Iowa Girl Eats

You Gonna Eat Your Tots?

Mar 21st, 2010 by admin

What a great Sunday this has been.

My Mom and I had a very successful shopping trip and I am all stocked up with fun outfits for New Orleans. It’s supposed to be in the low 70s the whole time we are there – SO STOKED!

I came home starving so I snacked on some simple and complex carbs for lunch, aka a Fuji Apple and some Tator Tots!

I had planned on eating my apple with some almond butter, but Ben was putting a big pan of tots into the oven as I was cutting it up, so I Napoleon Dynamited some of them – muwahahaha!

They were just as good as you remembered them.

Ok ketchup, I guess I do need you in my life after all.

After eating, folding a million loads of laundry and getting the rest of our Sunday chores out of the way, I donned one of my new Old Navy finds (a $5 sweatshirt with the word “Joyful” going down the sleeve, how cute, right?!)

and Ben and I escaped into the sunshine. It is a spectacular Spring day out!

See? Even Ben’s excited!

We walked and talked.

Over bridges,

and on flooded trails!

We even realized both of our sweatshirts had things written on the sleeves! Hers: see above, His: Independent!

We walked a little over an hour and a little over 4 miles. It was perfect. Friday, I forgive you!

Then I got to work on dinner – BBQ Chicken Pizza!

I still had a whole wheat pizza crust left over from the pack I bought to make Rueben Pizzas last week, so I shredded up some rotisserie chicken and combined it with BBQ sauce.

Topped with some cheeeeese pleeeeeease,

and baked on the bottom rack (for an extra crispy crust) for 10 minutes!

Soooo flavorful! Rotisserie chicken is buttery, tender and delicious on its own and combined with zippy BBQ sauce, it was just incredible. The chicken sticking out of the cheese even got a little char crisp on it from the oven. Awesome!

omg I just realized I bought a package of Cinnamon Rolls at the store today that I need to pop into the oven! They’re a “half pack” of Pillsbury brand cinnamon rolls that only come with 5 rolls, which is nice when you’re only baking for two or three people. Then you don’t have a big pan of tempting, leftover cinnamon rolls sitting around! Hmmm tots, pizza and cinnamon rolls…good thing I got that walk in!

Take care!

~~~~~

Do you splurge more on the weekends?

Tags: apple, bbq chicken, spring break, tator tots, walk

Posted in Dinner, Work Out | 19 Comments »

Riveting Breakfast Conversations

Mar 21st, 2010 by admin

Hello!

Well, I totally bailed on dinner plans last night because we ended up staying at Ben’s parent’s house to watch UNI completely upset the top ranked team in the country, Kansas – BOOOOOYAH!!!!! Think of how many brackets this messed up… UNI = ballers. Love ‘em. So proud!

We ordered Taco Pizza from Godfather’s for dinner. Do you have a Godfather’s in your area? Completely TDF – it’s the pizza of my youth. I used to go there all the time growing up, playing on the pinball machines until our pizza was ready. Ahhh, memories. Plus their Taco Pizza cannot be beat. Totally cheesy with TONS of Taco Doritos on top. Yum! What’s your favorite specialty pizza? I also enjoy a good trip to the islands with Hawaiian pizza.

This morning Ben and I woke up bright and early (literally, I had to shake him out of his slumber!) to go meet my parent’s for breakfast at Gateway Market!

My parent’s have been on Spring Break this week (both work in the school system) and they wanted to end it on a high note with a nice breakfast out. We happily obliged!

The last time I went to Gateway for breakfast, I ordered the Irish Steel Cut Oatmeal and it was so good, I knew I had to get it again. Totally guilty of being a repeat dish offender!

Chewy, lumpy oats drizzled in sweet maple syrup and brown sugar. Heaven! While we ate, we all discussed the different types of oats there are and what makes them different from each other. Riveting conversation, I’m telling you.

Afterwards Ben and I hopped over to the grocery store to get the weekly necessities and learned that pizza rolls are now considered part of the young Thai coconut family. Interesting!

We also snagged some Starby’s, which I am now enjoying while typing to you fine people.

Believe it or not, my Mom and I are heading BACK out to face the shopping crowds. I’ve got an Old Navy/Gap/Banana 30% off oupon that needs usin’!

Last night’s dinner is on for tonight.

Have a wonderful Sunday afternoon!

Tags: gateway market, starbucks, steel cut oatmeal

Posted in Breakfast, Lunch | 20 Comments »

Ah, To Be Young!

Mar 20th, 2010 by admin

Goooood afternoon, friends!

I’ve been a busy bee today! I woke up early and hit the gym. I’ve had gym anxiety ever since I started running outside a couple weeks ago – not wanting to go back and have to use the treadmill, etc. – but, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. The 4 inches of snow we got last night meant it was gym or bust!

I completed the always fun and effective 3-2-1 Treadmill Interval Workout.

Time	Speed
0:00-20:00	4.0 and 2% incline
20:00-23:00	6.0
23:00-25:00	6.5
25:00-26:00	7.0
26:00-50:00	repeat mins 20-26 4 more times
50:00-53:00	3.5
Total:	4.7 miles

I knew I hadn’t been to the gym in a while because I completely forgot the necessities like headphones to watch TV, and my free weight circuit printouts. Blast! Ah well, I made do trying to read lips on CNN to pass the time. Good times, let me tell you!

Once my sweat sesh was over, I scurried home to shower and change because my Mom and I had mother/daughter day at the mall planned! We browsed, we talked, we bought and we ate – at Champps!

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Champps is a hybrid sports bar/upscale-ish grill, and we hadn’t eaten there in ages. Their selection (although pricy for the type of restaurant, imo!) is really good, and we split the Bleu Cheese Steak Salad. Bleu Cheese dressing for mumsie, Balsamic Vinaigrette for yours truly!

omg I loathe bleu cheese and asked for it to come on the side, which they messed up, but there was something about the combination of the creamy cheese, zesty onion rings and savory steak that just worked. Completely and utterly satisfying! You got lucky, Champps (shaking my fist!) Do you like bleu cheese?

We continued our shopping bonanza at Target, where we treated ourselves to some Starby’s. One short, no-foam, skinny vanilla latte. Yum, yum!

Ben’s little brother just returned from Spring Break in Mexico, so we’re going to go over to his parents house to hear how it went. Ah, to be young again!!

See you tonight – I’ve got a num dinner planned!

~~~~~

Did you go on any fun spring breaks in college?

I was a Cancun child through and through. Yep, one of those spring breakers. Muwahahaha – you’re only young once!!!

Tags: gym, spring break, starbucks, steak

Posted in Lunch, Work Out | 27 Comments »

Sweet Potato Punishment

Mar 19th, 2010 by admin

I think this pretty much sums up how it would feel to be exercising outside right now: uncomfortable.

In case you didn’t figure it out, it’s snowing. Again. Really hard, too – sigh!

Yep, stiiiiill out there.

10 minutes later…

And it just keeps coming down harder and faster…! Oy vey – what am I going to do with you, Iowa? I’ll tell you what I’m going to do…I’m going to make some Sweet Potato Fries!

Guess I’m on a sweet potato kick these past couple of days, huh?

I started with one sweet potato which I cut into fries, then tossed with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, garlic salt & pepper.

I roasted them in a 425 degree oven for ~15 minutes (I don’t know the actual length of time because the timer on my microwave never started!) then I flipped the fries, turned the oven up to 450 and roasted for 5 more minutes.

Served with Vegetarian Baked Beans for dunkage and maximum awesomeness!

K – sweet potato fries are where.it’s.at. – they are SO good!

The punch of olive oil, pepper & garlic are amazing contrasts to the sweetness of the potato.

And definitely needed when you’ve got sweet baked beans too! I’m telling you, sweet potato fries were born to be paired with baked beans.

Who needs ketchup?

Complete deliciousness, right here, folks.

Oh my gosh – IGE reader Elizabeth sent me this YouTube video of her boyfriend that I just had to share – it is hysterical!! They entered it in a contest to win a 1 carat diamond engagement ring and the more views the video gets, the better. The couple with the most, wins!

Tonight = hibernating in my house, watching the snow fall, pretending it’s still December. Clearly. Oh, a

nd getting my groooooove on!

Goodnight!

~~~~~

ommiserate or spin me a tale - what the weather like where you live?

Tags: fries, snow, sweet potato

Posted in Dinner, Recipes | 36 Comments »

Are You a Repeat Dish Offender?

Mar 19th, 2010 by admin

T-G-I-F!

Did you catch the UNI vs UNLV game last night? How ’bout them Panthers?! UNI’s my alma mater and I was a very proud alumna after a wicked 3-pointer won the game with mere seconds left on the clock! Do you get into the NCAA tournament? I don’t really, but Ben has alllll of his brackets filled out, and the sports bar we went to last night was just jam packed with tables full of guys. You know? Love it.

Well, earlier this week I promised you OIAJ for breakfast, so I give to you… Oats in a Jar for breakfast!

In the mix:

1/3 cup old fashioned oats
2/3 cup water
1 banana
vanilla
cinnamon
1/2 Tablespoon chia seeds
nearly empty almond butter jar!

Oats in a Jar is pretty much my favorite thing ever. The hot oats melt the last little scrapes of almond butter inside the jar – it’s Heaven!

One thing about OIAJ is that they stay piping hot so, since my oats didn’t fill the jar all the way to the top to melt allll the almond butter, I popped the lid on to steam melt it. Muwahaha! I will be devouring it at work in about 15 minutes. Some people take briefcases to work. I take OIAJ. It works.

For lunch I’m packing some leftover Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi and a big Salad!

You have GOT to try making these gnocchi! The hint of cinnamon in the dough mixed with the garlic butter they’re sautéed in is unmatched. 5 gold stars. SO GOOD!

I thought a little veggies in my life would be nice too. In the mix:

Mixed greens
Spinach
Celery
Carrots
Peanuts!
Dried cranberries

40 Day Challenge Update

Believe it or not, we have completed 30 Days of the 40 Day/20 Minute Movement Challenge! The time has completely flown by and I’m astonished that I have exercised for it least 20 minutes a day for 30 days straight. I feel better – I really do. How are my other challengers doing?

Call for Recipes!

Just a couple days left to send me one of your favorite recipes to post while I’m in New Orleans! Blog or no blog – send ‘em on over!

Time to get this show on the road. I think I might stop for a Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte at Starby’s. I’ve recently rekindled my love – they’re really good! The other day I was thinking about all the combinations of drinks you could get at a coffee shop. Skim milk, whole milk, soy milk, foam, no foam, whip, no whip, 2 shots, one shot, hot, iced, blended…I bet there are close to a million combinations. Wouldn’t it be fun to attempt to try them all?! This effort would have to be funded by a higher power though…think of how expensive it would be!!

Something to ponder…

Have a FAB FRIDAY!

~~~~~

Do you like to try new dishes at restaurants you go to a lot? Or do you force yourself to try new things?

I’m totally guilty of being a repeat dish offender at restaurants. When you know how good something is, it’s hard to resist getting it again!

Tags: gnocchi, oats in a jar, salad

Posted in Breakfast, Lunch | 24 Comments »

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Iowa Girl Eats

You Gonna Eat Your Tots?

Riveting Breakfast Conversations

Ah, To Be Young!

Sweet Potato Punishment

Are You a Repeat Dish Offender?

40 Day Challenge Update

Call for Recipes!

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