Healthified Pizza + Encino Man Musings

How's everyone doing?


I loved reading all of your comments from my Challenge Nation race recap! Anne, Alison, Paige, Steph, & Sarah - holla :-) One thing that's stinky about using Blogger is that there isn't a way to reply to each comment. I am working on switching over to a different blogging format altogether - a format that allows replies to comments - so stay tuned!


We are having some funky weather in the Milwaukee area tonight. Check out this weird, spotlight-like cloud: 

Creepy, right? 


Anyhow, tonight I was in the mood for pizza. So I made a healthified version!

Toaster oven pizza: whole wheat tortilla with sauce, green pepper, spinach, scallions, green olives and good ol' aged parmesan. Delicious and (for the most part) nutritious!

And covered with the strong stuff. Can't forget that. Recipe to follow!


Tonight, Zak and I are relaxing with a classic movie: Encino Man. Remember this one?

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What's not to love about Pauly Shore and Brendan Fraser, early 90s pop culture references and of course - those ridiculous hairstyles? I remember loving this movie in 5th grade, and laughing over the quotes with my friends at Girl Scout meetings... especially "Aw-oooo! Bud-dy." 

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They even ended the movie with that same reference. Awesome.


Have you seen Encino Man? If not, you probably think I'm cray-cray right now :-) If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and watch this YouTube of the prom scene, right now. Trust me.


You Do the Talking: What's your favorite 90s movie? Encino Man is probably my favorite, but there are so many other classics out there... PCU, Clueless, The Baby-Sitters Club. Man, my mind was nearly blown when the Baby-Sitters Club movie came out! I just couldn't believe it! 
Oh, and we can't forget Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That one was epic, and without it we would have never had the Sarah Michelle Gellar TV series!

Easy Black Bean Dip for One

Hello, blog friends! How was your Wednesday? 


Tonight, I'd like to share one of my favorite go-to recipes for a quick weeknight meal: black bean dip! This is great with raw veggies, tortilla chips or by itself and eaten with a spoon. The recipe doesn't get any easier, and I'd like to think that eating a healthified version of bar food is rock n' roll. You know, the black beans are higher in antioxidants, a great source of protein and this dish is damn tasty. And the veggies on the side can't hurt either. So, here ya go:


Easy Black Bean Dip for One


Ingredients:
1/2 can vegetarian refried black beans
1/4 cup salsa of your choice
1/4 cup shredded cheese of choice
1. Scoop 1/2 can vegetarian refried black beans into a microwave-safe bowl. 
2. Cover and heat in microwave for two minutes.
3. Remove from microwave and stir in salsa and cheese
3. Recover, and heat in microwave for an additional minute
4. Remove from microwave, stir and enjoy!

That's an entire chopped green pepper right there. Ooh, yeah.

Can't be 'healthy' all of the time. We roll with salt-free chips, though.

With a side of puppy (optional).

New on the home front: The first two raspberries of the season! 

In other news... T-minus 4 days until the half marathon... and check out the forecast (Sunday):

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Ughhh. Fingers crossed that the weather-person who predicted this is wrong, and that it's a mild, partly cloudy day.


You do the talking: Have you done races in unpleasant weather? Any last-minute tips to share with me? I've been chugging water and sports drinks like it's my job, and have been mentally bracing myself for the worst case scenario. 


I'm pretty nervous about the race overall, and found a great article from Active.com: 4 Mental Tips to Overcome Pre-Race Jitters

My favorite bit of advice from this is "Set Yourself Up for a Life Experience:"  

Create a positive mental attitude about your personal expectations on race day. Focus on the overall experience... You'll be participating amongst hundreds or thousands of people that decided to get themselves out of bed early to put their bodies into action. That is a group of people you can learn from; embrace the event for all that it can bring to your life.


Open your mind and heart; be on alert to absorbing the special moments that will present themselves on event day. There may be a sign held by an onlooker that emotionally touches you, and motivates you to stay strong. 

Absorb the environment around you, and you will have an opportunity to take home inspiration. The memories of race day will be like a gift for your spirit that whispers, "You can do it" the next time you hit the road for training.


This really struck a chord with me, the race will be about so much more than the stupid weather. I'm going to try and focus on enjoying the race, taking photos with my friends and enjoying our running journey across the iconic Hoan Bridge. It's gonna be so cool (even if the weather is a challenge)!

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I didn't know what to make for dinner, so I made...

Something green...

Topped with something golden and delicious. Annie's Shells with Aged Cheddar.

It's like the sun.

The broccoli was especially fantastic tonight, thanks to a dill seasoning I sprinkled on top before steaming in the microwave. This simple meal came together in under 15 minutes!


Hope that everyone had a kickin' Fourth of July weekend! What did you do?


My schedule was packed... Friday:

Summerfest with Stefanie!

Saturday:

Trail riding. Can't beat it. 2.5 hours of the most beautiful trails in the area.

Doesn't Chance look handsome with his fly mask on?

Nerd alert!

Sunday: More Summerfest!

Thai veggies with white rice and peanut sauce, mmm.

Dinner with a view.

A beautiful sunset with my beautiful gal pal!

Monday: 

A Miller Park margarita, enjoyed at a Brewers game among friends. 

And the weekend was a wrap! This week, it's back to being a worker bee and preparing myself for the Rock n' Sole Half Marathon on Sunday. The butterflies in my stomach are starting to flutter...


You do the talking: How did you celebrate this weekend?
What are you up to tonight? Normal Tuesday stuff?