Cheers to the Freakin' Weekend!

Thank goodness it's the weekend!!!  Actually, this week has been a pretty good week in a couple areas.  First, my most annoying co-worker was away three days this week. Seriously, it was like I was on vacation at work.  Even though a few of us had extra work because one was missing, it was pure joy.  Everyone was so light and relaxed and fun.  I kept thinking that this is what it could be like once she retires.  She says "one year" but I hear from others that she's been saying "one more year" for about three years.  Gulp.

It was also a good week in the area of eating.  In my previous post, I talked about some changes I was making and it's still going really well.  Even though this would be the week that I had the most temptation to eat really badly (wink wink nudge nudge), it just wasn't there for the most part.  I had one evening where I wanted to eat purely emotionally and for comfort and instead, I went to bed and read my book.  I've never ever eaten in bed so that's a good safe space.  Then tonight, I was doing the whole "i need salt, I need sweet" dance so I went to an organic market that has all sorts of vegetarian, vegan, and organic stuff I've never heard of.  I left with all dressed pretzel chips, like pretzels but hammered flat and Almond Dream Vanilla ice cream.  Both were incredibly amazing.  I'm totally happy I got them and consumed them and I don't feel bad about it one bit.  It's weird to feel that I indulged but I don't feel bad about it.

Here are the other recipes I tried this week.  The first is the Healthy Banana Cranberry Oat Bar from ohsheglows.  They were so amazing.  I will definitely make these again, likely this weekend.  I took one to work every day this week in place of my normal fibre one bar.  I also gave one to a co-worker and she loved it.  And I served it as dessert when my sister and her husband came over for dinner this week, they both loved it.  I love recipes like this where if you have the base ingredients, you can throw whatever you want as the add-in.  I ended up using cranberries, coconut, some sliced almonds, and leftover crushed cashews from the Sweet Potato Lasagna.  The next time I make them I will use a larger pan.  Mine ended up being thicker than hers in the picture so they were more of a soft square rather than a firmer granola bar.  I measured the base of my pan and it's 7 inches not an 8 x 8 like I"d always thought.  Weird.

The other recipe I don't have a picture of for some reason but it was the Mushroom & Onion Stroganoff from Engine 2 Diet.  VERY SIMPLE!  It was really good but I made some minor adjustments purely for my own tastes.  I found that it wasn't saucy enough.  So I ended up adding more "milk" (of your choice) and a couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce.  The next time I make this, instead of starting the sauce right in with the mushrooms and onions, I will make the sauce in its own small pot and then add it to the mushrooms and onions but this is definitely one I will be making again and next time I think all add some corn or broccoli as well.  I'm a huge mushroom fan so it wasn't hard to love it.

Now on to the activity . . . I danced my ass off while tidying up today.  Okay, I didn't really clean up, I just danced but it counts a little.  I also pulled this ↑⇑beauty⇑↑ out of my storage room yesterday and pumped up my tires.  I haven't been out for a ride yet.  Here's where I choke.  I let my weight stop me from doing so many things and it's stupid.  I know it's stupid.  I have no idea why I worry so much about what people think of me.  I really shouldn't give a shit.  But I sit here and worry that I'll look silly or stupid or make a fool out of myself.  I need to suck it up and grab some self-confidence.  The weather tomorrow is supposed to be a smidge rainy and then cloudy all day.  I can deal with cloudy and even a little rain so my goal tomorrow is to get out for a ride.

Now I'd better get to bed so I don't waste Saturday napping!!

Oh!  And I bought some kale to attempt kale chips this weekend . . . anyone had great success??  I've been searching recipes and ideas and everyone seems to have a different way although it sounds like low temp for a long time seems to be the winner just for the crispiness and lack of burning.

Have a good weekend!!  Saturday is a free day for me that is going to include some cleaning, groceries, a new recipe and a BIKE RIDE!!  Sunday, I'm going to see The Five-Year Engagement and then for sushi.  Mmmmm sushi.