And the survey says....

This week I conducted a little taste test to figure out which brand of Greek yogurt tastes the best.  The winner: Chobani!  It was a landslide until I tried Fage this morning, which came in a pretty close second.  Chobani is consistently the least expensive at my grocery store, so for the bang for the buck, Chobani is number one in my book.  All the other yogurts I tried were no where near as good as these two.  The Chobani and Fage were very thick, creamy, not too sugary, and had a slight cottage cheese taste -- which is exactly how I love my Greek yogurt.  Gosh that sounds gross now that I read it... Nonetheless, since I eat so little meat, Greek yogurt is my go-to protein fix (twice the protein as regular yogurt!).  Go try a pineapple Chobani today!!

[image via]

Finally...the iPad!

I'm writing this from my new iPad! It's such a fun toy. After waiting in line both mornings last weekend, my friend and her hubby got in line at the Apple store at 5 am and successfully obtained two new iPads - one for them and one for ME! I love my new toy and am so thankful for great friends!

iPhone, iKea, &iNteresting bike ride

Today was the bike ride day for the weekend.  We rode to the bank first (lots of chores today!) and then took on the Mt. Vernon Trail.  I was so strong and fast, and was terribly impressed with myself...UNTIL...we turned around and realized that we had 20 mph winds behind us the whole way.  Let's just say the ride back home was not very fun! 

The second part of the day was a trip to Ikea, where we purchased a new desk for N and a few things for me that I am very excited about!  Check back later this week for photos.

And finally, we went to the Apple store (for the second time today--failed ipad trip this am) and picked up my new iPhone!! I am so excited for my new phone.  My current one was 4 years old.  Hope this phone is just as good to me.

Running Weather =)

Today's weather in DC is fantastic!  Even better -- forecasts call for more of the same this weekend!! I have big weekend plans for a my first outdoor run in ages and my first cycling adventure since last fall.  I'm really looking forward to getting some fresh air, exercise, and quality time with N.  Let's just hope my legs still remember how to function!

The weekend will start off early since I'm heading home to watch Duke play dominate a basketball game.  Go devils!

Lentil Soup

After last week's binge of great DC restaurants, I'm craving something light and healthy this week.  Since I've been diligently using my new exercise DVD, I've been needing protein to help me feel full and energized.  Enter: our all-time favorite health, protein-packed lentil soup.


This lentil soup recipe is largely adapted from Alton Brown's lentil soup recipe.

AB Lentil Soup

Olive Oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 lb. brown lentils, sorted and rinsed
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 can tomato paste
1 tablespoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
Sour cream


Saute onions, celery, and carrots on low to medium heat with the salt.  Once soft, add lentils, broth, tomato paste, parsley, cumin, and pepper.  Cook 30 minutes or until lentils are cooked.  Blend with hand blender.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

[image via]

My birthday!

Since it's my birthday, today has been a day full of treats!  First, I had brunch with N at The Carlyle, one of our favorite brunch spots in Arlington.  We of course had the Squibnocket eggs (my recipe for these featured here) and their fantastic beignets.  For afternoon snack, I ate a delicious cupcake that N surprised me with from Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe, a great German bakery that features the most delicious cream cheese danish I've ever had.  On deck for tonight is cooking club, which features a Eastern European menu.  All this tasty food combined with a fun victory for Duke (ACC champs!) and a great workout have made for a fantastic birthday. =)
[image via http://www.heidelbergbakery.com/~heidelbe/?q=node/1461]

Visit from Parents!

This past week I had the pleasure of spending time with my parents in DC!  It was SO MUCH fun to have them in town!  I loved seeing them.  They spoiled me by taking me out to great dinners every night.  Some of the highlights: lobster and steak at Capital Grille, five-course tasting menu at Rasika, and delicious buffalo mozzarella with prosciutto at La Tomate.  I am ready for them to come back again!  Thanks for the great week, Mom and Dad!

Six Weeks to Six Pack?

This weekend I started Jillian Michaels' new workout DVD, Six Week Six Pack.  The DVD has two 35-minute workouts that focus (obviously) on core strength.  The first workout was SO HARD, but it's getting a bit easier every day.  The jury's still out on what results I'll have, but I'm committed to giving this a shot!

Speaking of juries, my trial this week got continued.  What that means: I have a lot more free time!  With that time and my impending ipad purchase, expect to see a lot more of me here soon...

[image via http://www.amazon.com/Jillian-Michaels-6-Week-Six-Pack/dp/B0042AGNB4]