I think we’ve had the earliest below zero temperature in like 18 years.  Yesterday morning it was 3 degrees when I got up, but with the wind chill it felt like –15.  It’s days like yesterday that I don’t miss working in Chicago.  At the last firm I worked at it was a mile walk from the train station – not fun in that kind of weather!

I had more breakfast tacos with Chobani.  I literally could eat this meal every day and never get sick of it.

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I just love how crispy the tacos get in the toaster oven – crunchy goodness!

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I had to run out to pick up lunch again yesterday for a client and some of the attorneys.  This time I went to Noodles & Co.  Hannah was telling me the last time she went her friend Melody got this Thai Hot Pot.  She texted me the picture last week and said “Mom, you would love this soup – it’s so spicy!”  They describe it as “Our 30-ingredient curry broth, fresh cabbage blend, sprouts, Fresno peppers, shiitake mushrooms, a sprinkling of rice noodles, pulled chicken and pork. Finished with a lime wedge and a sprig of cilantro and served with a side of toasted Asian flatbread.”  The whole bowl is 560 calories.

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But the $8.49 cent price tag for soup?  Couldn’t pull the trigger on that.  As I am looking at the soup I kept thinking “I could make 3 pots of that soup for $8.49 cents!”  So I am going to search for a recipe and make it next week for lunches.  Turns out I like spicy shit.

I signed up for 8 days of Fitmas at my gym.  It started on Monday, but I worked through lunch and missed that day – each day you are handed an activity and if you do it, you get a small prize.  I missed out on a water bottle Monday.  Yesterday my task was 100 crunches.

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I got a cute tin of breath mints – perfect for the car.

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I was SO happy to get back to the gym.  I hadn’t been since last Thursday and I was already beginning to feel . . .squishier?  But then I took this picture and realized a few days away from the gym didn’t really change much, but I realize how important exercise is and two jobs or not, I need to find the time to get that in.

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  • Barbell Squat: 30 reps
  • Leg Press: 30 reps
  • Stiff-Legged Deadlift: 30 reps
  • Barbell Lunge: 30 reps
  • Calf Press in leg press machine: 30 reps

That routine took me 40 minutes to complete.  With the barbell lunges, I do my right side, then my left side – and that’s one rep.  Um, 30 reps is a lot people!  I was actually sweating!

I got back to work and heated up the rest of my noodleless lasagna soup – two whole cups – and had half a toasted bagel on the side.  I actually don’t miss the noodles!

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I have to thank everyone who let me know that the sriracha plant in California is closing.   My blog reader friend Peggy left messages both on my facebook page and by email telling me to stock up and blog reader Aimee said she saw this recipe and immediately thought of me.   WHISKEY SRIRACHA CARAMEL CORNUm, yes please!

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Which brings us to another episode of texting with Tony! You may even note that I changed his name on my phone – ha!

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My family loves spicy stuff, so this may be made this weekend!

Since I worked over the weekend I never did a menu plan.  I knew I had leftover chicken from the roast chicken we did on Sunday night.  I told Tony what his choices were “chicken tacos, chicken quesadillas, chicken naches, or pasta with chicken and alfredo sauce.”  What did he choose?  Plain spaghetti with butter and Parmesan cheese.  Only one tiny problem.  We are out of Parmesan cheese.  So he ended up having buttered noodles with salt and pepper.  I said “how about a blue cheese alfredo sauce?” to which he said “blue cheese and pasta don’t go together!”  I beg to differ.

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I do have to tell you that I used gorgonzola cheese, not blue cheese.  There is a difference.  Blue cheese is a category of cheese that has just spots or stripes of mold.  Gorgonzola has green/blue marbling of mold and is much more crumbly than blue cheese.  They actually insert metal rods over the course of 3-4 months to promote the growth of mold, and interestingly enough, has no saturated fat like blue cheese.  Can you tell I love cheese?!  Look at all that moldy goodness!

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While the picture sucks ass, this was so good.  And now as I look at this picture I should have crumbled a bit more over the top of this dish for some extra kick.  I puffy heart cheese.

Stats for the Day:

  • 1553 calories, 56 fat, 169 carbs, 96 protein, 19 fiber
  • 43% of calories from carbs, 32% from fat and 24% from protein
  • 40 minutes of legs for strength
  • average blood sugar 147

And based on everyone’s comments yesterday, I have to admit . . . Tony was right.  No one except my family knows Lit’l Smokies as Weenie Winks.  Hurts to say Tony was right though! Open-mouthed smile

I am off to shovel and scrape snow off the cars – we probably got another two inches of snow overnight?  Make it a great day!