{fresh Friday}

It's Friday....can I get a woot woot!!!!!!
I love Friday's but who doesn't?!?!?
As you could tell I was super happy this week....the weather was fabulous and I was able to do tons of yard work and just be outside:)

I love it when the weather starts to turn warmer...it always inspires me to eat yummy grilled foods....especially grilled veggies~ Grilled Portabella Sandwich

All I can say is YUM....this sandwich really rocked my face off:)
grilled portabella with balsamic vinegar drizzled on it
grilled leeks and red peppers
goat cheese
basil
tomato
Grill the bread and then make a super yummy sandwich with all the ingredients....food bliss:)

and then I grilled some veggieschop up any veggies you like..
I used
broccoli
zucchini
mushrooms
red peppers
fennel
Drizzled balsamic vinegar, olive oil and garlic on them.
Wrapped them in foil and threw them on the grill...
I topped them with feta when they were done!!!!
Healthy...tastey...simpleYou know I have taken the past week off of "formal" exercise...sometimes it's good to do that. At least in my opinion!

But when I am the full fitness swing of things...

I love to do P90X, in addition to my running or cycling, and the best thing is .......I can do it right from the comfort of my home while wearing whatever I feel like:)

I get all my weights out and just put them on the coffee table

pop in the dvd and then I get busy....Now if I could just get those darn hips to decrease just a tiny bit....
Baby got back:) Do you have any problem areas that just WON'T budge?!?!But really....see why I love working out at home...I don't care what my hair looks like...I don't care what i'm wearing and I don't have any make-up on!!!

So there you go.....get out there and get yourself a little workout dvd!!! Keep your fitness simple and just do a little something most days of the week!!! And do it at home if it makes you feel more happy:)

Hope you have a super fabulous weekend!! You already know what i'm going to be doing....

painting the fireplace!! yeah!! Wish me luck:)

"Fall in love or fall in hate. Get inspired or be depressed. Ace a test or flunk a class. Make babies or make art. Speak the truth or lie and cheat. Dance on tables or sit in the corner. Life is devine chaos. Embrace it. Forgive yourself. Breathe. And enjoy the ride." Unknown

{Fresh Friday}

Top of the morning to you.... It's FRIDAY....... Something happy to start with~ I have two things to show you for this week's installment of Fresh Friday!!!
First off...
How do you use up everything you have left over from a grocery shopping trip?!?!
Well this is how I do it~
Chop up everything you have...mix it with some dressing, quinoa and throw it in a bowl:)
I had some beets in my mix and let me tell you ....chopping them is MESSY.....
~Veggie Quinoa Salad with Orange Ginger Dressing~
Start chopping whatever you have in your refridgerator...
I had...
Beets
onions
carrots
broccoli
zucchini
Throw them in a pan with a little olive oil...or I use apple juice
and roast on 425 until soft...about 35 minutes.
While that's cooking make the quinoa according to the package..
and I added some edamame {for extra protein} and artichokes {I just had a can that was half used} While everything is cooking...make the dressing...
fresh squeezed orange juice from maybe 2 oranges
a little orange zest
ginger....to taste
rice wine vinegar....maybe 1/2 a cup
and mix together!!!
When everything is done....throw it in a bowl with some microwaved frozen spinach and mix!!

I have to tell you ...... this really ROCKED my face off:)
And the best part is...I made enough to use it for lunches during the week! I love to do that on Sunday's...make everything that I am going to eat during the work week so I can just go on autopilot making lunches for each week!
Here they are all stacked up~
I know...only 4...but by Friday I am more than ready to eat something else! Plus I had to "sample" one of the servings after I was done making it.
And one more thing...
If you are a calorie counter, you can go to Sparkpeople and enter in all of your ingrediants and then put in the number of servings for your dish and they will come up with a label like this.....This really is for the Quinoa Salad!! Not too bad!

Next up.....is my go to healthy

~Peanut Butter Protein Bar~

Now, I can't take the credit for this recipe....It came in the mail in one of my Oxygen Magazines and then my friend, Jamie, re-reminded me of this recipe when she made them and brought them into the gym..
YUM-FRICKIN-O

2 c. quick cook oats
1/2 c. peanut butter {I use Smart Balance}
4 scoops of protein powder {I use chocolate Plant Fusion}
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1/2 - 1 cup of water
I just add water until it's moist
then mix with your hands and put it in a dish...
throw it in the freezer for 30 minutes
take out and cut into 8 servings

These are so delicious....you would think you are eating something totally naughty...

But you're NOT....

Here's the nutritional info per serving.....

230 calories

10 g. fat

15 g. protein

21 g. carbs

4 g. fiber

Now go pick yourself up a copy of Oxygen Magazine so that you can get some HEALTHY recipe ideas!!

OR.....just keep reading simpledaisy:)

And now because I am complete DORK....

I made my first flip camera video!!

Just don't tell me how dorky I really am!! I already know that:)

And lastly....because I am GETTING very stir crazy with winter and with my workouts...{notice how many I didn't do this week:(

I decided to try something new....

INSANITY.....

Can't wait to get started!!!!
I just needed something to re-pump me up and something a little more challenging!
I let you know how it works for me:)

Have a super wonderful and healthy weekend!

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.” - Buddha

{Fresh Friday}

Yippee...It's FRIDAY:)
I know it's ONLY January but I have spring fever so bad. I can't tell you the last time we have had sun here in Indiana and February does not look promising!! Good thing I have lots of happy photos of Key West to look at until the weather takes turn for the better:)
This week for my Fresh Friday post I was inspired by wanting to make something that would taste really FRESH and with a hint of spring:)
So I made......
~Lemony Dill & Almond Crusted Halibut~
I know...I know the photos are not that great but I tried!! It is just so challenging to photograph things without natural lighting!
But trust me this rocked my face off!!!!!

almonds {somewhere around 1/2 cup}
fresh dill {maybe about 1 cup}
Lemon juice {oh about 1/4 cup}
Zest of Lemon
Put the almonds in a food processor and get those nice and crushed up then add the dill and continue pulsing.
Last, add lemon juice and zest!!!!
It turns into a thick and sort of dry toppin for fish or even chicken if you prefer.
It's not meant to be a marinade so it will be dry. Put the fish in foil and with a little of the topping and squeeze of lemon juice.
Bake on 425 for about 20-25 minutes.
When finished add more topping!!!!!
You could also use this topping in Tilapia and sautee it!!
It really is so good and fresh tasting.

I also made.....
~Cucumber & Fennel Salad~
I have made variations on this theme before but I love this crunchy combination so much and it's so simple to make:) Cucumbers {I use those little cucumbers or I think english cucumbers would work}
Fennel
Fresh Dill
Rice Wine Vinegar
Sugar in the Raw {not too much .... just a titch}
Just make up however much you want and enjoy!!This salad totally fulfilled my need for crunch and it made me feel like I was enjoying something that I would eat in the spring or summer!!
I am sooooo tired of soups:)

Ok...Now...some of you have asked about P90X!
Well let me just tell you that P90X rocks.
If you are new to working out, it may be really challenging, just don't feel like you have to do as many reps as they do! Work at your own pace but try to work until you are really fatigued!
I don't do the pull-ups that are part of the dvd's, I just do other back exercises that I know I can do.

Here I am before I started the legs dvd.... Yes... I totally workout with the twinkle lights on!! I like a little ambiance!

I don't always workout at home, in fact most of the time I go to the gym but I love variety. I think it's great to be able to just pop in a P90X dvd when I feel like I need to switch it up.

If you don't like to go to the gym then dvd's are the way to go!!! Then you really have no excuse for not working out:)

The warm up..Can't you just tell how excited I am for what's to come:)
Lunges...more lunges and squats of every variety!After I can no longer feel my legs the dvd ends and I am sweating, tired and burned a little over 300 calories:)I didn't get nearly as sweaty as I usually do b/c I learned to turn the heat in the house WAY down!!!

See those biceps.....all thanks to P90X!!! I am getting there and hopefully by spring i'll be nice and bikini ready:) Just a little more to go.......

Now if I can just stay away from all those pizzas!!!!!

Have you ever tried P90X?!?! If you have any questions about it just let me know!
What is your favorite way to workout?????

"If you don't do what's best for your body, you're the one who comes up on the short end."
Julius Erving