

Since our cruise was a "Christmas Cruise," going from December 20-January 4th, we had a few formal nights coinciding with Christmas! For formal night, we all had to dress up for dinner. We had three formal nights throughout the whole trip. Our Christmas formal night was my favorite! I love Christmas decorations and they had them all over the ship for the entire two weeks! I took so many pictures with the decorations, but here are some of my favorites!

Our seating time for dinner was at 5:30pm, which worried us at first because we thought it was too early. But, as I said earlier, these dinners lasted a while, so we ended up being really happy we chose the 5:30pm time! Below are some of my typical dinner choices. I usually started with a salad of some kind, and then my main course was a chicken, fish, or meat dish with veggies. My favorites were the chicken (mentioned earlier) and the tri-tip with chimichurri sauce (below).

Grilled tilapia with veggies!

The head waiter was informed a few days into the trip that I was on a gluten-free diet. Even though, as many of my readers know, I have been off and on with following a strict gluten free diet, I have been trying to be better about it. My stomach issues (and basically everything from my focus to head aches to sleep) is just BETTER when I am off gluten. I was so grateful that the waiter was helpful and guided me while making gluten-free choices! He knew all the ingredients in each food item, so it was easy to make choices that I knew wouldn't hurt me the next day. However, he always made sure I had a gluten-free dessert to enjoy every night! Some days, I just stuck the dessert on my dad (I am not a fan of puddings or mousses), but other days, I followed my 3-bite rule*, and sometimes even 1-bite rule, and enjoyed these desserts!

*See post on how to have a healthy vacation!

Almond chocolate toffee cake...yum!

We were so spoiled with the sunsets we were blessed to enjoy during our trip. God is an awesome artist, and I have never felt His presence more than I did on this trip! The colors of the sky were reflecting off the ocean, and the clouds would come alive and seem to have a mind of their own while the sun was setting. They were beautiful moments to watch!

Our days at sea were pretty much the way I described them above...wake up, eat, workout, eat, read, read, read, and EAT! But our days on the islands were so jam packed and busy! We had a long 4-day stretch at sea to get to Hawaii, but once we hit the islands, we were at a new island every day for four days! Our days were busy with excursions and tours, which were exhausting, but we enjoyed every minute!

Our first stop was Hilo, which is a city on the big island of Hawaii. We did a tour that took as to the Akaka falls, a rainforest zoo, and the Mauna Loa macadamia nut farm!!! The Akaka falls was a breathtaking water fall. We had to take about 200 steps to get up to it, but once we did, the view was incredible!

Hilo had so many of these trees! They are called Banyan trees and they were so beautiful!

We went to the Pana Ewa Zoo, where it proceeded to pour rain on us! I guess you have to deal with the unexpected tropical showers when you visit Hawaii! We tried to find shelter to hide under while it was raining, and enjoyed the colorful animals (and bamboo!) in between the showers. I had packed a Larabar with me because I wasn't sure if lunch was included in the tour (it wasn't), so I definitely whipped that bar out at the zoo! I was hungry!

Our last stop after the rainforest zoo was the Mauna Loa macadamia nut farm! We went a little crazy here, and bought a TON of chocolate nuts, as well as a variety pack of other flavors. I am pretty sure that macadamia nuts are my new favorite nut. They are so healthy! People are often scared to eat them because they are a tad higher in fat than other nuts, but they are predominantly monounsaturated fats, which is much better for us than polyunsaturated fats, which is abundant in most other nuts! The tour guide actually called me out when he found out I was a dietitian (thanks Mom) and asked me to explain to our group why they are a healthy nut! Of course, I was happy to share with the group! :)

(Side note: polyunsaturated fats are still okay fats, but too much can cause inflammation in the body! But another story for another time...)

That was the end of our Hilo adventure! The next day, we stopped at Honolulu, where we took a trip to the Pearl Harbor memorial. It was such a beautiful day, and such a touching memorial to visit.

It was also incredibly windy, and my hair was going crazy!

We stopped in Honolulu on the 27th, which is also my parents' anniversary! I decided to put a little flower in my hair for their special dinner! Yes, I went with them...I'm an only child, remember? :)

Our third island stop was Kauai. Kauai. Is. Beautiful. I have no words to describe it! The ocean was the bluest blue I had ever seen! We took a tour of a private garden that is grown and kept in Kauai, and it was like a whole other world.

The garden had so many fruit trees! I got to eat a pomelo straight off the tree! :)

There were also beautiful fountains and bamboo trees.

The trees below were HUGE. They are Morton Bay Fig trees, and their roots grow on their outside! They were incredible and towered over us to a point that we couldn't even see the tops of the trees! We felt so tiny standing next to them!

Our fourth and final island stop was Maui. We decided to take it easy on the last day and finally enjoy the beach! We went a beach on the Kaanapali shores.

Being at the beach was so relaxing!

Kauai and Maui were my two favorite islands. They were so beautiful, green, and tropical. I was sad that Maui was our last stop and wished we had more time to explore! But our Hawaiian stops were over, and for the next 5 days we were at sea again heading back to LA. We celebrated New Year's Eve while we were in the middle of the ocean, which was fun! They gave us all hats and headbands to wear at dinner.

Our last days at sea were spent just like our first days at sea. We worked out, read, ate, and relaxed. I absolutely loved being able to wind down and bask in this time with my parents. I enjoyed good, healthy, wholesome foods, worked out every day except one, and had a FUN and healthy vacation! I was also blessed to be able to relish the beauty of God's creation, both at sea and on the islands. Being in nature and in areas that are less urban compared to Los Angeles really opened up my eyes to how amazing God's untouched creation really is. His presence, love, and awesomeness was colored in every sunrise, sunset, hillside, beach cliff, and beautiful exotic tree we saw. This vacation definitely rekindled my love for the outdoors and nature, and I came back to California feeling refreshed and rested. As a result, I feel much more inclined to spend time in nature and find my own little beautiful spots right here at home! Of course, I also hope to visit Hawaii again someday and experience it all over again!

I'm sorry for the novel post! But I hope I was able to give you all a taste of our Hawaiian vacation! It was a wonderful trip and I am so blessed that I was able to enjoy it with my parents! And a late Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

Workout Revelations and an Easy Lunch Idea!

Happy Thursday everyone! I can't believe it is almost the weekend, and almost mid-December! This month is flying by. I leave for a 2-week Hawaiian cruise with my parents in exactly 8 days and am getting more and more excited as the days go by! I'm planning on writing next week about how to have a healthy vacation (yes, even a healthy cruise!) and what my plans are during the vacation! I have been successful on 2 cruises in the past and actually came home having lost weight! So believe me, it IS possible! Today started out like any typical day. I had hoped to sleep in but woke up at exactly 5:55am and could not get back to sleep. But I did some early morning quiet time with Jesus, which I love, so it was worth it! I got ready for the gym and had my 2 carrot cake squares (check previous posts for the recipe!) while Pinteresting. Check out the cute pin I found a couple days ago! I want all of those disney workout shirts!!!!

After having my pre workout meal, I headed to the gym for a double Elliptical and Bike workout, with some toning exercises. I have been having a workout revelation lately. As many of you know, I am a runner, but about 2 months ago my hip and knee starting giving me problems. The hip pain has resolved, as it was most probably an overuse injury. But pain in both my knees continued until I finally saw an orthopedic surgeon at the end of last month who believes I have many different "runners knee" type symptoms, as well as cartilage breakdown and possible meniscus tears in both knees. She told me to hold off on running for a couple months, and I am planning on starting physical therapy at the beginning of January! In the meantime, the list of approved exercises she gave me was very short: elliptical, stationary bike, toning workouts for my quads, hamstrings, and calves, with no squats or lunges (or bending in general) allowed! These limitations have caused me to become extra creative in and outside of the gym! I used to believe running was the best form of cardio, not to mention I absolutely loved running in general. But, I realized this week that, even though it has taken a while, I am actually enjoying my current workout regimen! I usually split up my cardio time between the elliptical and bike, and then either do some machines for toning at the gym, or come home and do a "body blasting workout" (BBW) of my own creation. My BBW is similar to my arm blasting workout (check a few posts back) but I have incorporated some leg movements to work my lower body in the most low-impact way possible. I'll try to post more about what this workout entails, but for now let's just say that I have definitely been feeling the burn! Between deadlifts, leg lifts/raises, and donkey kicks on the ground, not a day has gone by without my lower body being just as sore as my upper body! I've been absolutely loving all the toning work I've been doing. I've also realized that my time on the elliptical has been serving as a warm up for my new-found cardio love...the BIKE! I sweat like no other on that machine and always play around with the resistance to challenge my body. Wearing my heart rate monitor has also shown me that my heart rate on the bike is just the same, or sometimes even higher, than my heart rate would be when I would run. This shows that I am still getting a great cardio workout without any impact on my joints. Anyways! Long story short, or maybe it was still long :)...I am thoroughly enjoying my workout routine, even though I am anxious to get to the physical therapist in January and hopefully get back into running soon, while still incorporating the exercises I have been currently doing.

After my workout, I headed to Trader Joe's to get a few things. I was already hungry before my workout (should have had that 3rd carrot cake square!) but didn't want to get too full before working out. I picked up a few essentials for us at the store, then headed home to make my egg white, chicken sausage, kale, and pepper scramble. I had zero patience while cooking my breakfast and had a banana while I waited! :)

After breakfast, I did a few things around the house (laundry, cleaning, etc.) and headed to the mall to get some quest bars! I'm in love with the new double chocolate chunk flavor and want to stock up before our cruise! I know the cruise has food available at all times, but I just love these bars so much I have to take a few with me!

Around 12:30 I started getting hungry for lunch. I wanted to whip up something quick, easy, healthy and delicious. I had some leftover rotisserie chicken in the fridge and wanted to put it to good use! I love how versatile rotisserie chicken can be! I sautéed some broccoli in olive oil while I chopped up a sweet potato to pop in the microwave. I usually bake my sweet potatoes, but I was in a hurry so I used the microwave! I shredded some of the chicken breast off the rotisserie, and added that as well as the microwaved sweet potato into the skillet with the already sizzling broccoli! To season, I just used some garlic powder and salt-free cajun seasoning. You could also add buffalo hot sauce, sriacha, or even BBQ sauce to this bowl, but I just wanted to keep it simple and tasty! The combination of these foods tasted delicious and I was very full and satisfied afterwards!

And now I am off to the mall again to meet up with one of my best friends! I just love the mall during Christmas...and might pick up a few more quest bars...haha :)

I hope you all are having a great Thursday so far!

Arm Blasting Workout and Dining Out Tips!

I am finally going to share with you what I have been calling my "random" or "arm" workouts! I am seeing the doctor soon and canNOT wait to figure out what is causing all of this pain in my knees and hips! In the meantime, I have been trying to keep myself busy and active in the most pain-free way that I can. I also thought I'd share my meals on a day where I did not have the chance to cook all my foods and dined out instead! There are ways to eat healthy and still enjoy your meals while dining out! Read on to find out how! :) This morning, I woke up and started my day with Jesus! Everyone spends time with Jesus in a different way, but I feel that I am at my best in the mornings and want to begin the day with God before I do anything else. I spent some time reading and reflecting on 2 Corinthians 3-4 and wrote down some verses that stood out to me. I especially loved verses 17-18 in chapter 3 where Paul writes that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM! Which means we can be free from anything that is weighing us down once we accept Jesus and have his Holy Spirit living in us. Because wherever His Spirit is, there is freedom; freedom from habits, worry, guilt, shame, (ahem, text anxiety) or any other feelings or situations that have a hold on us. I just love the freedom that God always promises His children, and the peace that inevitably comes with that freedom!

After my quiet time, I made some breakfast, which consisted of my usual scramble with kale, peppers, and a side of avocado. Yum!

I studied for a little while after breakfast and then decided to do my short workout that I have been doing lately since I have been out of commission. This workout got my heart pumping and my arms burning! I finally jotted the exercises down today (picture below). I do each exercise for 1 minute and the whole list for 2 rounds, for a total of 20 minutes. The faster you do the moves, the more calories you burn. In just about 6-7 songs, this workout is accomplished!

After I was done, I was drenched and out of breath! And produced a nice little calorie burn!

After studying some more, I decided to take a break and get out of the house to walk around my local mall. I knew I wouldn't be having lunch until later, as I was meeting my cousin around 1:30. I decided to pack a small snack with me to eat at the mall. Even though I know the mall has food and I could have gotten a snack from there, I definitely didn't want to give in to the smells of sugary pretzels, salty popcorn, or sweet cinnamon rolls! I know my body pretty well, and knew I would get hungry at the mall. I always make sure I have a small snack with me at all times so I can have something to fall back on while I am out and there are limited healthy options! SO! I packed one of my gingerbread cake squares (recipe posted!) and some grapes.

This was the PERFECT snack while I was walking around and enjoying all the Christmas decorations!

After spending some time at the mall, I drove back home and studied some more (surprise, surprise). When it came time for lunch, I decided to walk down to the restaurant where I was meeting my cousin. I bundled up (yay for fall weather, FINALLY!) and took the short 10 minute stroll down to the restaurant.

The restaurant we went to had a wide variety of foods ranging from salads, sandwiches, wraps, pastas, and grilled BBQ options. For lunch, I had a salad with a ton of yummy veggies and some tri-tip! I asked for the dressing of the salad on the side to regulate how much dressing I was using. This place usually brings their salads swimming in dressing, and I definitely didn't want that. The tri-tip portion was HUGE, so I could only stomach a few slices! This was a great meal that left me feeling comfortable and full. They brought out two breadsticks with my meal as well, but I didn't even feel like eating them. Protein with veggies is such a satiating and satisfying combination, which is why I usually stick to these options while eating out.

For dinner, my parents and I decided on Cheesecake Factory. I usually get the same old chicken lettuce wraps, salmon, or salads every time I go to Cheesecake, but this time I wanted something different. This is also a very important factor when going out. Try new things! This way you will have a variety of healthy options instead of feeling stuck with only one healthy dish per restaurant, which can get mundane. It is always possible to tweak meals and ask for special orders while going out! Your health is important, so don't be too shy to ask (politely of course)! :) My friend gave me the suggestion to try the turkey burger, so I got it lettuce wrapped with a side salad! It was DELICIOUS!

Overall, this was a great day for healthy choices. I was able to get a short workout in even with my injuries. And I did not let eating out stop me from making healthy choices! To summarize my tips below:

*I have a healthy snack on hand while I am out, just in case hunger strikes...

*I have mostly protein and vegetables when dining out...

*I ask for sauces and dressings on the side, and...

*I am always up for experimenting and trying new things!

Boredom with food is such a sad place to be, especially if you are a foodie like me! That is why variety and FUN are so important when it comes to making healthy choices.

I hope you all have a wonderful night and get a chance to try the arm blasting workout!

Arm, arms, arms...and Cheesy Black Bean and Avocado Salad!

Happy Monday everyone! I can't believe there are less than 2 weeks until December! This is my favorite time of year and I am definitely already listening to Christmas music and enjoying seeing all the decorations! :) This morning started out pretty typical. I woke up, spent some time with the Lord, and decided on what I wanted to do for my workout. "Workout" is a general term, since I have basically had to stopped all activity including my legs :( My hip and knee injury has progressed to a point where walking causes strain, pain, and even numbness. I am hoping to see an orthopedic in a few weeks and figure this out once and for all!

I had a hard-boiled egg while I searched YouTube for some arm routines...

...and lo and behold my favorite trainers popped up as the first hit! I had never seen this TIU workout before, and I was so relieved that it didn't involve my legs. I did this workout (about 8 minutes long), followed by some boxing punches with my 3 lb weights, making my workout a total of 13 minutes long. Even though it is not my usual 6 mile run, I am grateful for the fact that I can still MOVE and do some sort of workout. But I honestly cannot WAIT to incorporate my runs back into the toning routines I have been doing!

I made myself a kale, sausage, and egg white scramble around 10:30 as a mid-morning snack. Yes, the scramble was my snack :) I always try to make my snacks protein and veggie packed in order to get as much nutrition as possible!

This scramble definitely kept me full until almost 2pm, which is when I whipped up this delicious Cheesy Black Bean and Avocado salad! I knew I didn't want to go shopping or eat out; I've been very committed to using up whatever is in the house lately. This is probably because I am still studying for my RD exam and have yet to find a job, but it is also very smart and leads to less food waste and usually much healthier choices! Anyway, I'm so happy I stayed in for lunch, because this salad tasted great!

The base of this salad was romaine, kale, tomatoes, yellow pepper, and carrots:

I used the Cuban Black Beans from Trader Joe's because they have a spicy kick to them! I melted a little pinch of light mozzarella cheese (also from TJ's) in the microwave until it became a cheesy and creamy consistency!

While the beans and cheese were melting away, I mixed half of an avocado with some pico de gallo to make an avocado-y type of salsa! I left it pretty chunky because I love my salsa chunky, but you could definitely mash it until it reaches whatever consistency you enjoy!

I added the avocado salsa to one side of my salad, and the cheesy beans to the other! And here is the finished product!

This salad was so refreshing and filling! I absolutely LOVED the flavor of the beans with the cheese, and the avocado addition was perfection. I hope you all get to enjoy this salad soon!

After lunch, I continued studying (of course). I just took a break now to ice my knees and hips while blogging! I am so excited to be making tabbouleh with my mama tonight for dinner, which one of our favorite recipes! I have that recipe posted if anyone is interested!

I hope you all have had a great beginning of your week!

Just keep walking, just keep walking...

Happy Tuesday everyone! I have been such a bad blogger lately, but I am determined to get back at it! One reason being I miss writing and it is such a stress relief for me during this crazy time of studying! And also because I want to try some new recipes soon and get back in the kitchen! It's been hard to cook lately since my schedule has been taken over by studying for my RD exam. But I'm hoping to get back to the cooking and baking soon!

Update on my hip/knee situation: Basically, all I have been doing for the past week is walking, walking, walking. My new shoes have been working out really well for me!

I still have some aches and pains, so I am continuing my walk/stretch/ice regimen for a couple more weeks. I'm hoping to maybe be able to start running by December...Christmas present to myself?? Here's to hoping!

My days have been pretty routine lately. Basically, I have been waking up in the mornings, having my quiet time, then heading to the gym. This song has been in my head for days and days, and I have had it on repeat all morning! I highly recommend it :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VRUU8UBXCk

Yesterday morning, I woke up and made some banana peanut butter waffles. My dad had the day off, so I decided to make us some breakfast before heading to the gym!

I walked for 30 minutes, then did the TIU shoulder routine (I've posted this before, it's great! Just look back a few posts for the video!)

I came back home, showered, and hit the books with studying for my RD (registered dietitian) exam. There is so much information I need to know, and I am feeling pretty overwhelmed! But I am studying the best I can and praying for focus! Around 11am (I know, early, right?) I made a quick lunch for my dad and I. I seasoned some canned in water tuna with some olive oil, lemon juice, red pepper, and garlic powder. It tasted great in our flat out bread! We also had a side of carrots with eggplant hummus (my favorite kind from Trader Joe's!)

After lunch, my dad and I headed to Peet's to have some tea and study/read. It was so nice having my dad to hang out with yesterday. I am usually home alone during the days studying and just keeping myself busy. It was such a blessing to have some company! I got the Masala Chai tea and munched on an apple later on in the afternoon. I knew I'd get hungry before dinner since we had lunch so early, so I planned ahead and brought a juicy and delicious apple!

  

I also had a small handful of nuts when we got home from the coffee shop. I was still feeling hungry and knew I wouldn't make it until dinner. 

  

I was contemplating just staying home for dinner so I could continue my studying, but my parents convinced me to get out and spend some time with my family, which I'm so glad I did! Life is all about balance, and I knew that I would just burn out if I continued studying through the night instead of getting out. We went out to one of my favorite restaurants, Pita Jungle! This place uses such fresh and healthy ingredients, and I can always count on their food tasting delicious. I got the broiled chicken pita wrap!

 

After dinner, I studied some more but could not keep my eyes open after 9pm! I know, grandma status. I finally decided to sleep around 9:30. I tend to listen to my body when it comes to sleep and not fight it, because if I do, I've found that I miss my window of opportunity for good sleep and end up staying up all night and being very restless!

So that was my day yesterday! I am hoping to do some baking and cooking soon and get back on here to share some recipes with you guys! I hope you all have a fabulous day! :)

Rest Day: Daily Manna 10/17

Soooo this Daily Manna is being written a day late, but that's okay! It's also probably not a very exciting one, because yesterday was a rest day. I am not a fan of rest days! I know I may be a rare breed but I literally wake up in the mornings excited for my run and my workout! But, I knew I had to take a rest day yesterday because of my hip/knee (and possibly today too...icing my injuries at the moment). My pain has progressively gotten worse over the past week, to the point where my entire right leg feels like dead weight. I regretfully decided to take a rest day yesterday, so this is what my day looked like! I woke up early per usual, since my internal clock believes the day will go to waste if I wake up after 6:30am. However, I've always been okay with this because it makes me feel very productive. I am a morning person through and through. After my quiet time, I decided to channel my usual morning energy from my workout to some study energy! I took my mom to work and was at a coffee shop by 7:30am with my RD study book studying away.

As you can tell, I was very sad to be taking a rest day, but decided that my Mickey and Minnie shirt would obviously make me feel better! :) I also thoroughly enjoyed my new and improved pumpkin bread recipe! I am trying to decrease the amount of protein powder I am using and increase the almond flour to help with how fluffy the baked good is coming out, and boy was I successful! I'm going to do the same thing with my brownies today and see if it will make them equally as moist and fluffy! And I can hopefully post these new and improved recipes soon!

ANYWAYS! I got to coffee bean and studied straight for about 2 hours...

I then decided to take a break for my apple and 100 calorie pack of almonds!

I read some of my book during my break as well ("Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis) and then continued to study until about 11am. My brain was definitely feeling tired at this point. I went to Chipotle to grab lunch for my friend, my mom, and myself! I then headed to my mom's work to have lunch with them!

Lunch was kind of disappointing. I haven't had the meat at chipotle for a few weeks every since I tried the barbacoa (which usually tastes great) and had an awful experience with it. But I also don't like just getting beans and rice because, even though it tastes great, it doesn't fill me up as much as the protein. I decided to be brave and try the bowl with 1/2 barbacoa and 1/2 chicken...which was a bad idea since I got sick again...ohhhhh Chipotle. SO good but so bad...I guess I will have to stick to my beans and rice and make sure I have substantial protein and go easy on the grains during the day!

I ended up staying at my mom's work and studying there for a while longer until my brain just could not take it anymore! I had my snackie snack while reading some of my Bible. I love having some Bible time mid-day. My quiet times in the morning are so special to me, but sometimes I need that little reminder during the day of God's promises and how much He loves and cares for me! :)

We had an early dinner last night and I forgot to take a picture of it even though we went to one of my favorite pizza places! Yes, I said pizza! I love this place and the gluten in the crust is definitely worth it to me! They make their pizza so fluffy and fresh and delicious. We usually start out with a yummy and light salad, followed by our pizza! My mom and I shared a "personal" sized veggie pizza, which is actually enough for about 3 people! I had two slices and definitely savored every bite of each slice! I've realized that, if I space out my gluten enough, it doesn't bother my tummy as much. But if I have too much of it in one day, or all day for a few days in a row, that's when the problems occur. I am happy to report that last night's dinner did not bother me and I enjoyed every single bite! I promise to take pictures next time, because the pictures definitely portray how yummy this pizza really is!!!

Currently, I am icing my hip and knee, which is really helping with the inflammation and pain. I was planning to take a rest day today as well, but I am contemplating going to the gym to do an easy elliptical workout and some weights. I guess I will see as the day progresses!

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and weekend! :)

A Day at Disneyland! Daily Manna: 10/11

Disneyland!!!!!! That is basically how I sound/act every time I go to the happiest place on earth. I love everything about this place from the music, characters, rides, princesses, and just the Disney feel of being there! I was blessed to be able to go yesterday with a bunch of my cousins, and I couldn't have asked for a better time!!! Thank God my hip was doing better or walking would have been a nightmare. I think walking actually helped open up my hip a little more by constantly moving it throughout the day.

I wanted to write this Daily Manna post last night, but was so exhausted by the time we got back from Disneyland that I decided to save it for today! I was very pleased with the day, including my food choices (maybe minus lunch, which I'll get to!) But overall, I felt that I was able to enjoy what I wanted throughout the day while making health conscious choices and not depriving myself! Here is my Daily Manna Disney edition!

As you may have read a few days ago, my hip and knee have been giving me some trouble. After icing and elevating my leg multiple times on Thursday, I woke up Friday feeling really good and wanting to get a short run in before heading to Disneyland. I had a couple squares of my pumpkin bread (same recipe as the posted muffins!) and headed out the door. We were meeting there pretty early, but I was able to fit in a 3 mile run and some push ups before picking up my cousin!

Most people think I am kind of crazy for working out on a day when I will be walking all day! But, running has become more for me than just a workout. It has become a stress reliever, a time with just me and The Lord, and a time to clear my head before the day begins. That's why I love to start every day with a run or some kind of movement to get my body and brain moving in the right direction!

After my run, I didn't have time to make a nice big breakfast, so I just grabbed a quest bar and carrot sticks and had them once we reached the park around 10/10:30!

These snacks held me over well, but I was starving by the time lunch time came! We usually eat at the Pizza Port for lunch, so I had already decided to get the pizza salad that I love from there (and NOT the pizza, which is pretty good too). However, (surprise surprise) the line was CRAZY long, so we decided to go to one of the many burger joints Disneyland has to offer. My cousin and I saw a grilled chicken sandwich with avocado salsa on the menu that looked good. We love avocado so we decided to get the sandwich lettuce wrapped! However, when the meal came, there was no avocado anything...just a piece of chicken with lettuce :(

I would have taken a better picture but seriously, the picture basically says it all. We were both so sad but didn't feel like getting back in the long line. Luckily, my other cousin was feeding her toddler an avocado (yay!) so we were able to eat some of that, which helped add some healthy fats and fullness to our meal!

After a few rides, one of which being the Little Mermaid ride (one of my favorites!), we decided it was ice cream time.

I love the ice cream at Disneyland! I don't think it's a special one-of-a-kind brand, but for some reason, it just tastes better there. Last time we came to Disneyland for my birthday, we got brownie sundaes from Ghirardelli's in California Adventure. That sundae was amazing, but I definitely didn't wanna go all out again! This time, I got a scoop of cookie dough ice cream and that satisfied me perfectly!

After ice cream, we went on the Haunted Mansion ride, which is presently decorated as "The Nightmare Before Christmas." I loved all the decorations on this ride and the fusion of Fall and Christmas! I love coming to Disneyland around this time of year; it is definitely my favorite! :)

Around 6pm, only my cousin and I were left (we had originally come with about 10 of us!) and we were already hungry for dinner. I decided to get tacos at one of the Mexican places in California Adventure. I got beef tacos in flour tortillas (should have gotten corn but I had already ordered before I realized they had a gluten-free option!) with some rice on the side. I was starving by the time we ate but focused more on the tacos and less on the rice. I was definitely satisfied after this meal! Much better choice compared to lunch, but I definitely need to go the corn tortilla or tortilla-less route next time since my tummy is feeling it today...but it was well worth it because it tasted amazing!

By the time we finished dinner, California Adventure was packed! We wanted to do a few more rides but didn't want to wait the 45-60 minutes each ride demanded. We decided to head home around 7, which ended up being a good choice because we were so exhausted! Overall, I had an amazing time at Disneyland with my family and was glad to be able to have a healthy but balanced day as well!! Now for a relaxing Saturday! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!