Happy Monday! 
How was your day back after the long, holiday weekend? I became engrossed in a copying/packet making project early in the day that made the afternoon absolutely FLY by. Holler!
Another little bonus? We reached 50 degrees today! 8) There was a massive storm cloud that hung over the city all day, making it look pretty horrendous out, but every time I stepped outside I was pleasantly surprised. I really hope this doesn’t mean we’re in for it this winter. 50 degrees in late November? Sure feels like we’re being setup for something! Have you gotten any snow yet?
I dodged the raindrops that eventually came and made it to the gym after work, where I proceeded to sweat my LIFE away. Granted the gym was packed, making it hotter than normal, but I seriously felt like that sweaty girl at the gym. Eek! A quick, 30 minute 3-2-1 Treadmill Routine wasn’t really the culprit…
| Time | Speed | Incline |
| 0-2 | 4.0 | 1% |
| 2-4 | 6.0 | 1% |
| 4-7 | 6.5 | 1% |
| 7-9 | 7.0 | 1% |
| 9-10 | 7.5 | 1% |
| 10-28 | repeat minutes 4-10 three more times | 1% |
| 28-30 | 4.0 | 1% |
| Total: | 3.2 miles |
It was THIS beast – the step mill - that REALLY did me in! I seriously have to work so much harder on the climber than on any other machine in the gym – treadmill included. It was invented to torture me, I’m sure of it.
![Stairmaster-Stepmill-916-7000[1]](http://iowagirleats.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/StairmasterStepmill91670001.jpg "Stairmaster-Stepmill-916-7000[1]")
As I was perched on top, drowning, I made a big girl move and decided that I’m ready to invest in some REAL workout clothes that will keep dry through the toughest of workouts. Right now I wear Sofie shorts from HIGH SCHOOL and old t-shirts. I know.
I still don’t feel right about plunking down $50 for a Lulumon-esque top, so if anyone has recs for affordable, ahem, moisture-wicking, workout clothes that might be available somewhere like Target/Old Navy – I’m all ears!
There’s really no appropriate segue to go from talking about sweat issues to dinner so I’m just going to lay it out there…I made Hamburger Sliders tonight!
A couple weekends ago in Colorado I ordered some Mini BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders from a restaurant Ben’s parent’s took us to. They were so cute and tiny – when I saw the recipe for these puppies I knew I wanted to make them right away!
Mini Hamburger Sliders with Feta & Artichoke Salsa
Adapted from President Cheese Feta Slider Recipe.
Slider Ingredients:
1 lb 93/7 lean ground beef
1 egg
1/2 medium onion, chopped
garlic powder
1 Tablespoon ketchup
salt & pepper
Feta & Artichoke Salsa Ingredients (approximate measurements):
1/2 can chopped artichoke hearts
1 Tablespoon capers
1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 Tablespoons chopped sundried tomatoes
dash each of oregano & thyme
salt & pepper
squeeze of Italian salad dressing
Directions:
1. Mix slider ingredients together, shape into 8 mini patties and cook on a hot skillet until cooked through.
2. Combine artichoke salsa ingredients and top burgers!
Oh yeah baby! I served my sliders on top of mini ciabatta rolls and let the zesty, chunky, salty feta & artichoke salsa tumble down the sides.
The slider recipe actually came from a cookbook the folks at President Cheese sent me. They suggested topping the burgers with a slice of feta cheese and red onion, but when I found myself with nearly all the ingredients to make my favorite artichoke salsa, I improvised!
I’ll spare you the betta/feta joke but, do you like feta cheese?
I paired my sliders with my most favorite side dish on earth, Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Halved and tossed with EVOO, garlic salt & pepper then roasted @ 425 degrees for 30 minutes, flipping half way through. PERFECTION.
These babies are best eaten with a knife and fork, because of the artichoke salsa, but you could totally do whatever!
In other news, I stumbled upon a new blog yesterday called “This Week for Dinner” where the author Jane posts, you guessed it, what she’s making this week for dinner! Along with her weekly menu, she’s also shares some incredibly delicious sounding recipes and great photography.
Well I’m taking a cue from Jane and sharing MY menu for the week!
Monday: Mini Hamburger Sliders with Feta & Artichoke Salsa
Tuesday: Prosciutto Wrapped Stuffed Chicken
Wednesday: Pumpkin Pie French Toast (I know…Thanksgiving’s over but I can’t help myself!)
Thursday: Chicken Pesto Pizza
Friday: most likely takeout Chinese
Saturday & Sunday: road trip with my Mom so we’ll see what we get into!
Just thought it’d be fun to see what I have planned! Next week I’ll try and post both my shopping list/haul AND menu so you can see how much groceries cost for everything too. 
Well somehow it got to be almost 8:00 and you know what THAT means – Gossip Girl! I am doubly excited for this week’s epi, seeing as how last week was a re-run – never good!
Have a great night!
~~~~~
What’s on your menu this week?
I love the Xersion workout gear from JC Penney’s. Very affordable….it’s held up very well during my 5-6 days a week at the gym.
I wear Soffee shorts (some from 7th grade!!!) and men’s Hanes undershirts to workout. We would make great workout buddies
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Check out the Nike clearance section…25% off clearance promo code: NIKEAIR aaaaand free shipping como code: JUSTDOIT
It works on all clearance stuff. I got 3 tempo shorts for cheap but they have other stuff too.
Love the idea of artichoke salsa! My menu includeds pomegranate stuffed chicken breasts, chicken tortilla soup, and pecan crusted chicken!
hey Kristin,
I got some workout clothes from American eagle for less than $30. And the sports bra/workout shorts are super cute and work well.
I like the Tek gear stuff at Kohl’s . It is pretty reasonably priced.
TJ Maxx and Marshalls will sell designer and brand name workout clothes for much much cheaper, usually less than half the price!
Pumpkin Pie french toast!!! Yum!
I go to Marshall’s/TJMaxx/Ross and find loads of workout clothes. Many Nike tops, shorts, drywick fancyschmancy stuff. Best find?? A cute Puma running skirt — I get a kick out of wearing that thing on trail runs! Good luck!
You should definitely try to hit up TJMAXX or Marshall’s! They have great bargins!
I’m always so impressed by how much great cooking you do during the week!!
And also, Feta is growing on me. I didn’t like it ever, but had it in a pre-made wrap recently and now I’m trying to use it more!
Ditto on the TJ’s for workout girl. Target’s wicking ts, bras, and shorts are pretty decent. I want to say they are made by champion. I love Under Armor Ts and got most of mine at their outlet for $15. The best thing is to hit up the clearance section at the end of the season, especially if you want outdoor running gear. The wicking fabric makes a HUGE difference!
I get my work out clothes from Target. I am always able to find reasonable prices on their Champion brand and the clothes wear and wash well. I also LOVE this pair of yoga pants I got from old navy, so I would check them out as well. Your sliders look fab! I can’t wait to see the pumpkin french toast! Have a great week
What a great dinner, these sliders are so creative and purrrty!!! It was 50 degrees here today too, which is pretty average for fall in VA… I’m praying for no snow this year, we got enough last year!
I’m so guility of the Soffe shorts…whoops. I’ve found that sometimes TJ Maxx has good bargains on workout clothes. It can be hit or miss, but when you hit, it’s golden! Target also has ok deals especially on their sports bras.
I don’t mind the technical fabrics in Target’s line of workout clothes by Champion sports. They are pretty affordable and you can sometimes find a good sale. Other wise I check out http://www.steepandcheap.com (strange only one thing available at a time…but things are usually more than 50% off!) and occasionally find a deal.
Good luck! I look forward to hearing about the steals and deals you’ve found in workout clothes!
It was 79 in Texas today…. ridiculous!
I like going to places like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Sports Authority and checking out their clearance racks. I’ve got some Target stuff that’s okay (the wicking fabrics are better than plain old cotton, anyway), but I don’t like their fit — too short and boxy, usually. The name-brand stuff seems to fit better, and when I’m buying running tights, ones MEANT for running definitely stay up better than all-purpose or yoga-style pants/leggings.
I will be anxiously awaiting the prosciutto wrapped chicken recipe! OMG!
Step mills are KILLER! I never knew the beauty (or should I say, torture?) of a step mill until this past summer when I had a membership to Bally.
I’d love to eat at your house this week — pumpkin ANYTHING is great… couple that with breakfast food and it’s love! Btw, I’m also a fan of homemade pizzas — you must know Thursday is my birthday!
I love checking out TJ Maxx or Marshall’s for cheap work out clothes. Oftentimes they have name brand stuff for a fraction of the price!
No snow yet, but tonight might change things! I love that step mill machine. Fantastic workout and you’re so right about drowning. Great way to work up a huge sweat!
I only wear wick dry stuff and it’s much more comfortable. Target has some good items along with TJ Maxx. I do watch for sales at Dick’s sporting goods and Scheels. I wash mine in cold water and NO fabric softener. Some of my running buddies use a special detergent for workout clothes but I just use good old Tide. Once you get yourself some nice running/workout gear you’ll be shocked that it took you this long! Let us know what you find.
Wow 50 degrees and you’re only a state away! Here in MN we are currently in a WINTER STORM WARNING until 3pm tomorrow!
Our menu this week:
homemade sausage pizza (using delicious reduced fat sausage!)
tater tot hotdish (or casserole for you non-locals)
glazed ham loaf
probably some sort of soup
and that’s as far as I’ve planned.
Oh I LOVE your weekly menu idea! Please keep it up!!
Soffee shorts! Ha!!! Were you a cheerleader?
Target has some great workout clothes! They’ve got that Champion line which is pretty great. Also, I tend to find a lot of great deals at places like Ross or TJ Maxx. Name brand workout gear for a fraction of the price. I’ve scored a couple pairs of Nike full length yoga pants at TJ Maxx. ALSO, you should check out Zappos.com. They have free shipping/free returns and you could check out their clearance sections. Maybe you’d have some luck there…
I got really lucky a few weeks ago and picked up some VERY NICE running shorts from GAP. I love them. $7/each. Score! I too, hate spending $$$ on work-out clothes, but when it comes to running, it’s a must. I stalk the clearance racks like crazy!
I love the Nike Tempo shorts which you can get great deals on online (thanks for the codes Allie!), or at a Nike Outlet if you have one near. The Nike Dri-Fit t-shirts are what works best for me (I sweat a lot!), and I have yet to find something I like better. That being said, I only pay $15 for tempos and the shirts should be less than $15. The dri-fit shirts can be found at Kohls, and you can ALWAYS find a Kohls coupon.
Target often has workout clothes on sale! I have gotten a bunch of cute tops there! For my pants, I am a total devotee to VS crop yoga pants..best workout pants ever!
Ps, I love your treadmill workouts and recipes. And I feel the same way about the stairmaster….so good yet so bad.
I like Tek gear (can find it at Kohl’s). And if it’s on sale, it’s usually pretty decently priced – I think I got a couple tanks for $10 or $12 each the last time.
I LOVE Target’s workout gear, its definately the upgrade from old tshirts (I just recently upgraded too)
I LOVE feta cheese! Love it in my pasta salad & mixed in w/scrambled eggs & roasted peppers. I don’t normally plan out a weekly menu, just eat whatever I can grab or pull from the freezer & thaw.
I always think the stair master is the hardest. We don’t have a stair climber.
Target has some good Champion series stuff for not too much dinero. Also, you can check out your nearest dept. store or Nike for sales items, which can be pretty affordable. TJ Maxx and Ross sometimes have some good brand name stuff as well for cheapo. But I do love my running clothes and have opted to spend more on it because I use it so much and I like feeling comfy when I’m sweating it up. Good luck!
I have always been so intimidated by those step machines. It never looks like it would be intense but everyone on them is dripping in sweat. I think I’ll try this one soon.
I am with you about spending lots of money on workout clothes. It’s just so hard to do, especially when I would rather buy clothes for work, etc.
I have had great success with the shorts and sports bras from Target, leggings and yoga pants from Gap, and athletic jackets and winter wear from TJ Maxx!
Happy Shopping!
I’ve gotten a lot from Target. Sometimes I find tops that are dry wicking (this is key but most shirts there have them) on clearance for $2-3! Pants are a little harder but I recently got some from Old Navy for $10ish. Also, if you have outlet malls, sometimes there will be Adidas, Reebok or Nike outlets that have good deals.
You make awesome dinners! And OMG, the stepmill is DEATH in the form of a massive exercise machine. I hate it. Kudos to you for getting a solid half hour out of it!
And no shame in making Pumpkin Pie French Toast – lots of Christmas songs talk about pumpkin pie
While most of my workout gear is Under Armour and Nike, I do love Target’s Champion gear. I have also found a brand called Active that has some less expensive gear that works great. Sometimes the extra $$ is worth a great dri-fit, wicking top and/or shorts/pants.
Target has great, affordable moisture wicking work out clothes. Here’s a link, they are Champion brand and surprisingly cute!
I feel the same way about spending a lot of money on workout clothes but sometimes you just need to pamper yourself! happy shopping!!!
http://www.target.com/Activewear-Clothing-Womens/b/2172906011/ref=sc_fe_l_4_3692501_3?node=2172906011
totally wear target work out clothes – i’ve had a lot of them for like 3 or 4 years now, and the key is not to toss them in the dryer. just wash them and hang dry. that’s made everything last!
Ditto on the Marshalls/TJ Maxx for workout clothes. You’ll definitely get some good deals! Those sliders look fab! I love love feta cheese and am always looking for new uses. On our menu this week, we have Chinese stiry fry, Shrimp fra Diavlo and something easy with chicken sausage!
We have a Chicken Pesto Pizza recipe we love too! It came from Quick Cooking Magazine several years ago. Pesto, Chicken, Black Beans, and Shredded Italian Cheese mix. YUM!
We got snow in St. Louis on Thanksgiving–it didn’t stick thankfully but it looked really pretty! And I have come to find that I actually love Old Navy’s workout gear–it’s super cheap too!
I would recommend the Champion brand from Target. They are cute, technical fabrics and inexpensive. Let us know what you decide!
Love the menu/meal planning!
I am on a seafood wave the past couple of weeks. We have a pretty epic seafood chowder coming up on Wednesday night (+ guests).
I think I developed a fear of the step mill after watching my mom sweat it out when I was a kid. Now, I generally steer clear!
As for feta, I LOVE IT! That was actually the only cheese I would eat as a kid… Not even Kraft!
Not sure yet! I’m by myself this week, so I will be improvising with all the veggies I have on hand.
I buy all of my workout clothes at Target. They have an inexpensive “dryfit” brand. All their Champion stuff is great, too!
I love getting workout clothes at Target. They have really good, affordable stuff. Also, if you’re wanting more of a name brand, check out TJ Maxx and/or Marshalls. You can find some great deals!
Gap Body has great workout clothes. They are expensive initially, but they always seem to be having deals. For the month of December on Wednesday and Thursday nights you get 40% off one full price item. You need a coupon, but you can just ask for the coupon book at the register. That makes the pants about 20 bucks and the tops even cheaper!
GORDMANS and TJMAXX. they have the off-brand, moisture wick stuff that is way cheap. they even had runner’s shorts. i was the same as you until i started training for the DM half-marathon this summer and started chaffing all over. my new clothes worked WONDERS, and some of it i got from Gordman’s and TJMAXX
Target is the best for affordable workout gear. The Champion C9 stuff is made with good, moisture wicking material and I recommend it to all my runners. That being said, Lululemon stuff is totally worth the investment – it can be washed (and most of it dried without ruining it) and it holds up much better than the cheaper stuff. Lucy is a little more mid-range price wise and the quality is pretty good as well.
Pumpkin Pie French Toast!!! Yummy
Try Kohl’s they carry a Nike Dri-FIT Line that I love.