Sunday, Smiles, and Recipes

Hello friends! Yet another new week is about to begin! How exciting It’s like a breath of fresh air Truthfully, I really do look forward to Mondays. New beginnings are always great, but, really, you can turn anything around and look at it as a “new beginning” or a “fresh start”. That’s exactly what I did with my day today…

Sundays have always been a “family” type of day for me.

My parents and I usually start off our Sundays with church which is always a great way to spend an hour together as a family After church my Dad usually spend time cooking with each other. We always tried to create a new recipe on Sundays

(This is a picture of my Dad and I this summer testing out new marinades on a few racks of ribs!)

The rest of the day would be spent with my Mom and Dad doing various things around the house and in our back yard. My Mom and I always liked to wrap up the day with a walk around our neighbourhood

(Mom and I heading out for our first walk of the summer once I came home this June!)

Yes, Sundays are family days for me, so I find Sundays to be “hard days” while being away… I try to occupy myself by scheduling a gym session in the morning and leaving my homework and meal prep for the week on this day, but today I was having a hard time getting out of my funky Sunday mood.

I’m not sure why it was so hard for me to turn this particular Sunday into something positive, but it was. Maybe I know I’ll be home in less than a week, so I just want this coming week to fly by as fast as possible.

Even though today was tougher than usual Sundays, I did manage to turn it around and “start fresh” Thanks to a little help…

A call from my Mom can always help me out She always seems to know what to say. I guess it’s that “motherly nature” she is ever so blessed with. In my opinion, she is the worlds best Mom I chatted to my Mom for a while and over the course of our conversation she convinced me to go to the mall. Not like it takes a shopaholic much convincing to go to the mall, but she basically ordered me to go to the mall and buy some new shoes for myself

Shopping = Happy Meg, so off to the mall I went

While driving to the mall, some other things brought a smile to my face

Feel good songs were playing on my CD player when I got into my car I have an old, old mixed CD in my car and it always brings back memories of my friends and I driving around town way back when we were young and 16 Some of the songs that played on my way to the mall were:

Brittany Spears – I Love Rock ‘n Roll

Hilary Duff – Sweet 16

Skye Sweetnam – Billy S

(I told you the CD was old old!)

I also noticed a nose picker in my rear view mirror, so I got a chuckle out of that You’re never too old or too glum to laugh at someone picking their nose and driving…

My trip to the mall was successful and I actually spent less money than I thought I would, but I came home with more purchases than I thought I would as well!

How on Earth does that work!?

NO I did not steal.

Gift cards!  

I got a steal of a deal on my shoes

And used my GAP gift card to buy these

And my Aritzia gift card to buy this

It was a great day of shopping However, I was a little disappointed…

I spent so much time in Aritzia, that by the time I was ready to purchase my top, the mall was closing. Which means, by the time I got upstairs to DavidsTea it was locked up  

A closed DavidsTea = a sad Meg

Luckily, I am an addict and have my own stash at home So I’m currently sipping on one of my favourites, Banana Nut Bread! It honestly tastes exactly like banana nut bread boys and girls. I do not lie.

Now as promised, recipes!

All Natural PB&J

Spread your favourite all natural nut butter on an Ezekiel english muffin or a piece of toast and top with raspberries (or any fresh fruit!)

Crunchy Carrot and Chickpea Salad

1 cup chickpeas (I used canned)

1 cup shredded carrot

2/3 cup chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup diced green onion

1 Tbsp sunflower seeds

chopped fresh dill

pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients together and dress with…

White Wine Citrus Vinaigrette

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp lemon juice

I hope your enjoyed my recipes I have been loving this salad as a side for my lunch this week! Let me know if you test it out

I’m off to a student council meeting now! Hopefully I get good feedback from the Homecoming Parade!  

Talk to you all tomorrow!

Love always,

Meg
xoxo

Do you dread or love Mondays?
Does anyone have the same experience with Sundays as me?
Any shopping sprees lately? What did you buy?

The Return of the Shopaholic

Hey friends!! How’s everyone’s weekend going!?

I just returned from grocery shopping  My favourite pass time

I love grocery shopping and usually *cough* always *cough* buy more than I went for Last year, when I lived in residence, I bought more than my teenie weenie bar fridge could hold. Lucky me, I don’t have to deal with that this year Having said that, I am glad I lived on residence for my first year in London Things wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t. I wouldn’t change a thing

I bought a ton of groceries, as you can see above. The entire elevator ride up to my apartment I was giving thanks for my Dad’s brilliant idea to purchase the granny grocery stroller It sure helps me out when I get carried away at Costco!

I am so pumped that I have an incredible packed fridge and freezer now It gives me more inspiration for new recipes

Not like I am running out of ideas though…

This morning I developed another new fall-time recipe Call me obsessed with the new season?
I can’t get enough of the fresh apples here Definitely not something I got back in Saskatchewan

Apple Cinnamon Sweet Potato Cakes

1 sweet potato (4 oz.), grated

1/2 apple, peeled, cored, and grated

1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp egg whites

1 1/2 Tbsp soy flour

cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together

Take a 1/4 cup of mixture, press into measuring cup firmly, and drop onto heated skillet with olive oil

Flip the cake once golden on one side. Remove from heat once both sides are golden.

I served mine with a dollop of Greek yogurt on each cake and more cinnamon! (Along side 2 eggies!)

This breakfast fuelled my hammie & glutes workout that made me sweat!! I rarely sweat when working out. I usually only sweat during HIIT, but this was a killer leg workout inspired by Naomi Her workouts are intense I love them.

Hamstrings & Glutes

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Triset #1
Lying Hamstring Curls	3	8
Reverse Lunge w/ Barbell	3	12, 10, 8 (increasing weight)
Low Jacks	3	50 sec.
Triset #2
DB Step Ups	3	10 each leg
Hip Thrusters w/ Barbell	3	20
Bosu Leg Crunch w/ Medicine Ball	3	15 each leg
Triset #3
Straight Leg Deadlift	3	10
Plié Squats w/ DB	3	15
Russian Twists w/ Medicine Ball	3	20 each side

I was feeling fantastic after this workout, but my legs were definitely like jelly I love that feeling I finished with 10 minutes of stretching.

Homework has been going great today. I have completed all of my readings for Nutritional Assessment, now I will move onto Clinical then Advance Food Science. My to do list is getting smaller and smaller But it won’t if I keep chatting …

Enjoy your evening!

Meg
xoxo

P.S. did you remember to check out Jess’ blog and read my guest post? Check it out kids!

What is your favourite way to pass the time?

Love or hate grocery shopping? I love it, obviously

What was your most recent favourite purchase at the grocery store? Mine, ALMOND BUTTER (I ran out, so I was in desperate need!)