Some like it HOT!

I bet when you think of hot, the last thing that pops into your mind is chickpeas.  For me, chickpeas (garbanzo beans) on their own are just kind of bland and I’m really not big on the texture, but pop those babies in the oven with some spice or turn them into hummus and OMG, I’m all over them. 

These roasted morsels are chock full of flavor, good for you and ridiculously easy to make.  And like always, they are relatively cheap to make too (I know we all can stand to save as much as we can in these tough financial times).

Roasted Spicy Chickpeas
Ingredients:

• 2 cans of chickpeas (15 oz.)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• Salt to taste

*Spices can be varied for taste/preferences (I like my stuff with a good spicy kick to it).


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Rinse and drain the chickpeas.  I use a towel to pat away any additional moisture. 

Toss chickpeas in bowl and coat with olive oil.  Add spices and stir until fully covered and distributed.

Transfer chickpeas to baking sheet (cover sheet with foil if you would like a quick clean). 



Bake for 45-60 minutes until at desired texture (I bake mine longer in order to have a more crunchy texture). Stir or shake them every 20 minutes or so to get even browning/prevent overcooking.

Enjoy! These are great on their own, but I love throwing them on a salad too for a little extra flavor and a protein punch!



These are seriously one of my favorite snacks.  They’re super portable and easy to make.

Some other benefits to chickpeas (garbanzo beans):

• Great source of vegetarian protein
• Contains lots of minerals, such as calcium, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc.
• Low on glycemic index, which is important for keeping blood sugar levels stable
• Lots of fiber, so you feel full longer and great for colon and digestive health.

Do you have a favorite healthy spicy snack? Share your recipe!

Park the Phone

Did you know that over 5000 people were killed and nearly 1/2 million were injured in 2009 from distracted driving accidents? 

To me that’s a staggering and scary statistic.  Just think about how many people you see on the roads multitasking, whether it be texting, talking on the phone, scarfing down a burger or touching up their makeup.  Think about how often you do it.  The problem is that everyone thinks that they are great at it and that it would never be them that causes the accident and gets hurt or injures/kills another.  No one wants to believe that it could be them, or their family or friends.  No one wants to think that they are susceptible.



You are probably wondering why I’m even talking about this.  Normally my blog is filled with recipes, life musings, photos and fitness stuff, but this all began with a project for a class.  For the past month, I’ve been engrossed in a project for my public health class.  I’ve researched, heard stories and even conducted my own survey in our area to see how prevalent of an issue this is.  In our area of Mid Michigan, over 98% of driver’s admitted to distracted driving.  The biggest culprits: texting, eating, talking on the phone and passengers.  Using a cell phone alone affects your reaction time as much as though you were legally drunk (0.08 blood alcohol content).  In fact, you’re four times more likely to get in an accident while using a hand-held device, such as a cell phone. 

As much as there is a taboo upon drinking and driving, often texting while driving is accepted.  If everyone were to actually think about the consequences of their inattentiveness maybe it would not be such an accepted behavior.  I guess, it just comes down to being aware of how your driving is affected by these distractions.  Have you ever really thought about it?  All it takes is one second to look away and your life (and other’s) could be changed forever. The norm needs to change.



The good news, this is becoming a more prevalent issue in our society that is being brought to attention.  It’s insane to see how many campaigns are out there to tackle this problem and how many different ways its been approached.  I’m excited to say that we are actively working on a campaign on our campus and seeking funding right now.  It’s excited to see our hard work turn into something real.  A simple class project is now becoming a real life campaign that could possible and hopefully have an influence on others. 

Working on this project has really made me think about how I’m so grateful and happy that I’ve changed my career focus.  I’m excited to be involved in campaigns that bring awareness and change.  I love submerging myself in these projects and hoping to inspire change and healthier habits in others.  I know it’s often going to be a long, trying journey, but I’m excited for the challenge. 

Bring it on.

Snow Day & Loving it!!

Was anyone else out there in the virtual world granted a snow day?  We were and it was so unexpected and very appreciated (especially since I have a midterm for my online class Friday that I desperately needed to study for).  My work called me off yesterday before the storm even hit and the University closed so the hubby didn’t have to go to work either. Yay!
Most the morning was spent inside since it was still snowing like crazy and windier than ever.  Snuggled on the couch as we both worked on things (studying for I, and websites for Ryan).  Finally midday we ventured out to discover just how deep the snow was.  Snapped a few pictures as well (like always, click on photos for larger view).

Our Casa

Car was buried!

As pretty as our willow tree is, it's a mess to clean with all the branches

The husbands working hard.  He did the whole 125 ft driveway too!

So much snow that it was way over the pooch.

Struggling to make it through.

As for now, I’m taking a mini-break from school work, relaxing and waiting for homemade tortilla soup to simmer a bit longer. I sure hope that you’re all staying warm and maybe lucky enough to enjoy a snow day too.

Did anyone have a snow day today? Any crazy weather hit you or heading your way?

Perfect For a Chilly Morning...

There is nothing more that I love than having the weekend off, especially those days where nothing is planned.  I forgot what it was like to actually have time for yourself after working myself to the bone for the past 2 years.  I’m still busy as ever, but have made it a priority to always make sure to save time for myself & those I love. 

But I digress…

I get bored with most recipes pretty quickly, so I’m always on the search for new recipes to try.  I kept reading about amazing egg breakfast dishes so I decided to finally give quiche a try.  This recipe is simple, hearty & full of veggies.  It was a freezing morning here as well (it got down to -15 that night) so I was looking for any excuse to use the stove and warm the house up.

Veggie Quiche


Ingredients:

• Pastry pie shell
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 3/4 cup broccoli heads (fresh)
• Handful of fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup of sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 4 eggs beaten
• Liquid egg whites
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:


Preheat oven to 375.  Also be sure that your pie crust is completely defrosted.

In small skillet, sauté the onion, broccoli, spinach and tomatoes with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil.  Sauté until the onions are slightly transparent. 

Once sautéed, place the veggies into the bottom of the pie crust.


Doesn’t this look amazing already?

Sprinkle with half of the cheddar cheese.

Beat 4 eggs well and mix in the rest of the cheese to the beaten eggs.

Pour egg and cheese mix over the veggies.


Add egg whites until pie shell is nearly full.  I would estimate it would be about a half cup of egg whites, but it varies depending on the amount of vegetables you use.

Place in oven & let bake for 30-35 minutes, until it is golden, puffed out and no longer wiggly in the middle.

We ate soon after it cooled and then nestled back into bed to catch up on reading and enjoy some movies on a freezing day.

The condensation on the windows made it so dark and gloomy in our kitchen.  It certainly makes it much harder to take pictures that aren't blurry or dark.

Winter wonderland out there!

What’s your favorite cool morning breakfast recipe? Have you had quiche before?  How do you like to spend your weekend mornings?

Fast, fabulous & filling!

Want a quick & healthy recipe for those days where you have little to no energy to cook up dinner?  This is definitely one of my favorite recipes for days when I’m short on time or motivation (like today after studying all day).  It’s great because it’s very few ingredients and also uses few dishes for prep so clean up is a breeze.  Within 30 minutes you’re in and out of the kitchen with a fabulous, healthy meal to boot!

Balsamic Tilapia with Brown Rice


Ingredients:

• 1 cup instant brown rice
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 tilapia fillets (any white flaky fish would work)
• 1+ cup of fresh spinach leaves
• 1/8 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing
• 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes (Italian seasoned are my favorite)
• 1 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Directions:


Heat oven to 375.

Assemble 2 sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil on a baking sheet with the sides slightly turned up (into a shallow bowl).  Pour 1/2 cup of brown rice into center of each foil. Pour 1/3 cup of water over each mound of rice. 

Spoon 1/4 of can of tomatoes on top of rice and then place tilapia on top of rice and tomatoes.

Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette dressing onto each fillet, then top with remaining tomatoes (including the juice).  Finally, pile high with plenty of fresh spinach. 

Doesn’t that look delicious?!


Once assembled, bring up foil sides.  Fold ends and sides up to seal (allow a little room for heat circulation).
Bake 25 minutes.  Cut several slits in the top of foil when you take out of oven in order to let steam escape.  Sprinkle with parmesan & enjoy!
 
I know this isn’t the most appetizing picture, but I promise you that it’s amazing & super simple!

What’s your favorite 30 minute and under meal?

Eye Opener

Yesterday was my first day of class in over 3 years.  It’s definitely interesting to head back to school after so long.  It gives you a different perspective and certainly will take me some time to get back into the routine of things. 

But anyways…


I head into my first class and the professor starts with the normal review of the syllabus and a little description of herself, which then lead into her wanting to get to know a little bit more about us.  She had already done her work.  For each and everyone of us, she had done an online search…and let me tell you: there were some incredibly embarrassed students in the class.  She had created a power point page for each and every one of the students in the class: 35 total.  One by one, each and everyone of us was broadcast on the screen: pictures, interests, quotes, beliefs, etc. that were pulled from our Facebook, Twitter, & blog accounts.  Talk about a first impression that was set for most of us.  You can bet that I was thrilled that I had recently set my privacy settings high on Facebook (not so great pictures could have been found), and as for Twitter, it’s in my married name (I go by my maiden name in school).  I would say that a good 50%+ of the students had items broadcast that most certainly were not things that most would want their parents, professors, or employers to see.



At this point you’re probably wondering what I’m getting at…

Be careful what you put out there. Utilize privacy settings. Think before you post. Would you want potential employers, family members, your children to see this?


Although many students left the class red-faced, it did drill home the point.  I think this is especially an important thing to consider if you are going into any health & education field.  Not only are you performing a job, but most of the time you are a walking role model.  You represent what you teach/promote.  Most, if not all, of my classmates are going into the public health field and emphasizing a healthy lifestyle, so the photos of alcohol and drug abuse certainly do not seem to go along with the ideals that they are pushing.  Think:



The pot calling the kettle black?


You may be wondering how to protect yourself.  Here are a few tips:

• Google yourself – See what is out there about yourself and take steps to rid yourself of the negative things.
• Utilize privacy settings – I don’t think there is a complete need to make everything 100% private, as some things can show your personality, skills & talents, but be aware that things could be misconstrued or viewed different by potential employers (more than 70% of employers now Google potential employees).
• Take your online reputation seriously – If negative hits come up, crowd them with positive ones.  By doing so, all the good things about you will surface before negative ones. 
• Claim the real estate on your name – Build accounts on social network sites, so no one else can build one claiming to be you and portraying you in a negative light.

The online world is great for many, many things, but just be smart about it.

Has anyone had any online postings bite them in the butt?  How about positive experiences? What would your professor/employer see if they looked you up right now?

Practice Your Battle Cry!

I finally did it…I signed up for Warrior Dash.  I remember looking at all the photos of it last year in Chicago and thinking how great it would be if there were one in Michigan.  Lo and behold, I tweeted about it & a friend of the hubby saw and tipped me off that there would indeed be a Michigan one this year.  After going back and forth about it, we signed up and we’re PUMPED!  I mean, there’s running….

costumes…

obstacles…

mud…

LOTS of mud…

and fire...

Followed by lots of food, free beer & friends…

I’m really excited about it, although a bit nervous since I haven’t “ran” (the short gym warm-ups don’t count) since August.  This is perfect because not only does it help me to begin to complete my resolutions, but makes me start to get a move on and jumpstart my fitness plans for the year.  To make it better we are competing with a ton of friends so it should be a really awesome time.  I foresee lots of running and playing on the monkey bars/playground once the weather warms up a bit.  I’m doing this mostly for fun, but I’m not going to lie and say that I don’t want to totally kick butt doing so.

Has anyone ran this before or plan on doing so this year?  How about any other off the wall races?