Cocoa-Coconut Chili + Chili Cook-Off

Last night was my first time participating in a Chili Cook-off!  I had no idea what type of Chili to bring but knew I wanted to incorporate a unique ingredient.... Coconut!

After some blog reading and recipe searches I found the perfect inspiration on Goodness and Goodies.

Cocoa- Coconut White Bean Chili!

Cocoa-Coconut Chili

Cocoa-Coconut White Bean Chili (with a few of my modifications, adapted from Goodness and Goodies)
My modifications included: MORE Cocoa and MORE Chili powder.

1-1.5 tbsp coconut oil
2 cups sweet onion, diced
1 1/2 cups celery, diced
3/4 cup red or yellow bell peppers, diced
4-6 medium cloves garlic
2 tbsp mild chili powder
2 TB sea salt
1-2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
5 TB Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 cans (28 oz) diced tomatoes (drained)
1 can (14 oz) small white beans (drained)
1 can (14 oz) pinto beans (drained)
1 can (14 oz) kidney beans (drained)
1 can (14 oz) light coconut milk
1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup frozen corn kernels
4-5 TB organic cane sugar

In a large pot on medium heat, add oil, onion, celery, peppers, garlic, salt & pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, and allspice, stir to combine. Cover and cook for 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally; reduce heat if onions start to burn. When onions start to soften, add cocoa and stir for 1-2 minutes, then add tomatoes, beans, coconut milk, and stir to combine. Increase heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn kernels and cane sugar, and cook another 5 minutes to heat through. Remove cover and let liquid reduce if desired. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper, and/or chili powder.  Pour Coconut Flakes on top.

Me and my coconut goodness!

I seriously wanted to drink it with all the creamy cocoa and coconut milk!

AND..... It was Bryan-approved! :-)

In fact Bryan asked me to make a whole pot for just us sometime.  Wow! 

The winners will be announced next week.  Fingers crossed, I'll let you know how it goes!

Today's Workout:

5 mile run at 8min mile pace (yes, this is my morning trend these days haha)

I love getting my workout in first thing in the morning because I have the rest of the day to reap the benefits!  I also like having my evenings to spend with Bryan and friends without feeling guilty for missing out on exercise.  

Questions:

Have you had any unique dishes lately? 

Do you prefer morning or evening workouts?

Are you a coconut fan?

First Monthly Dinner Club

Last night my friends and I kicked off our first ever Dinner Club!  It was an evening of delicious eats, great conversation, and fun!

My friend Jen generously offered to host the first Dinner Club Dinner Party.  The menu featured:

Melon Salad

Spicy Tangy Chicken Sliders

Cream Cheese Chocolate Cakewiches

Honey-Infused Iced Green Tea

I loved everybit!  And her presentation was amazing- complete with recipe cards and nutrition facts ;-) This girl went all out!

 Starter: Melon Prosciutto Salad

 Recipe Card created by Jenn

 Main Course: Spicy BBQ Chicken Sliders

 Absolutely Delicious!

 Dessert Prep.

We all hung out and talked in the kitchen while dessert was being prepared.  I love the smell of baking!  :-)

The chocolate cakewiches were prepared by putting the batter in a ziplock bag and squeezing into cookie wafer shapes

Then they went in the oven for 8minutes

We all sat in the living room to enjoy them and catch-up with each other.  I have known these girls since college and feel so blessed to have them in my life!

Our first monthly dinner party was a smashing success!  Can't wait til the Sept one (which I will be hosting)!

Workout:

5 mile run on the bridge-to-bridge loop.... (no yachts to hold me up at the bridges this time!)

Question:

Have you ever been part of a dinner club?

This is my first one and I am so excited to learn about and try new recipes!  Plus its a great excuse to catch up with friends :-)

If you are part of one, what's something you made?

I am considering a Latin/Carribean themed dinner party for when its my turn to host?



Double-Cheesecake Factory Weekend Fun!

This weekend was the perfect relaxation I needed!  I started off Friday night by going to a church event with Bryan.  They served root beer floats afterwards in the lobby so I kept dinner on the light side (a salad and Fiber One bar). 

Then Saturday was my friend Heather's 27th birthday celebration!  After a day at the pool with Bryan, I took a long hot bubble bath and got ready to meet the girls at Cheesecake factory to celebrate!  I was so excited to finally wear my teal dress I wore to a wedding earlier in the year. 

Girls Night = perfect excuse to dress up! 

Then on Sunday, Bryan and I met up with some friends for church and lunch.  Guess where we went? 

Cheesecake Factory (AGAIN!!!!) I guess I am addicted this weekend ;-) I ordered off their new Skinnylicious menu which I highly recommend!

Later, Bryan I and I spent some time relaxing in the sun here...

The pool at my condo.  I love how relaxing it is with a view of the waterway behind us.  We got in some great reading time (a weekend must for me!)  

the pool, ahhh!

Weekend Workout:

1 hour Spin Class and 10 minutes stair climber.

Questions:

I am curious, what is your favorite cereal bar? 

I like Fiber One right now, but always am curious to try new ones.

Cheesecake Factory fan?   Yes/No?

For sure!!!!

Do you always eat dessert? 

I eat it about 5 nights a week.  (usually healthy desserts involving dried fruit and yogurt + chocolate chips).  Saturday is ALWAYS an indulge day though ;-)

What are your typical Monday night plans?

I like to make Monday nights fun to start the week off right!  I am going to a friend's house for dinner with the girls tonight.  ...and watching the bachelor pad of-course ;-)

Chasing Daylight + Racing Yachts

First off, I would like to open with a picture that completely steals my heart!

Source

This picture is precious!  Do you remember being a little girl and being so fascinated by simple little things in life? 

I am reading this book called Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus.  He talks about living a passionate life and embracing each moment.

This is soooo helpful to me in my daily exercise!  It takes so much motivation to go everyday but my day really feels so much more accomplished when I have gone!   

------

Today's Workout:

5 miles along the waterway.

As I was running my bridge-to-bridge loop, a yacht was cruising alongside me. I knew I might be held up at the bridge because of it -I know- a whole 5 minutes!

So I seized the moment ;-) and raced the yacht to make it over the bridge just in time.  As I had just stepped off the bridge lift, the traffic lights started to flash and the drawbridge started to lift. Whew! 

After all that running I needed some serious energy for the workday.....  which is great because:
I got a pleasant surprise in my mailbox yesterday!

Free Starbucks?  Don't mind if I do.  I will definitely be enjoying each moment today. 

Have a great Friday!  Any weekend plans?

I am planning on Spin Class, a birthday event, etc.  Love weekends!

Giveaway

Check out HungryRunnerGirl's awesome giveaway HERE!  A Race Day Memory book that looks pretty cool!

Have a great night everyone!:-)

Independence

"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."
-Jesse Owens

That is what I love about running. It is so independent. When I first started running back in high school, my friend Sarah and I would run up to 6-9miles each workout. We loved just settling into a pace, talking, and reaping the benefits.

It always takes a little discipline to get going, to tie those shoe laces, to get changed into running gear, and to take that first step. The end feeling always lifts my spirits.

I used to get discouraged each time I went out there and had a bad run, slow time, sore muscles, etc. But now I try to run with gratitude. When I get back and think- "that run was okay, I could have done better" I redirect those thoughts to reflect "I got to exercise today!!! :-)"

I talked to my mom the other day and she mentioned how hard it is recovering from surgery and not being able to exercise. But despite that she is still focusing on the positive things- spending time with family, letting her body restore so she can be healthier when she is able to work out again.

Life comes down to a choice. Am I going to focus on what I can't do?... or am I going to focus on what I CAN do :-)

I read an article in SELF magazine today about Jennifer Hudson's incredible weightloss story. When asked "How did you get yourself going?"

She replied "Four days after my cesarean section, I began walking 30 minutes everyday. It was my therapy, my moment to myself, and it was all I could do. I figured, me walking is better than me sitting on the couch. Even if I can't climb a mountain or do 100,000 push-ups, these steps matter, and they're leading somewhere."

Every step leads somewhere!

The opening quote by Jesse Owens can really be applied to all aspects of life. Starting something and enjoying the process no matter how hard it may be at times.

I love the picture at the opening of this post. It was taken in college after a cross country competition. I went to do a cool-down in the woods with one of my friends from the team. It hadn't been my fastest race, but I was able to realize that sometimes all you can do is your best.

I was able to bounce out of my sulken-ness and enjoy the rest of the night with the team- encouraging them on their good runs. I made a choice and didn't get discouraged the next training day.


Todays Workout:
Funny, today I am actually not even running! I am doing yoga tonight to let my body rest.

Question:
When did you start exercising? Did you grow up playing sports or just decide one day to try something on your own or with a friend?

I started as a swimmer, swim lessons from K-9th grade. Then one day I decided with my best friend that running would be fun. We went for it and loved it ever since!

Jennifer Hudson Picture Source

Goodbye Blonde! Hello Natural!

So this is a random blog today... and looking back over it, it feels superficial of me to write but oh well! Here it goes! I am calling it my "fall makeover" edition.

The other night was one of change. A little side note about myself- change has always been hard for me! I am slowly getting better with time, knowledge, wisdom, life experiences that have broadened my horizons, etc.

For example, when I was a little girl back in the 90s. I had gotten home from school one day and my mom had decided to rearrange the basement furniture. I took one look at it and cried. The change was too much for me I guess?!?! So crazy to think that I literally cried over furniture!!!!! :-)

Looking back, I realize how silly that was, but it is part of my personality. Luckily I have now gotten to the point where I love to change things up. "Live a little" as some would say.

So with all that said, I decided to go back to my natural hair color ;-)

Before:

After:

It feels so good to be natural again. Its the hair color I was meant to have and my hair soft and healthy again!

Once I saw it for the first time, I didn't like it. So naturally I called my mom to unload this petty life situation to her. (Its a girl thing).

After sending a few phone pics over she convinced me that it is WAY better darker! Gotta love moms!

So today.... I am confident and just happy to be who I was created to be!

Props to my hair stylist Nicole! :-)

Workout:
5 mile run this morning along the intracoastal waterway. I got to catch the sun rising over the water. It was breath-taking!

Exciting Update:

I am also EXTREMELY excited to announce that William was welcomed into the world yesterday! He is a very cute, healthy, perfect baby boy and I am soooo excited for his parents!

I now have baby fever and was thinking this morning how nice it would be to have a little baby company on my runs... hello running stroller!

Don't worry mom, engagement fever and wedding fever are still first ;-)

Have a great Wednesday!!!!

Birthday Cake + The Good Life

A bit of good news to start the day off. I talked to my mom on the phone today and she is feeling much better today! Her recovery from surgery has been a long process but she was in high spirits today so I was thankful!

This was the balloon we got her at the hospital. It came with a prescribed daily dosage of looking at it for 5 minutes a day to speed up recovery ;-)

The drive home was long. 3 hours long. But it is always worth every minute to spend a few days with my family! Its always hard leaving them! But.....

Coming back to enjoy this helped! ;-) It was my friend Zach's birthday and we decided to get a group together at Juno Beach for a few rounds of volleyball and the deliciousness pictured above!

The group was glad to be under the shade after a 2 hour straight session of back-to-back games. (I was on the winning team a few times!!!).

After a nice refreshing day at the beach, Bryan and I spent some time together back at my condo. I missed him so much and the distance (spending 5 days apart while I was with my family) brought us closer.

I am ready to pick out my wedding ring! haha- just kidding! I am, but I am also happy to enjoy the place we are at in our lives RIGHT now :-) Dating, having tons of the same friends, going through life together. He is my best friend and I get butterflies when I see him.

Life is good and I am right where I want to be.

Today's Workout:
I slept in. I was up pretty late at my friend Lisa's house watching the Bachelor Pad. (how am I sooo addicted to it!?!?!) I am planning a nice 5miler tonight after work.

Other 'Good News':
The hurricane changed courses and is no longer heading towards Florida- THANK GOD!!!!
My friend Lisa (from last night) is having a baby boy today!!!!!!!

Question:
What is "good news" for you right now?

Home-cooked meal + Workouts

Last night I made a delicious hearty meal for my family. I have been in Orlando the last few days, helping my mom recover from her surgery and have had a lot of time to practice my cooking skills :-)

I love being home! I love spending time with my family around the dinner table. Talking with my parents throughout the day, baking in the kitchen I grew up in! I love it!

Chicken and Dumplings
(adapted from the More with Less Cookbook)

3Steps:
Prepare the veggies
Prepare the chicken
Prepare the dough

Step 1: Chop up 2 cups potatoes into cubes, 1 onion, 1/2 cup fresh parsely, and 3 stalks celery

Add all veggies to 10-12 cups water with 10 chicken boulin cubes. Cook 10 minutes.

Step 2: Boil thawed chicken breasts for 30-40 minutes
Remove and cut into cubes
Add chicken to veggies

Step 3: Prepare the dough by combining 2 cups flour, 1/2tsp salt, 1TB butter, 4TB fresh parsley, 1/2 to 3/4c water

Roll the dough into a ball and cover for 15 minutes

Roll into 1.5inch squares and drop into soup mixture. Cover and let cook 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!!!! Pair with fresh spinach salad (below) and whole grain bread and butter.

Spinach Plumb Salad

Spinach, plumbs, blueberries, and goat cheese. Drizzle with balsamic dressing.

------------------------------Exercise-----------------------------

Last night's and this morning's Workouts:

6 mile run at LA Fitness Friday night
60 min spin class Sat. morning

And of course after a long day of waiting on my mom (I feel so bad for her- she is still in tons of pain)..... my sister and her bf went to the store to grab some freshly baked vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. My mom deserved it! :-)

A day in the life of.....

Here is one of my work days in pictures:

watch sunrise from the balcony

go for a run


green tea

egg white scramble

hit the road


Starbucks break

re-energize mid-day

Hope you had a fantastic Friday! Weekend time!!!!!

Vollyball at the Beach

I love the beach, why do I not go more often!?! There is a perfect beach park up in Juno beach with grills, tons of vollyball courts, and showers.

Finally we had a great idea! ;-) A group of friends decided to get together for a few games of vollyball and a BBQ at this perfect spot. It was a perfect day to be outside.

Besides the usual BBQ food, we enjoyed fresh corn on the cob and "really grilled" grilled cheese sandwiches! I had never grilled a grilled cheese sandwich on a charcoil grill before but it was amazing!

And then....

A few guys decided to do yoga moves on the court in-between games. It was insane!


My friend Kris was dog sitting this sweet dog! Awww, my heart melted! I can't wait to get a dog one day.

I worked up a sweat playing a few games- so I am counting it as my workout. But while we were there we saw a girl rollarblading along the coast! I am SO bringing my rollarblades next time! Old-school workout time!

Question:

What is your favorite cross-training workout?

I love doing group games like vollyball or kickball. I never get my heart-rate up as much as running or spin class, but I usually on my off-day so its okay.