Hello! Happy Hump Day! 
Let’s get right to it!
Lunch
Lunch was a whole slew of goodies this afternoon. I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to eat today, so I just went with a bunch of my tried and true favorites. You see, I make my lunch either the night before or in the morning before work. Usually, I have a craving for something specific, but today, I really didn’t… except for cookies, but when don’t I? 
Today’s lunch included an arugula salad with grape tomatoes, celery, carrots, and black olives.
On the side, I had some almonds, which I recently learned make a great snack!
Almonds + apple.
And, finally, I enjoyed some homemade cookies! 
I felt like baking this morning, so I threw together a bunch of ingredients to make some Pumped-Up Pumpkin Cookies. This batch turned out pretty darn delicious– slightly sweet, thick, and chewy. And, these cookies are made with a whole slew of healthy ingredients. They are definitely pumped-up in the nutrition department!
I may or may not have eaten a couple of these babies right out of the oven!
Pumped-Up Pumpkin Cookies
Makes 12 cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 canned pumpkin
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup vanilla hemp milk
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350*F
- Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl or food processor
- Coat baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray
- Use tablespoon to portion cookies onto baking sheet
- Bake for 15-18 minutes
Today’s lunch was good all around!
Workout
After NuVal, I’m heading to the gym for an elliptical workout. My muscles are sore from Body Pump last night, and I want to give my hip a rest from running, so an easy, magazine-reading elliptical workout is on the agenda. I just want to get my heart-pumping and veg-out for 45 minutes, ya know?
Feel Great Weight
You may have seen my panicked tweets about Murphy on Twitter a couple of weeks ago. He ended up choking, so Mal and I rushed him to the vet. Everything turned out okay, but who would have thought that my dog would help me pay more attention to my own eating habits!? Read about Murphy’s little scare and my experiment to slow down: 3 Ways to Eat Slowly (and Lose Weight).
Got a Question for the RD?
Rachel Rodek, one of NuVal’s Registered Dietitians, has offered to answer some reader questions– related to NuVal or nutrition in general. Ask your question(s) here!!!
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Baking in the morning? on a weekday?! you never cease to amaze (and inspire!) me. These Pumped-Up Pumpkin Cookies look fantastic! I plan on making them this weekend — or maybe tomorrow
so glad to hear that lil Murphy is OK — and he served as a great reminder to us all (so at least his ordeal wasn’t in vain!)
Have a great afternoon
I’m liking all this baking I’m seeing lately Tina.
Keep it up…but I must go and clean up my drool now.
Wow what time do you have to get up to bake before work!!?? I dread to think haha!!
Love your lunch, looks so delicious – espec the almonds
I love those ‘vegged out workouts’ where tyou still work your butt off but also it feels relaxing and good for your muscles and joints
enjoy the elliptical!! oh and love the siggis bag you got there 
Glad to hear that Murphy’s doing okay!
Mmm homemade cookies. Also, apples with almonds (or, um, almond BUTTER tastytasty
) is such a fantastic snack. I love how energizing it is.
I book marked this page so I could try those pumpkin cookies sometime! I have a batch of your banana chip ones in my freezer right now. (I made them the other day but was trying to avoid eating all of them!)
Those cookies sound like my morning bowl of oats just about! That makes for a pretty compelling reason to bake ‘em.
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I love black olives – they’re so good!
Glad Murphy’s okay! Sometimes I wonder if Maggie will ever choke when she’s eating. She INHALES her food! It’s crazy how fast she can put down a bowl of dog food.
Those cookies sound so good – how do you have time to bake in the morning?!?!
great article on Health.com! I especially liked your tip to make whatever you’re eating a little more special. I think it’s a good excuse for me to get some cute serving dishes too.
I’m glad Muprhy is OK. I remember the first time my dog choked. It’s so scary. I totally cried.
I saw a cute cute pug last night in a car in a parking lot and lot of your little Murphster!
Those cookies do look outstanding
loved your article!
i think i eat like murphy! i swear every time my fiance & i go out to dinner the waiter comments on how fast we are! you’d think we were racing or something!
Oh man, I am glad everything worked out with Murphy. Poor guy.
Glad to hear Murphy was okay. That must have been scary!
Aww poor murph. Glad he’s ok
Great looking cookies! I have a box of Pumpkin Bread making stuff in my pantry I bought after xmas 50% off that I have been dying to make but I know if I do I would eat it all way to quickly so I have been waiting until closer to Easter so I can give some away to friends & family at that time…………can’t wait about a month to go! =)
Cute that Murphy changed your pace!! I love your gym bag — so fun!
I love that your version of vegging out is doing the elliptical!
I just want to thank you for eating cookies whenever you want! I eat cookies, treats, chocolate, ice cream throughout the day and throughout the week and it’s nice to see someone else let their sweet tooth shine as much as I do
I see it as a good way to get some carbs in to fuel workouts!
Your Murphy stories and pictures are sooo cute. I could literally read a blog just all about him. Glad to know he’s okay!
I have to agree with Shannon that I find it impressive when you just bake something in the morning before work! I’m a morning person, but even still
So sorry about Murph, that’s really scary! Glad he’s doing well. It’s tough when trying to get dogs to slow down.
I am a super fast eater too, so I will have to read that article!
I love arugula- it’s so spicy! I also love that you eat cookies all the time and don’t think twice about it, it just fits into your healthy lifestyle. I want to be like that
The ingredients for your cookies look like those for your breakfast oatmeal! Super healthy and yummers
I barely have time to brush my teeth in the morning. Let alone bake cookies. I’m impressed.
Did your vet give you any recommendations on how to make Murph slow done his eating so he does not scare you again?
I NEED to try these cookies, they look so good and pumpkin is my favorite!
ahh so happy murphy is okay! that is scary. how can murphy learn from this so it doens’t happen again?
@Dynamics: She did! She told us to put one of his toys– like a tennis ball– in his food while he eats. It gets in his way, so he has to eat slower.
I’m so not a morning person so I can’t even fathom getting up early enough to make anything—not even cookies are worth it. I usually make my lunch the night before to save even more time. Glad your pup’s all right. That’s scary!
those cookies sound SOOOOO good! I love really anything with pumpkin, and these sound perfect for a healthy snack! i hope your elliptical time is good…take care of that hip!
Mmm..yummy cookies! Would I be able to sub something for the chia seeds? That’s scary about Murphy choking! Our shorkie is only 6 lbs and I can’t imagine having to race him to the vet :/
I love cookies. Yummm!!
Poor Murphy! I’m glad he’s OK. If the tennis ball doesn’t slow him down enough, you can try a big rock. My parents’ dog has a HUGE rock in his bowl–granted, he’s a ninety-pound chocolate lab and not a little guy like Murphy–but it forces him to take two minutes to eat instead of, say, ten seconds
That cookie recipe sounds delish! and so simple. I can’t wait to check it out! Thanks.
your cookies look great!!!
i hope little Murphy is doing better!!
I love that the pumpkin cookie recipe is vegan too, thanks!
Poor Murphy. My dog eats pretty fast but she seems to “choke” on her water more often. She inhales it! Glad he’s okay
Wow I love the sound of those cookies – and I bet they taste great too!
Sometimes an easy magazine reading workout is the best thing ever!!! Enjoy.
Nice Siggi’s bag. I understand what you mean about the sore muscles, that’s me today too. I’m also taking a lighter workout today.
I absolutely love black olives, especially in salads! Enjoy your veggin’ out workout!! Those pumpkin cookies look so good
Glad Murphy is okay. I’m actually studying to be a vet and we see this issue a ton. Petco or any pet speciality shop sells bowls that help slow down eating. A tennis ball can get pretty gross after a while.
Your blog keeps inspriring me to jump on the treadmill…but want cookies at the same time.
I love it!
you’ve been rockin through that pumpkin can!!!
I’m known to cook in the morning too! Well, not when I need to be at work at 6 o’clock but, past 9 am, I feel like I have the whole morning off!
I love your question – if there was a magic pill that would keep me in shape, I think I would still workout. I just love the feeling of accomplishment after a great work out!
Cookies are always the best way to end lunch.
Jenn
Poor Murphy!!!!
Your salads are looking wonderful these days.
I just made myself a HUGE well as well. Love me greens!
Have you ever tried one of those segmented dog bowls? It helps dogs to eat slower…ours have them, because they WOLF down their food like it is the last meal they’ll ever eat.
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