A Delicious Post-Workout Snack

The past few days the weather here has been beautiful, finally! After a summer full of temperatures in the high 90's, I've been craving some cooler weather. Although I know fall down here will be nothing like the beautiful weather that I am used to, a girl can dream right? I know the temperatures are going to shoot back up soon, so I've been trying to take advantage of the nicer weather as much as possible.

I've been taking this guy for a 30-40 minute run/walk around our neighborhood in the late morning.

How can you say no to this face?

We love spending time outdoors together

Most of the walk is spent with Matson either pulling me to chase a squirrel or to meet a person on the street, so it usually turns in to more of an upper body workout than anything ;)

But Mom, Dad, there is something in the water...I NEED it!

Regardless of this behavior, I always enjoy the time we spend together, especially since I know it will be much more limited once I start my new job next week.

Post-workout Snack

So, anyways...after my little workout with the pup today, I decided to come inside for some post-workout fuel in the form of a mid-morning snack.

Yogurt parfait ingredients, yum!

I mixed together pineapple Chobani yogurt, cherry vanilla granola, and fresh raspberries for a delicious yogurt parfait. I know that may sound like a strange combination, but it was delicious! Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the final product before devouring it, I was hungry! Pairing together a carbohydrate (granola and fruit) with a protein (yogurt) maintains more stable blood sugars, helping to keep you full longer. When you eat a carbohydrate by itself, you produce an initial spike in your blood sugar that results in a rapid drop in your blood sugar leaving you feeling fatigued and hungry.

Another great thing about this snack, it was an affordable choice. You may be saying, "no way, I don't believe you!" But I promise, I'm not lying!

This week chobani yogurt was on sale for $1.00, which is a great price here. Then I had a $0.30 off coupon I printed from the chobani website. So, I paid only $0.70 for my favorite Greek yogurt! I may have stocked up on extras even though I only had one $0.30 off coupon.

The (non-organic) raspberries were on sale this week for $2.00. I used a handful of raspberries (about 1/4 of the package), so technically that was $0.50 for the cost of the raspberries.

I like to buy organic produce when possible, but we don't have a huge selection of organic produce here. Often the organic produce that is available is at least three times as expensive as the conventional produce. If I find a good sale on organic produce, I stock up! I also like to take advantage of the local farmer's market. Although most small farms are not certified organic, they typically report that they are growing their produce in an organic-style (i.e. without pesticides etc). Okay, enough on that tangent, organics will be a topic for another post at a later date!

The Back to Nature granola is something I purchased awhile ago. It was on sale for $3.79 as part of a Buy One Get One Free Promotion. I paired the sale price with some $1.00 off coupons I had for the items. At Publix, you can use two coupons on a BOGO promotion because you are technically "purchasing" two items. A great way to really save big! So I used two $1.00/1 coupons that I printed off the internet, and I paid $1.79 for two packages ($0.90 per package) of this delicious granola. That means that each serving of granola I use in my yogurt costs probably less than 10 cents...trust me this granola has lasted me a LONG time!

That brings the grand total for my breakfast parfait to less than $1.50! You can't say eating healthy can't be affordable. That is cheaper than going to the drive through for breakfast, and it took about 2 minutes to assemble the entire parfait!

Working Out: A Long-Term Investment in your Health

Ever since I left NYC a little over a year ago, I have been a lot less physically active. One of my favorite aspects of NYC was the fact that even on days where I didn't make it to the gym, I still got plenty of exercise walking up and down the city streets.



View Looking Downtown from Central Park



Having traded in that NYC lifestyle, I now depend on my car to get most places. Even the closest grocery store is not really in walking distance of our house.

When I lived in NYC, I was lucky enough to have an affordable gym located on the top floor of my apartment building. Although the gym didn't offer any classes, it did provide brand new equipment and an indoor pool. I didn't quite take advantage of the gym as much as I should have, and I definitely miss having a great gym so nearby.

After settling in to my new home in Florida, in an effort to save money, I tried workout videos in lieu of joining the gym. However, I found that I wasn't pushing myself hard enough and was quickly losing interest. 

Sometimes all I want to do is snuggle up on the couch next to this guy!



Lately I've been feeling a lot more motivated to get back in shape, so even though we will only be living in Florida for about another 6 to 8 months, I've decided to "bite the bullet" and join a gym.

I opted for a gym with two convenient locations that offer an array of classes, including zumba, which is one of my faves! Although it is not the cheapest gym in the area, it is the best option for me.

From past experience, I have learned that I have trouble motivating myself to head to the gym for a 30 minute run on the treadmill. But, if I know there is a class at a certain time that I want to attend, I get a lot more excited to hit the gym. It feels like a lot less work if you are having fun, right?

I look at the extra cost of the gym as an investment in my health for the long-term. A little extra money spent up front will hopefully mean fewer healthcare costs later...think preventative care. Not to mention that since I will be working many 12+ hours a day over the next coming months, I know I will welcome the stress relief and endorphins from hitting the gym.

Has the cost of a gym membership been holding you back from being physically active? Stay tuned for my next post which will offer some tips for fitting the gym in your budget.

Homemade Hummus

Image: Pixomar / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Although delicious, storebought hummus can be expensive, even with coupons and store sales. Try your hand at making your own hummus with this recipe from A Few Shortcuts. If you have a stocked pantry, you should be able to save the cost of purchasing many of these ingredients. Tahini is probably the most expensive ingredient this recipe calls for, but as you only need to add 2 tablespoons, a jar will last you a long time. To prolong the shelf life of tahini, store it in the refrigerator rather than in your pantry. If you are not familiar with tahini, it is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. Tahini is often used in Mediterranean dishes including hummus and baba ghanoush. You can also try your hand at making tahini at home, if store bought breaks your budget.

Other Substitutions for Tahini

Try substituting another natural nut butter such as peanut butter. The flavor will be somewhat different than traditional hummus but still delicious. If you have toasted sesame oil on hand, you can use that to substitute for tahini, as well. Keep in mind toasted sesame oil has a stronger flavor than tahini, so it may provide a more pronounced flavor in your hummus.

                                                                                                                                        

Homemade hummus is a low-fat and affordable source of protein that makes a great addition to any meal or snack. Looking to jazz up your bagged lunch? Spread hummus on whole wheat pita bread and layer in your favorite raw or roasted vegetables. Not sure what to give your child for an afternoon snack? Offer hummus with veggies and baked pita chips for dipping.

Homemade hummus is delicious, and in my opinion, often better than the store-bought variety. You can even get creative and make roasted red pepper hummus or artichoke hummus. The possibilities are endless!

Have any of you ever made your own hummus? What is your favorite kind of hummus?