Have you met Roy G. Biv?

I think I’ve filled every spot (or close to it) and I have even eaten dinner yet!

I have to get my Biv colors in early – other wise, it sometimes doesn’t happen.

So, I bring you my Berry Bananza!

This bowl was full of texture, flavor, and antioxidants!

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 cup water
• pinch salt
• 2 Tbsp walnuts
• cinnamon
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 4 strawberries
• palmful of blueberries
• palmful of raspberries

Can I get a holy yum?

I had to run some errands at lunch (aka, go buy chocolate!), and am now sitting at my desk, blogging, and eating lunch.

More colorful food!

2 of my homemade black bean burgers on top of some green beans

Plus a cup of my leftover corn chowdah –  not a horribly appetizing picture, but it tastes great!

and she has returned. Did you miss her?

That’s it folks!  Back to the grind.

Make sure to check out the contest on Beadie’s blog!

And don’t forget to see what this week’s BSI is – Mara’s in charge this week  :)

See you later for dinner and be ready for another review soon  :)

So…Mondays are Mondays are Mondays. Monday was such a LONG day at work, and I was happy to be home.

 

But I was even HAPPIER when I opened my mailbox to find this!!!

 

 

 

I think I *actually* squealed when I opened the mailbox  :)

 

My secret cupid (courtesy of Lee!!!) was Eliza, from A Plus Eating and she made the most PERFECT box of goodies for me!

 

 

I got:

* a cute handwritten Valentine from Eliza  :)

* Winter Fitness Runner’s Magazine!

* 2, count ’em 2, LARABARS!!! Apple Pie, and Cherry Pie (both of which I have not tried!)

* a Blueberry Zbar – my favorite!

* 2 chocolate hearts 

* an awesome looking chocolate bar that’s dark chocolate with raspberries and rosehips!

* Red Zinger tea

* and a cinnamon almond scented candle – Eliza, I could smell this THROUGH the box, and it smells amazing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much, Eliza!!!

 

And thanks Lee for setting up the Valentine’s Day Blogger Exchange!!

 

 

Don’t forget to go see Mara today for this week’s BSI Annoucement!

Come on…you didn’t think I would announce it at the BEGINNING of this post, did you?  :)

 

 

 

This afternoon, I had a snack at work before we went running.

 

0% Fage, some pom seeds, and 1/3 cup TJ’s high fiber cereal that has the dried fruits/nuts in it (I forgot the name)

 

 

Good mix of protein, fiber, and antioxidants!

 

Our run today was good, but a little shorter than normal because we ran a new route near campus. It was nice to be outside, though!  I’m excited for spring!!!

 

Dinner was good and was definitely a complete and balanced meal.

 

 

 

I based this meal off a recipe from the August/September 2008 issue of Taste of Home’s Healthy Cooking. This looks like a magazine, but it’s basically a small cookbook! It has tons of recipes! I need to look for more of these.

 

My name for it? “I Got What You Need One-Pot Wonder”

My version included:

• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 cups broth
• 1 cup quick cooking barley
• 1 cup bulgur
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup leftover steamed peas
• 1 lb. lean ham, cubed
• parsley
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• hot sauce

 

1. Cook onion, pepper, and carrots until softened (can use some oil, butter, whatever you have/want)
2. Add in broth and bring to a boil.
3. Stir in barley and bulgur, reduce to a simmer.
4. Let cook until grains are done/most of the broth is absorbed.
5. Stir in corn, beans, peas, ham, and seasonings.
6. Serve!

 

This made a TON – which is good, because we’ll need it this week for leftovers/lunches  :)

 

So colorful, right?    We had some steamed broccoli on the side.  Did we need MORE veggies with dinner? Who knows…I just wanted some broccoli! I also drizzled a little olive oil over my meal.

 

 

 

Okay….so the moment you’ve all been waiting for.

 

First – thank you SO much to everyone who participated!  I am so happy with how my first 2 experiences with the BSI have been – it is so fun to see what people can come up with!

 

I recruited my husband in picking the winner tonight, so we went through and looked at ALL the submissions, looked at the pictures, read through the ingredients and instructions, etc.

 

How was I supposed to choose when I have entries with polenta croutons, crabcake quiche, and steak spinach rolls? 

 

We finally got it narrowed down to a few….but one recipe just stuck out to both of us. I checked and re-checked the ingredients to see that I could actually find everything here – and I could. 

 

My criteria for this week’s contest was that the recipe be:

1. Creative, and
2. Accessible

 

I will say, I’m glad I didn’t put “ease of recipe”, because I couldn’t have picked this recipe as the winner if I had.

 

so…

 

the winner of BSI Spinach is….

 

Sarah, from Tales of Expansion for her  Citrus-Berry Spinach & Goat Cheese Ravioli with Balsamic Glaze !!!!

 

Congrats Sarah!!! Please email me so we can figure out the details of your prize from The Chocolate Spike!

 

At first, I wasn’t sure I could find all the ingredients, but I think it’s because the recipe was just a bit more complicated than some of the others that I kind of glossed over the ingredients the first time I read it.

 

If you have NOT looked at her recipe, do so now!!! The mix of spinach, oranges, balsamic, and goat cheese sounds and LOOKS amazing  :) It is something I would have never thought of putting together and something I’ve never really seen before in any other recipes, which is what put it over the edge.

 

Thanks again for everyone who participated – Nick and I wanted to try every single recipe after looking at them, and that’s after we had just eaten dinner!!! 

 

 

Make sure to go see Mara tomorrow for this week’s BSI contest!  She’ll be picking/announcing the ingredient sometime tomorrow.

 

I honestly wish I could pick EVERY. SINGLE. BSI entry to win!!!  They are all so creative and accessible!

I can’t wait to finalize and announce the winner tonight!

But first, lunch – before I have to get back to work   :)

Leftover whole wheat couscous topped with a veggie burger

Some green beans

An apple

and for dessert?

2 mini dark chocolate Toblerone that Nick packed in his lunch for me  :)

These 2 were only 64 calories (total!) – that’s low points for any WW people reading this!

Overall, it was a good lunch!

Protein – check!

Whole grains – check!

veggie – check!

fruit – check!

dark chocolate – check!

See you later for the BSI WINNER!!!

PLEASE stop by Meghann’s blog and bid on an awesome baked good!  The proceeds will go to her Team in Training fundraising efforts! There are some really good looking baked goods donated by readers and other bloggers!

ALSO – Zestycook is having a really cool giveaway!  Make sure to stop by and enter  :)