Dashing Dish

I hope everyone had a blessed week! I personally had a very busy week (as usual), which at this time of my life it is my job that keeps me the busiest, which is SO rewarding.  So, I have to say that every bit of ‘hard work’ is worth it (especially when I keep my focus on working for the Lord!) :)

This week I worked a 12 hour shift and a few 8 hour shifts.  And let me tell you…I have to get pretty creative with my workouts and meal planning when I work a 12 hour shift!  However, I must say that it’s proof that you can still eat healthy/exercise no matter how busy/long your days are…It just takes a little extra planning!

So, how do I do it you may ask!?! Well…I always take a few minutes somwhere in the beginning of my week to plan my workouts and pack my meals for the week. I always take (at least) 2 rest days a week, so I try to plan my workouts on the days that I’m not working, and/or on the days that I only work 8 hour shifts. I also take about 30 minutes somewhere in the beginning of my week to pack my lunches and snacks for the week! (I discussed this in more detail in my Healthy Lunches To Go video post!)

It’s been quite the year for me and Dashing Dish! I have been completely blown away by the feedback, letters and emails I have received! I have a true passion for helping others find a healthy balance when it comes to diet, exercise and nutrition, and this blog has allowed me to do just that! I want to thank everyone who takes the time to read and comment on my recipes and posts! I am so grateful for each and every one of you and want to make sure that you know how much I appreciate your support! To help celebrate, I am hosting a GIVEAWAY to thank all of my amazing readers!

I will be giving away TWO amazing prizes to ONE lucky winner!  The prize will include two of my favorite things:

a Kitchen-Aid Blender and a $50 gift card to Williams Sonoma!

The winner of the giveaway will be announced on April 1st, so tell ALL of your friends to come celebrate Dashing Dish turning ONE years old! Thank you again to all of my wonderful readers for all of your love and support!!!

Click here to enter!

Hello Everyone!!! I just returned from a 7 day cruise on the Norwegian Epic Ship, where we traveled to Cozumel, Rotan, and Costa Maya! It was amazing- to say the least!!! I went with my husband, my younger sister Emily, and my parents, and we had a wonderful time! We did a lot of eating, relaxing, and of course~ playing under the sun! This Daily Dish will be filled with the week’s worth of meals and activities I enjoyed on the cruise!

In general, it is very difficult to eat healthy on a cruise ship, but I tried to make healthy choices when possible. Breakfast usually included an egg white omlette, a high fiber cereal of some type, a low sugar yogurt and fruit. For lunch I had some type of salad from the salad bar almost every day, and chose turkey or chicken as a topping (for protein). I almost always followed it with an soft-serve ice cream cone for a ‘snack’ which was definitely a highlight, (especially because it was self-serve frozen yogurt!!!) :) And for dinner I had whatever I wanted…Meaning it generally wasn’t healthy, nor was the dessert…But I was on vacation, so I enjoyed myself! :)

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day, and I had a big surprise awaiting me (and didn’t even suspect a thing!) I started off my day by doing a circuit training type workout, and came home to a Frozen Hot Chocolate Protein Shake with a Crushed Cone on top! :) (It’s one of my favorite toppings, because it has 20 calories, low in sugar, and gives the shake even more of an ‘ice cream’ appeal!)

So, we currently have a BLIZZARD warning here in Michigan…And it’s pretty darn crazy to think that we may have 1-2 feet of snow when we wake up tomorrow!!! Luckily, us Michiganders have plenty of ice/snow removal systems in-tact, but it sure doesn’t keep people from flocking to the grocery stores and/or gas stations in fear, (like the world is going to end or something!) :)

Well, i’m not too worried myself, i’ve got all the food in the world (haha) and the one’s I love around me~ not to mention a kickboxing video (or two) if we really are stranded for a while! Although, let’s hope not I have to work Thursday!!!  :)

This daily dish comes at a perfect time because it’s filled with of my favorite ‘low cal’ comfort foods (which we all need during a blizzard)…Lasagna!!! And a fun winter workout~ ice skating!

I’ve been asked what the one thing was that I wish I knew when I was a teenager, and do you know what it is!?! I honestly wish that I knew that I didn’t have to ‘look’ like everyone/anyone else! I wish I realized that women truly do come in ALL shapes and sizes! (For example, think about 10 women you know right now, and just think how different each one of their bodies looks…unless those women are your family members of course!)

I wish someone told me that I didn’t have to look good in clothes that long and lean models wear, and that if I found my own ‘style’ then I could dress my body to look pretty darn cute (hey that can be hard being 5 foot!)

I wish someone told me that I shouldn’t compare myself to anyone else, because even when I was feeling pretty ‘good’ about myself one minute…It would all go out the window a moment later when I took one look at the ‘model’ sitting next to me.

The thing that I’ve realized now that I’m an adult is that as long as we are ‘comparing ourselves’ to anyone, we will find dis-satisfaction with what we DO have! When I started to realize this truth, and focus on the good in me, (and I mean purposely notice the things that I do love about me) I was shocked by what happened…I started to feel truly beautiful!

I was recently talking with a friend who was feeling very frustrated about her lack of progress losing weight, despite her very strenuous efforts. I knew there had to be somewhere that she was missing it, so I began asking questions like…”How often are you working out, about how many calories do you think your eating, etc…”

When she told me she was working out 6 days a week, and eating about 1,300 calories a day~ it was no surprise to me why her weight wasn’t budging…for more than one reason! However, to sum it up, I knew she was not eating enough!

This seems very strange to most people, especially the average person with a ‘dieting mentality’ who has the ever-so-common belief that eating less= losing weight. This is not all there is to losing weight, and if anything, this is simply not true!

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas… and have a Happy New Year!!! Being that it’s smack dab in the middle of the holiday season…and I am nearing the end of my orientation as a Labor and Delivery Nurse~ (which I am LOVING by the way)…I am extremly busy this week! So…I thought I’d leave you with some pictures of my Christmas festivities~ after all a picture is worth a thousand words!!! :)

My family and I spent Christmas Eve at my Aunt Lorrie’s house! This is a Christmas Eve tradition, and it’s always wonderful to spend time with the family, and Celebrate Jesus Together!!!

I spent Christmas Eve with…My hubby….

What a wonderful time of year, the time to celebrate our Savior, Lord and King~ Jesus! Merry Christmas!!! I thought i’d share my menu for the next two days (Christmas Eve and Day).

I will be spending Christmas Eve at my aunts house, and she will be making a ham, and everyone generally brings along a side or two!

For The Side Dish to Pass I Plan to Bring:

• Mashed ‘Potatoes’
• Whipped Maple Sweet Potato Bake

For Dessert I Will Be Bringing:

• Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

Christmas Morning’s Menu Includes:

• Christmas Egg Puff or Egg Frittata (haven’t decided which one yet)
• Light and Fluffy Pancakes
• And of course Bacon, and Holiday Flavored Coffee with Biscotti! :)

Christmas Day Lunch/Dinner Will Be:

• Panini Sandwiches
• Followed by Chocolate Fondue~ Filled with fruit, angle food cake, and more!!! (It’s a new tradition we are starting!!!) :)

Merry Christmas and Many Blessings to You and Your Families!!!

I already posted these tips in my last Daily Dish post, but thought they could use a post of their own incase you missed them! :)

No matter what holiday traditions and/or events you may be partaking in this season, i’m sure two things apply to just about everyone~ one- it’s an extremly busy time of year, and two- there’s food and treats every where you look! When you combine these two things, it’s no wonder why the holidays generally come with the wonderful gift of weight gain!

As common as this may be however, this does not have to be the case with you! I have found that I always enjoy the holiday season, without gaining weight, all by making a simple list~ and checking it twice! It really just takes a little extra ‘planning’ to keep my body fit this time of year~ all while enjoying some of my favorite holiday traditions and treats!