Visitors Are The Best Motivation

Hi everyone, sorry its been awhile since my last post. Last week flew by and my mom came to visit me this past weekend so it has been non stop. I just made my easy Monday salad and now I am ready to catch up on all the TV I missed last week. I thought today I would talk about my time this weekend and some highlights that I recommend for you all.

This weekend was so much fun since I had my mom visiting. Our weekend started on Thursday night when we went to Morandi in the West Village. If you haven't been to Morandi then you must try it because it is one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the city. My favorite items on the menu are the veal meatballs and the brussels sprout salad. You really can't go wrong at Morandi.

Friday morning we woke up and went to the Met. There is a great exhibit about fashion throughout the decades that was incredible. We loved seeing all the fashions, most of the dresses I saw I wanted to take home and wear. There is also an exhibit on the roof of the Met that overlooks the entire city. The exhibit is a giant weave of bamboo that you can climb. It is hard to explain but I highly recommend going to see these two exhibits. After the Met we walked through the park and stayed uptown for most of the day. We had a 6:30 reservation at 5 Napkin Burger because we were seeing Promises, Promises on Broadway. If you are seeing a Broadway show, 5 Napkin Burger is definitely the place to go for dinner and Promises, Promises is the show to see.

Saturday was another non stop day. We woke up at 8:30 and worked out. After the gym we went to Cafe Cluny for brunch. I got the grilled shrimp salad and my mom ordered an egg white omelette. Both dishes were outstanding, After brunch we walked through Soho, did some shopping and picked up some Baked By Melissa Cupcakes. These are the cutest mini cupcakes and are great to bring for dinner parties. From Soho we walked to the Meat Packing District and entered The Highline. Most New Yorkers know about the Highline and it really has become one of my favorite aspects of the city. It is an old rail road track above the street that has been converted to a walk way for pedestrians. From the Highline we walked over to one of my favorite bars, The Frying Pan. The boat was packed but it was so fun showing this staple bar to my mom. After a beer at The Frying Pan we had to go home and get ready for our dinner at The Standard Grill. Dinner was amazing, I got the Halibut with truffle and a tomato consomme.

On Sunday we woke up so exhausted. After a couple cups of coffee we were ready to head uptown to the Moma. There was a great photo exhibit and a presentation that I loved. After our Moma experience we went to get Greek food at Molyvos. By the time this meal was over we needed a nap. The Laker game was on so for the rest of the night we watched the game, sadly the Lakers lost and we passed out.

Having visitors is definitely the perfect motivation to do the activities that seem to slip by you during a normal weekend. I had the best time and now need to catch up on my sleep. Have a good night!

The Monday Night Salad

Hi Everyone! Happy Monday! Hope you had a nice weekend. It was pretty cold in New York so I spent most of my time catching up on my TV shows, my book (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) and finally saw Kick Ass. I was pretty tired tonight so after work I did a light work out and went straight home to put together a fantastic salad. I went to my favorite grocery store, Trader Joe's last week so I had lots of goodies to choose from. Here are some ingredients that go great together for a delectable and healthy salad.

1. Take one quarter bag of mixed greens and pour into a bowl (you can use as much lettuce as you want)
2. One handful of peeled edamame beans (you can buy these at Trader Joe's right by the produce)
3. A handful of cut mushrooms
4. About 8 cherry tomatoes
5. Two spoonfuls of Eggplant Capanara (you can find this by the tomato sauce at Trader Joe's, it adds a great kick to the salad)
6. Sliced chicken breast OR turkey meatballs
7. Feta Cheese crumbles (I buy the fat free feta cheese from Trader Joe's)
8. Drizzle some Annie's Ginger Dressing
9. One scoop of hummus to top it off (you can even add a grape leaf, I love adding those in my salads)

All these ingredients mix together to create my favorite Monday salad. Monday's are my nights to relax and watch Gossip Girl so I always make sure to create an easy and filling dinner. I usually top the night off with an Apple dipped in some Better N Peanut Butter. Let me know what you think of these ingredients and if you tried to re create the salad! I have to go get ready for the Lakers game!!

My Work Out Playlist

Hey Everyone, Happy Monday! It was such a nice weekend in NYC. It was sunny and beautiful both Saturday and Sunday so I was finally able to take advantage of the deck in my apartment building and get some sun. I ended the weekend with a great yoga class that helped me get focused for the work week and helped me sweat out all vodka sodas I drank Friday & Saturday night :)

Most of you know me, but if you do not, here is a fun fact: I Love Music. I can't run, walk to work or do errands with out my i pod. So, as you might guess, I have a lot of music on my computer. Even with so many artists it is hard to create the motivating playlist that you need. So in order to help you I thought I would share one of my many play lists for you. This is 2 hours and 28 minutes of great music. Obviously your work outs might range from thirty minutes to over an hour so this list can be used any way you would like. I always feel that music is a better source to help the body push itself over watching television because it helps you get into your OWN zone and not the Access Hollywood zone. If you like this play list I am happy to create others for you! Hope you enjoy!

By the way, if the playlist show up too small on your computer you can just click it and it will show up in a larger screen :)

Make the Swap!

Hi Everyone, hope you had a nice weekend! Today my post is going to focus on three very popular spreads that can end up adding on the pounds. I am all about the dips, spreads and dressings but it is something you need to be smart about. As far as salad dressings go, there is no doubt you need to stick with Balsamic Vinegar and the low fat dressings. I also love Annie's Salad Dressing brand. My favorite's are the ginger and green goddess dressings. Today I am going to show you three popular spreads; peanut butter, cream cheese and mayonnaise and will show you the best products to swap these out with.

First lets start with Peanut Butter. We all know a little peanut butter can't hurt since it is full of protein but when you want those extra spoon fools go for Better N Peanut Butter. Some people think this tastes even better than normal peanut butter because it is based with honey rather than massive peanuts and oil. You can get this product at any organic food market or Trader Joe's.

Now there is cream cheese. I will admit, I love whipped cream cheese but it is hard for me to control myself. So rather than purchasing the Philadelphia cream cheese, I go for the Toffuti tofu based cream cheese. I know this sounds gross, but take my word, it is great on a cracker or toast with some jam. It is also great dipped with carrots or celery.

Finally, there is the mayonnaise swap out. I have never been a fan of mayonnaise, but I do know it is certainly not a spread to over indulge. I have two great products that can now take the place of mayonnaise for you. First, there is Vegenaise. What makes this low fat is that it is vegan, so it is eggless and dairy free. It also can help reduce your cholesterol, whereas normal mayonnaise is terrible for your cholesterol. My second swap out suggestion is Miso Mayo. This is my favorite spread on sandwiches because it has so much taste. I love rolling up turkey slices then putting a small amount of Miso Mayo in it. You can get both these products at Whole Foods and I highly recommend both of them!

Let me know what you think!

Another Simple Dinner

I wanted to share another dinner recipe for all of you to try. My friend Rachel suggested I put the ingredients in bullet form so it's easier for you all to follow, hope it helps! All you need to do is pour each of these ingredients onto a stove top pan and stir everything together for about 7 minutes. What makes this dish is Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce. It turns a simple mix of vegetables into a fabulous (and healthy) dinner.

1 Cup of sliced Mushrooms

1/2 Cup of Trader Joe's Broccoli Slaw

1/2 Cup of frozen spinach

1 Handful of cherry tomatoes (once these are in the pan make sure to squish them so they soak with the sauce)

3-5 strips of white meat chicken breast (You can either buy chicken breast and cook it separately on a pan OR you can use Trader Joe's Just... Frozen Chicken Strips) I use the Frozen Chicken Strips because they are easy to cook and have lots of taste

*Like I said in my last recipe, you can add any veggies you would like, sometimes I add onion, broccoli and edamame. Just remember, this sauce has an Asian twist so use ingredients that mix well with this sauce.

Now that all the vegetables and chicken are starting to heat in the pan, stir everything around for 3-5 minutes. Once everything starts steaming, pour on the Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce. This gives a tremendous kick to the meal and is one of my favorite sauces. Just eye how much teriyaki you want in the pan, I tend to pour a little less than half a cup but you may find you need a little more or less.

Try this out and let me know what you think of it! Hope you enjoy!

Hot Yoga: Beginner Style

Hi Everyone! As you know, I always love trying new things. Whether it be new restaurants or bars I'm always looking for something to share with my friends and family. As I have discussed before, trying a new work out is always so rewarding. It helps you crack a routine that you may be bored of or it might introduce you to something that you will love. In this case, I have discovered something I love. My roommates told me about this Bikram Yoga studio right near my apartment on 38th and 6th. For a couple weeks I avoided going with them because I was intimidated by the sound of Hot Yoga. After they talked me into attending one class with them, I now try to go once a week. It is a completely different work out and a routine that helps me focus on things outside of work and my social life.

The beauty of Bikram Yoga is that the studio gets up to 108 degrees and the classes are typically packed; so between the people and the heated studio, you will undoubtedly endure the greatest sweat of your life. Another aspect I love about this particular studio is that ANYONE CAN DO IT. The instructors encourage each person to make the class their own. They serve to guide you, if you can't hold a position for long enough or even do a position then you can choose any pose that feels the best for you. The classes fly by and when you finish your last downward dog, you feel exhausted but also attain a feeling of revival. Like the spin class I love, this class makes you want to push yourself a little harder each time. The classes are only $5 so it also might be the cheapest work out I have found in this city. I really encourage everyone to go try out a class, I was extremely hesitant at first and now I am addicted! You can click on the link below to find more information about this particular studio and a class schedule.

Yoga To The People

How to Walk 8 Miles with out Knowing it

Hi Everyone - I hope you enjoyed your Monday's and are recovered from the weekend. Today I am going to show you a fantastic walk to take in the city. It is perfect for a sunny NYC day, whether you are with friends or have visitors coming, it is a great map to keep around. One aspect that I love about NYC is the fact that walking for 5 hours brings so much diversity and excitement. In what city does a span of 8 miles include, The Statue of Liberty, Chinatown, Little Italy and one of the best areas to shop in the country (of course that would be Soho). I have to say, after living in New York for almost two years, I discovered hidden gems that I highly recommend you go visit!

As you can see from the map, we started in Chelsea and set a goal for ourselves: Battery Park. From Battery Park we found ourselves at the South Street Seaport which I absolutely loved. I felt like I was in a small coastal town where I was expecting live fish and sea lions everywhere. From the South Street Seaport we walked into Chinatown where we decided to take a small break and have a snack at one of the most popular Chinese restaurants in the city, Joe's Shanghai. I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant, my friend who I was with loves this place so he placed our order of Crab Meat and Pork Soup Dumplings. From that name you might be shaking your head, but trust me, this is a dish to try and love. I would go back today if this place wasn't so deep in Chinatown. I am looking forward to going back with more friends so we can order lots more specialties.

After our delicious snack, we left China and moved onto Italy. I got hungry again from looking at all the fabulous pasta dishes I saw people eating on the streets. I made some mental notes of places I need to try so I am certainly looking forward to that! From Little Italy we walked through Soho and back home. After over 5 hours of walking, I felt like only an hour passed, which is the best kind of exercise! It just shows how living in a city like NYC constantly has something to offer on every corner. So next time you are deciding what to do on a beautiful Saturday or Sunday grab a friend and go for a walk. Not only are you exploring some of the best aspects of your city, your also getting a work out from it.

Have a great night!

Spinnin In the City

Happy Hump Day Everyone! It was almost 90 degrees in the city today so as you can imagine it was very difficult staying indoors all day. Between the heat inside my office and the amount of work I had to get done I was ready to call it a day at 6 PM and go home to rest for the evening. However, my friends Alexis & Katie invited me to a spin class to try out right after work. One thing that I always find helpful when I am dreading a work out is to go to a class or work out with friends to help me obtain the motivation I need. Since I knew I couldn't cancel on Alexis and Katie I walked home, put on my work out clothes and blasted some Lady Gaga to pump me up.

We met at Fly Wheel in the Flat Iron district and at first I was intimated by all the bikes, I knew this class was going to kick my butt. I am not a regular spinner so I asked the instructor (Kate) to help me adjust my bike and clip my shoes in. An aspect that I loved about the class is the Torq option. The Torq setting is a way where you can see your standings compared to the rest of the class. It is also a competition against yourself because now, every time I go back I will make sure to beat my previous Torq score. I scored a 191 this class so my goal for next time is 200. Alexis, Katie and I had a great time together and with the fun music Kate played, this class flew by.

So my advice this post is, for those times where home is just calling your name, call up a friend to work out with or attend a class at your gym or private gyms that can pump up your motivation. Once you finish the work out you will feel so much better both mentally and physically.

Fly Wheel Nothing like a great sweat!

The Ultimate 15 Minute Dinner

Let me start out this post by saying that I am by no means a gourmet chef. I enjoy food but my cooking skills are very basic. Between being on a strict budget and not having hours on end to cook delicious meals I look for EASY and HEALTHY recipes that won't burn my wallet. The first step to these meals is to shop at the right place. I stay away from the typical New York Supermarkets because they mark up their prices way too much. I know that Whole Foods isn't that much better with their pricing but their 365 brand is definitely more affordable. When I shop at Whole Foods I look out for this brand and every now and then splurge on some tasty cheese. The place to find guaranteed low prices is Trader Joe's. Not only is Trader Joe's extremely affordable, their frozen food is so tasty and healthy. Which brings me to the feast I made for myself tonight!

When I first moved to NYC I was truly afraid of my kitchen. I ordered in almost every night for the first 4 months I lived here and then became so bored of all the delivery places around me. In order to cure my case of boring meals I went to Trader Joe's and decided I need to get into my kitchen. Like I said, I am not a gourmet chef but one of my favorite meals that I compiled tonight is what I like to call my Trader Joe's Turkey Meatball Stir Fry. You can make this dish any way you would like and can add or remove any items.

First go to Trader Joe's and buy frozen spinach, Trader Joe's Turkey Meatballs (located in the frozen section), sliced mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, Trader Joe's Broccoli Slaw (in the produce section), and any other fun types of veggies you would like to add! I like to change up my veggie choice to mix things up.

Once you have your chosen ingredients go the kitchen and get your pan and stove top ready. I spray a little amount of olive oil spray on the pan so nothing sticks before I start cooking. Now the fun begins, all in less than 15 minutes!

I usually eye all my ingredients since my hunger levels always differ. Tonight I had a large appetite because I had an intense boxing session with my trainer. So I poured a little over one cup of spinach into the pan, then added the broccoli slaw. While I add all the ingredients I put the meatballs into the microwave for one minute to get them heated. During that minute I add the rest of my ingredients then pour Trader Joe's organic tomato sauce into the pan. After the meatballs are heated I chop them up and place them into the pan. At this point the food is nice and hot and it's tough to overcook any of these ingredients. After about a total of 6 minutes of the stove being on high I turn the knob down to the lowest heat so everything is just simmering in the tomato sauce. I usually take a small taste of the stir fry to make sure everything hot. Once everything tastes ready (usually after about 8 minutes on the stove) I add a small teaspoon of Genova Pesto (also from Trader Joe's) and parmesan cheese. This dish is all vegetables and the meatballs are very low in fat so this dish fits all my criteria. The best part is how GREAT IT TASTES!! Check out my pictures so you can create this meal yourself!

Welcome!

I am very excited to announce my first post! My goal of this blog is to motivate readers to take advantage of the cities they live in and focus on maintaining a healthy and happy lifestyle. As a 23 year old girl living in NYC there is certainly lots to get stressed about; we all know there is ALWAYS something to think about. My goal is to show you how working out, eating fun and healthy meals all while keeping an active social life truly eliminates miniscule stress factors from everyday life.

This mind frame all started back in college (Go Badgers!) when I entered my Sophomore year. I remember my mother telling me that integrating an easy work out routine into my day at school will make all the difference with the stress I felt from school work. Since this was the beginning of the semester, I will admit, I wasn't really worrying about my school work since mid terms weren't for another month. Either way, I took her advice and started going to the gym twice a week and would do an easy 45 minute routine. Once I noticed those freshmen pounds shedding I felt a new confidence which only gave me more motivation to prolong my workouts and go from twice a week to three times a week. Obviously in college it is difficult to maintain a steady routine but there is no doubt that my time to work out helped me clear my mind and sure kicked up my endorphins.

Now almost four years later, I am almost two years out of college and find that after a hard day at work, a solid work out is the cure for more things than just maintaining a healthy weight. Through out my blog I will share my recipes, work out routines, playlists and of course the social excitement of living in NYC.

Hope you enjoy!!!