Guess who’s back… back again? Shady’s Heather’s back. Tell yo’ friends! Did any of you pick up on the Eminem reference there? (Detroit?)
Ladies and gentlemen, I am very excited to say I am back at it! After an insanely crazy few months of preparing to move, moving, and unpacking (which I still have plenty of that to take care of) I finally have the time to share my every day healthy living lifestyle tips with you again via blogging. Try to hold back the excitement!
I know Roadie is stoked!
Just about as stoked as he was to wear his fleece sweater and walk in frosty grass yesterday morning. As much as you might it resembles Bat Dog, it keeps him warm and actually looks cute when he is on all fours. That was one of the first purchases I made when we arrived to Michigan, and it is from the Martha Stewart Pets line at PetSmart. <- don’t tell Scott!
Since Roadie has been a little on the bored side lately, I took him out for a longer than usual walk yesterday morning. We took a few minutes to sit by the lake, enjoy the sun (finally!) and watch the geese swim in the lake.
That’s right… we have geese. Canadian ones. You know how I know? There are little green presents all over the neighborhood and according to Scott, Canadian Geese are the culprits. Now do you believe me when I say we are only a bridge away from Canada? Living this far north is still mind blowing to me. Eh, we will live.
Very Berry Activia Smoothie
After our walk, I wanted to use up some of the excessive amount of berries we have in our refrigerator right now. They were all on sale, so I had to take advantage. I also needed to start eating the exorbitant amount of yogurt I bought during the same trip to the grocery store. Apparently I was craving fruit and yogurt like nobody’s business.
Immediately, a smoothie popped into my mind. Oh, how I missed making smoothies for the two months I did not have access to a blender.
The Mixed Berry Activia was an easy flavor choice, and with a few simple ingredients I made a delicious start to my day.
There are a million different ways you could make this, but I decided to keep it simple. Okay, the chia seeds may be a little fancy… but that is it.
With my kick to use up what is in the fridge, I finished up the last of my Southwest Egg + Veggie Muffins from the weekend. Topped with a little salsa and sided with a MorningStar Farms Original Veggie Sausage Patty, I had a very nutritious and filling breakfast.
*Note: the smoothie recipe above made double of the amount pictured.
Run Outside
As much as I like to run in the mornings, I decided to hold off and let the temperature rise a bit before spending a good forty five minutes outside. I was a bit nervous, but went for it in my new North Face fleece and gloves.
In Florida, I would have never attempted a run outside at 1 p.m. because the sun is blinding and it is very hot. In Michigan, I wait for 1 p.m. so I can see a crack of sunlight and a bit of a temperature rise. Very different, but I will adapt.
I do miss my Florida palm trees, but I am loving all of the pine – or according to me, Christmas – trees that line our cities! We have plenty in our neighborhood to keep me entertained on my run, and I can not stop taking pictures of them.
There are even little “rest areas” on every corner.
I think they are adorable, but am not quite sure when exactly I will ever use it. During a game of neighborhood Man Hunt, perhaps? 😉
Lunch
Five miles later, I worked up quite the appetite for lunch. Again, I had a lot of vegetables to use up, as well as a few left over whole wheat penne noodles. Adding everything together made of the best salads I have made in a long time!
Above is romaine lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, red and green peppers, broccoli, carrots, whole wheat penne noodles, Parmesean cheese and a side of roasted red pepper hummus for dressing.
Have you ever tried that before? I got the idea from Heather from For the Love of Kale. She is fantastic at coming up with healthy and vegan recipes, and is a barre fitness instructor. Clearly, I adore her.
I also finished the rest of my Very Berry Activia Smoothie and topped it all off with a handful (or two) of Reduced Fat Wheat Thins.
Am I the only one who could eat an entire box of them in one sitting?
I spent the rest of the day trying to get our house in order and made a trip over to the DMV. Looks like someone is going to be an official Michigan resident in the very new future! 🙂
Questions of the Day
• How cold is too cold for you to run outside?
• What are some of your tricks to jazz up your salads? Any dressing substitutes? Ingredients?

what is the world is neighborhood Man Hunt???
ha! I guess you could say it is a version of Hide & Seek. Except you have teams and it seemed a lot more intense. Scott didn’t know what it was either! Does anyone out there?