Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 12:39 PM
She works hard for the money
so hard for it honey
she works hard for the money
so you better treat her right
Ya know, I do! 
Snack
Before heading to NuVal this morning, I snacked on an apple while I caught up with some blog stuff. Yesterday’s Ecto fiasco put me a day behind with everything, but I’m just about caught up now.
Lunch
Today’s lunch included a variety of goodies: Fage + nuts + dried fruit.
And, also a homemade salad and cantaloupe.
Great lunch! 
Fetching Tags
Ok, I admit it. My dog is spoiled. His parents just love him so much!
Oooh, that’s the spot! Ear rubs feel sooooo good!
Ok, just have to share… I love these Fetching Tags! I think Murphy needs ones that says: I’M SPOILED. I also love “Show Me The Treat” because Murphy will do just about anything for food!
If you have a special doggie in your life, be sure to check out the selection of Fetching Tags in my OpenSky shop. They’re so fun!
Wedding Wine Tasting
FREE wedding event at Gordon’s tomorrow night! 
Guest Post: Julie from Savvy Eats
Hello Carrots ‘n’ Cake readers, Julie from Savvy Eats here! As a relatively new blogger, I’m excited to share some of my favorite healthy travel snacks and meals with a twist with you. If you’re a reader of my blog, you know that I’ve been traveling quite a bit lately. Whether I am spending 14+ hours at LAX or driving from Wisconsin to New York, I try to be well-stocked with healthy eats.
Trust me, you don’t want to be stuck hungry in the middle of nowhere on your road trip, with your only fuel options coming from a gas station or worse, a vending machine. Have you ever been on the flight that gets delayed on the runway for an hour or more? I have. If you have no food with you, you will not be a happy traveler.
Bring some fruit and veggies with you that travel well. Apples and oranges do not bruise as easily as other fruits, and are therefore good for traveling. You could also throw some berries or melon in a Tupperware container. As for veggies, pack some carrot sticks, bell pepper slices, or snap peas for a crunchy, hydrating snack!
If you aren’t going through airport security, you could bring a small container of hummus or your favorite nut butter for dipping as well. Or, use one of my favorites: ¼ c. pumpkin puree blended with ¼ c. peanut butter. All of these should keep well for a few hours if you don’t have a cooler available. If you do have one with you, you’re all set!
Sandwiches and wraps always travel well. I love to have leftovers for lunches when I am at class or work, but I don’t like bringing them on planes or car trips; I don’t want the smell to bother my fellow travelers! This is where sandwiches and wraps come in handy. Get creative!
For some extra protein and fiber, try packing some roasted chickpeas! They are my new favorite snack, and are so simple!
All you have to do is drain and pat dry some chickpeas. Toss them with olive oil and your spices of choice. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 425 F for 35 minutes. They will come out browned and crispy. And much healthier and filling than a bag of chips! Just make sure to store them in a well-sealed container so that they don’t get soft and chewy before you get to them.
I hope I’ve inspired you to pack some healthy snacks with a twist the next time you travel!
Posted by: Tina
Posted in: Uncategorized, guest blogger
Tags: Fetching Tags, Gordon's Wine, Wedding Tasting
Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at 01:35 PM
Hi, guys! 
I’m putting in a couple of extra hours at NuVal today and tomorrow, so I prepared this afternoon’s lunch post right after eating breakfast this morning. It was sort of weird blogging about lunch just minutes after finishing my breakfast post, but I guess it’s never too early to start thinking about your next meal!
Lunch
Once again, I tried to pack another well-rounded lunch that covered the nutritional bases. I’m probably a little low in the protein department, but I think I did well everywhere else.
Carrots and Oikos Greek yogurt + Uncle Sam’s cereal.
A Gala apple and FruityNut bar.
And now for a guest post…
Guest Post: My First Marathon
Hello Carrots ‘N’ Cake readers! I’m grateful for the opportunity to write a guest post here on Tina’s blog to share the story of my first marathon experience.
I’d always dreamed of completing a marathon someday. But I only dreamed, until one day 7 months ago, when I did something crazy. On a whim, I entered my name into the lottery for the New York City Marathon. When I clicked “submit” I assured myself that I wouldn’t get in, because after all, I have never known anyone to get in through the lottery. Well, imagine my surprise a month later when I got an e-mail saying: “Congratulations! You’ve been accepted into the 2009 New York City Marathon!” After reading the e-mail, I was slightly in shock, but quickly decided to get up and moving and begin the journey of training for a marathon.
Since I began training for this marathon, many people have said to me, “I could never run a marathon.” Well, I’m here to tell you that if I can do it, anyone can. It’s not easy, but it is an attainable goal. I’ll never forget the first time I attempted to run a mile – I only made it about 3 minutes before having to walk the rest of the way. I slowly built up my endurance and completed a 5K. I then moved on to a 10K and then a couple of half-marathons before deciding I wanted to attempt a full marathon. I’ve never been a fast runner and my goal with each race I enter is to simply finish. I encourage anyone with a dream of completing a marathon to give it a try. Your body will surprise you with what it is capable of doing.
While creating my training schedule I questioned how I would stay motivated during this time, considering I would be tackling this alone. At this point, I decided to begin writing a blog, runningtails.wordpress.com, to hold myself accountable and allow my family and friends to be updated on my training. It was the best decision I made during the training process. Blogging about the trials and tribulations of marathon training not only held me accountable to my running schedule, but also gave me an outlet to share my accomplishments and frustrations.
Running the New York City Marathon was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Although I had been warned it was a challenging course, I knew that this was the marathon I wanted to be my first. The crowds and bands along the way were loud and encouraging. The views of the Manhattan Skyline were breathtaking as I crossed the various bridges throughout the course. By far, the best view along the course came just after re-entering Central Park and seeing the finish line ahead, lined with crowded bleachers that were filled with cheering fans. I definitely hit “the wall” at mile 20 and struggled to make it to the end, but crossing that finish line was one of the proudest moments of my life. I had become a marathoner. Something I had only dreamed of for so long.
So if you have always had that dream of running a marathon, go for it! Start slow, start a blog, and start chasing that dream.
NuVal Buzz
Check out the giveaway on Trading Up Downtown! 
Did you know that some beans score a 100 on the NuVal scale? Check out Melissa’s recent post: The Beans that Scored 100.
Yale researcher’s nutrition system promotes health
Question of the Day
For those of you on board for Lose the Dough, what type of information do you want me to include as part of my game plan?
Posted by: Tina
Posted in: Uncategorized, guest blogger
Tags: Oikos Strawberry, Paley FruityNut bar, Uncle Sam cereal
Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 06:59 AM
Hello Carrots N Cake readers! My name is Maria Lichty and my blog is Two Peas and Their Pod. I started a food blog a little over a year ago, with my handsome husband, Josh. We are a great team and have a lot of fun in the kitchen. We love trying new recipes, techniques, and flavors. We try to keep it healthy, but of course we have to splurge once in awhile. I agree with Tina, it is all about a healthy balance.
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Health Promotion and work as a health educator for Utah’s worksite wellness program, Healthy Utah. I enjoy teaching and encouraging people to live a healthy lifestyle. Today I am going to share a few tips and tricks about portion control.
Have you noticed that the size of muffins, chocolate bars, sandwiches, bagels, and soft drinks are growing? Portion sizes are out of control! As portion sizes grow, we tend to eat much more than we need to stay healthy. Here are a few tips to help you control your portions.
The first step to mastering portion control is to identify what a recommended serving of your food selections looks like. If you are not sure what a correct portion size is, visit this site for some help: Making Sense of Portion Sizes.
Try measuring your food for awhile to see if you are eating the proper portion sizes. I like to measure out my cereal, pasta, cottage cheese, etc. Use measuring cups, spoons, and/or a food scale. You do not need to measure and count everything you eat for the rest of your life; just long enough to recognize standard serving sizes. Another helpful hint is to fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, ¼ with a lean protein, and the other ¼ with a whole grain. I love these fashionable portion plates from Slimware. They are trendy, fun, and can help guide you to eat proper portions.
Here are a few other tips to try:
- Don’t eat family style meals. If the food is in front of you, it is harder to avoid seconds. Fix yourself a plate and put the food away. Eat the leftovers for lunch the next day or freeze for later.
- Replace large plates with smaller ones. I always eat my dinner on a salad plate.
- Eat slowly so your brain can get the message that your stomach is full.
- Don’t eat in front of the television. People tend to mindlessly eat while watching TV. Sit at the table and focus on your food.
- Allow yourself to have a healthy snack, such as a piece of fresh fruit or veggies with hummus. This will help curb your hunger so you don’t over-eat when it’s meal time.
- Keep unhealthy snacks out of sight. If a bowl of M&M’s is staring you down, it is hard to resist. Instead, keep a bowl of fruit on the counter.
- If buy in bulk, repackage the food into small individual serving sizes. For example, I like to measure out a serving of almonds and put them in a little baggie so I am not tempted to eat the entire bag.
Try to prepare more meals at home. It will save you money, fat, and calories. When you do eat out, try these tips to help you control portions:
- Share your meal, order a half-portion, or order an appetizer as a main meal.
- Ask the waiter/waitress to remove the free bread or chips. They are too tempting!
- Drink water-the perfect beverage. Avoid calorie loaded soft drinks and sugar-sweetened beverages.
- Stop eating when you begin to feel full. Focus on enjoying the setting, company, and conversation instead.
- When traveling, bring along nutritious snacks such as: whole grain crackers, fruit, string cheese, nuts, yogurt, and bottled water. Being prepared will prevent you from stocking up on unhealthy treats at the gas station or going through the drive thru.
Do you have any portion control tips to share? Please comment below. Again, I believe in a healthy balance. It is ok to splurge once in awhile, but try to keep it healthy most of the time.
Posted by: Tina
Posted in: guest blogger
Tags: portion control
