Look what came in the mail this afternoon: our new personalized Christmas stockings! Hooray! How adorable are these?!?
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On Cyber Monday, these Christmas stockings were on sale at Pottery Barn with free shipping, so I bit the bullet and purchased them. (FYI: I just checked and they’re still on sale!)
![_MG_5769 (800x533)_thumb[1]](http://carrotsncake.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/tues-PM_B572/_MG_5769-800x533_thumb1.jpg "_MG_5769 (800x533)_thumb[1]")
Mal and Murphy have matching stockings since they’re both boys and love the color green, but Murphy’s is pug-size. How cute is that?
![_MG_5762 (533x800)_thumb[1]](http://carrotsncake.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/tues-PM_B572/_MG_5762-533x800_thumb1.jpg "_MG_5762 (533x800)_thumb[1]")
What’s your Christmas stocking look like?
My childhood Christmas stocking is green with a cat on it and Mal’s is an electrical tape masterpiece.Ā
Lunch
Today’s lunch was a mix of goodies: a grilled Vegetable Masala Burger with BBQ sauce, some kale chips.
![_MG_5711 (800x533)_thumb[1]](http://carrotsncake.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/tues-PM_B572/_MG_5711-800x533_thumb1.jpg "_MG_5711 (800x533)_thumb[1]")
And Garlic Gold-roasted chickpeas.
![_MG_5721 (800x533)_thumb[1]](http://carrotsncake.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/tues-PM_B572/_MG_5721-800x533_thumb1.jpg "_MG_5721 (800x533)_thumb[1]")
To make the chickpeas: toss chickpeas with olive oil, sprinkle with Garlic Gold (or garlic powder), and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes on 425*F, mixing occasionally.
![_MG_5704 (800x533)_thumb[1]](http://carrotsncake.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/tues-PM_B572/_MG_5704-800x533_thumb1.jpg "_MG_5704 (800x533)_thumb[1]")
Snack
My afternoon snack was really something SPECIAL today!
Remember when I was losing my hair like crazy because of an iron deficiency? Well, I’m better now, but I bought some frozen mango chunksĀ awhile back sinceĀ mango has both iron and vitamin C and these two nutrients work together for better iron absorption. Long story short, I’ve been looking for new ways (besides smoothies) to incorporate mango into my dietāāand I came up with a delicious, protein-packed Mango Pudding today. Check it out!
Protein-Packed Mango Pudding
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 cup frozen mango chunks
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth or slightly smooth. (I liked the tiny chunks of mango in mine!)
Makes 2 servings
![IMG_0002 (800x600)_thumb[1]](http://carrotsncake.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/tues-PM_B572/IMG_0002-800x600_thumb1.jpg "IMG_0002 (800x600)_thumb[1]")
Holy yum. This stuff is thick and creamy with a slightly sweet mango-vanilla flavor. It’s delicious, nutritious, and so satisfying. Try this one! Trust me, you’ll love it!
Workout
I split my workout into two parts today: Murphy and I went for a 2-mile walk this afternoon, and then Mal and I are going to CrossFit tonight. I think we’re going to sign up! Woohoo!
Snack
My second snack of the day was a banana spread with peanut butter. I sliced it up and ate it with a fork. Much less messy.
P.S. Have you guys seen this dog video yet? A Twitter friend showed it to me, and I’ve watched it at least a dozen times since. It’s hilarious!!!
68 Comments
I just wanted to let you know that calcium blocks the absorption of iron. So while you may no longer have an iron deficiency, if you were using the mango pudding to add more iron into your diet I would stay away from adding any yogurt or dairy product. And, while mango is a good source of vitamin c which does help absorption, it is not an iron rich food. Dark leafy greens and beans are much better vegetarian sources, and shellfish like clams, oysters, and mussels are some of the best sources of heme iron. So shellfish (iron) cooked in a tomato-based sauce (Vitamin C) is one of the best examples of how to maximize the benefit of vitamin c on iron absorption.
@Meghan: Thanks for the info about the calcium! I’ve been trying to eat more kale and not as much caffeine since it also blocks irons absorption, which has been difficult to coordinate with my iced coffee addiction!
Hi Tina, I have been casually reading your blog the past few months and caught that you were heading to Oregon…then I went and read about your last years trip to Oregon and saw you guys fly into Medford. I live pretty close to that area so that’s where we fly out of to go anywhere and I completely feel your pain. I was flying home from Phoenix a few days ago and we almost had to land in Portland and drive to Medford because of freezing fog. So good luck on your trip. Oh and P.S. I love your blog, its very inspiring and also entertaining :).
@Jaclyn: Oh, yes, Mal and I know about that Medford fog. We’ve been stranded a bunch of times. Let’s hope everything works out this time!
My stocking is a sequin masterpiece my Grandmother made me. She made them for our entire family and they just got better with each kid…I was the last kid and therefore I have the most outrageous stocking!! I love it and use it to this day, even though it’s quite a bit fancier than my husband’s. I love it because it reminds of me of my Grandmother and helping her make sequined Christmas decorations when I was younger.
Love your stockings- we have the same ones. I bought them last year. I love how the little ones look like little elf shoes. š
Haha Brian, Bromley, and I have the same EXACT stockings!! Like litterally! Brian and I have the green with the red cuff which we got 2 years ago, and hten last year we ordered Bromley the little one like Murphy’s in the opposite colors haha!
Loving your blog – and Murphy is adorable! š
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Your stockings look great on the mantle! I love mango, so your mango pudding looks delicious! I will definitely be picking up some next time I’m at Trader Joe’s.
I can’t find a good source, but I’ve read that cooking your greens (and having with vitamin C) also makes the Iron easier to absorb. I’m pretty sure raw greens are hard (near impossible) to digest.
We have the same stockings! Love them!
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