runningwithrio

[runningwithrio]

Cheesesteak Strombolis

Dough:

3/4c warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

1.5 teaspoons of dry active yeast

1 3/4c all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon oil

1 egg, beaten

Filling:

1 container of shaved beef

4 ounces of mozzerella cheese

1/2 lb of american cheese

salt & pep

Directions:

1) In stand mixer, whisk water, sugar and yeast and let rest to get foamy. Switch to a dough hook and add flour and salt until dough forms.

2) Grease bowl and transfer dough, let rise for 1 hour. 

3) Cook cheesesteak meat, be sure to not overcook. Add in slices of American cheese to melt within the meat. Let cool to ensure the Stromboli is easier to handle.

3.) Preheat oven to 400F. Take dough out of bowl and move to a floured parchment paper or silicon sheet. Roll dough out to a large rectangle. For mini strombolis, split dough in two before rolling out. Layer cheesesteak meat, mozz cheese, and remaining american cheese slices and roll up, or press edges around filling to seal. Place on parchment paper on baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg to cover.

4.) Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool but serve when warm/hot or refrigerate/freeze and reheat in oven.

[runningwithrio]

Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels

Pretzels:

2/3c baking soda

1c warm water

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

a teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons melted butter

3c all purpose flour

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3c hot water

1 tablespoon sea salt

Cinnamon sugar topping:

1/2c granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons melted butter

1.) Heat oven to 250F. Cover baking sheet with foil and add the 2/3c baking soda and spread out evenly on baking sheet. Bake for 60 minutes.

2.) Pour water, sugar and yeast into a bowl and whisk. Let sit for 5 minutes.

3.) Stir in salt and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Add flour, cup by cup. Add dough hook to kitchen mixer and mix on medium. In a separate bowl, grease with vegetable oil, put the dough in the bowl and cover for 45 minutes-1 hour and let double in size.

4.) Remove baking soda and preheat oven to 450F. Line another sheet with parchment paper.

5.) Spray surface with cooking spray. Cut dough into 6-10 even pieces. Form dough into rope and shape pretzels.

6.) Add cooked baking soda to a glass (non-metal) bowl and 3 cups of hot water. Dip/submerge shaped pretzels into solution for 30 seconds, they can float in the solution. Continue with each pretzel, putting it onto parchment paper after.

7.) Bake for 8 minutes. When completed, put on a drying rack.

8.) Melt 6 tablespoons of butter and cover pretzels in butter when they're done cooking. Then, dip them into a bowl with cinnamon/sugar mixture and coat. Return to drying rack to cool. Enjoy!

[runningwithrio]

(source: qvotext on instagram)

[runningwithrio]

Reflecting on my New Years resolutions

I’m not here to preach about where you should be on your yearly checklist. 2020 has truly been unprecented (that word will forever remind me of this year of madness) but i think it’s a great idea to check back on what mattered to you back before the world almost ended. If it doesn’t matter to you anymore, it’s probably because life happened, quite unexpectedly, and maybe you have bigger fish to fry now, and that is totally ok. After a year of pandemic, quarantine, economic downfall, civil unrest, etc. i think it’s ok if your daily ab workout got pushed to the back burner. I think I’m just reflecting, you may realize how incredibly you’ve grown, learned and changed despite possibly not reaching a PR at the gym you can’t enter (is it called reaching a PR?? Exceeding? Making a PR?? This isn’t my realm of expertise).

I think just simply getting by this year is enough, and maybe you reached other goals you may not have explicitly set. For example, i went on a LOT of walks. I learned more about myself, like when i need to get out in the sun, or just be in a new surrounding, or have a few drinks or a game night in. I watched a lot of tv, some educational, documentaries, some on social issues, some genres i wouldn’t normal dive into. I laughed a lot (and cringed) at tiger king, then made my family watch it and we laughed more. I leaned hard on those close to me during some of the tougher times. I felt a lot of overdue empathy for people who live alone, like my grandparents and called them so much more often, set up weekly FaceTimes with my cousins that live all over and my grandmom so that we could continue our weekly dinners, virtually, with some of my longer distance cousins that don’t get to join normally. At work, i learned the challenges of some of my remote employees and am much more conscious of making them feel included and engaged despite not working in our headquarters.

I went to a party a couple weeks ago with 2 people there that i knew and the rest all complete strangers, and i had sooooo much fun. It was one of the best parties I’ve been to, just being able to connect with people again, drink together and just TALK AND TALK, laugh, meet people that are so different than me and just hear from them. I’ve appreciated my dads bay house so much more, being able to change spaces, sit on the beach, see our friends and drink in garages, drive around on golf carts and swim in the bay with my dogs. Having something to look forward to on the weekends. Despite what’s going on in the world, it feels like people are coming together in so many ways; happier to have conversations in person again and let loose. Through this all, I’ve grown closer to the people that mean a lot to me. I’ve shown up to the things i wanna go to (no overcommitting or errands to run in quarantine). Things feel slower and more meaningful and more peaceful in my new routine and i really really like it. I can’t even remember the goals i set for NYE, at this point they feel so insignificant and unimportant. But despite probably not meeting them considering i don’t even remember them lol i feel like I’ve taken what i could from 2020 so far. I’ve learned, grown, persevered and i feel very empowered, so thank you 2020 for the perspective I’ve gained :)

[runningwithrio]

Pork Tenderloin with Balsalmic Glaze

At the beginning of this quarantine, I ordered meat through Butcher Box, and one of the cuts was a 14oz pork tenderloin. My grandmom makes pork tenderloin every few months for my sisters, my dad and me, and it’s probably the only time I have it these days. When I saw it as an option in the Butcher Box customization section, I had to select it. I took it out to defrost this morning, and it was good to go by dinner. I looked up a few ways of cooking it, and decided to go at it with a variation of some cooking styles and recipes I read.

Serving size: 4-5 ounces, Servings: about 3; Calories: 390 (13g F, 43g C, 28g P)

Ingredients:

14 ounce (or so) pork tenderloin - you could probably get away with any size if you adjust for the sauce and cooking times

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of thyme

Sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon corn starch mixed into 2 tablespoons of cold water

Directions:

Cover your pork tenderloin in olive oil, garlic salt, pepper and thyme 

Brown the outside of your pork tenderloin. I used the sauté function of my instant pot, and browned the pork, rotating it as each ‘side’ cooked. You can also brown it in a pan on the stove

As your pork is browning, mix together your sauce ingredients, EXCEPT the corn starch/cold water combo. That’s later

When you’ve browned the pork tenderloin, you can add the sauce mix into the instant pot, or in a roast pan with your pork tenderloin. If using the instant pot, set it to pressure cook for 13 minutes (or adjust for the size of your meat). If using a roast pan, put it in the oven to cook until it reaches the recommended internal temp (sorry I didn't cook it this way). If using the instant pot, let it natural release for 6 minutes, then quick release

When the tenderloin is done cooking, remove it from your instant pot or roast pan. If using the instant pot, turn it to the soup setting and let heat for 1-2 minutes until it’s boiling, and add your corn starch and water mixture. If using the roast pan, remove the tenderloin and pour the sauce into a sauce pan on the stovetop and heat until it’s boiling, then add the corn starch and water mix. The corn starch will thicken the sauce into a glaze. Let it cook for about 5 minutes

While the sauce thickens, slice your pork tenderloin. Cover it in your sauce and serve!

I served mine with fresh chopped carrots that I boiled in water, butter, brown sugar, and a little salt, and then let simmer and reduce into a brown sugar glazed carrots. I thought it was a perfect side to this dish!

[runningwithrio]

Homemade Granola

This past week, I made homemade granola to replace my store-bought brand that I ran out of, and after making this simple and delicious granola from scratch, I’ll never buy store-bought again!

Serving size: 1/4 cups, Servings: about 27; Calories: 196 (13g F, 14g C, 4g P; 4g fiber, 3g sugar)

Ingredients:

4 cups of rolled oats

1 1/2 cups sliced/slivered almonds

1/4 cup black chia seeds

1 tablespoon of cinnamon

2 teaspoons of sea salt, fine not course - otherwise use table salt

2/3 cup of coconut oil, melted

1/3 cup of maple syrup, preferably natural

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup of coconut chips/flakes

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Take out a baking sheet, no need to grease it

Mix the oats, almonds, chia seeds, cinnamon, sea salt in a mixing bowl

In another bowl, mix the coconut oil, syrup, and vanilla extract

Pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl with the oat mixture, and ensure the contents are mixed thoroughly

Take the oat mixture and cover the baking sheet in a flat layer

Cook the oats for 10 minutes, then remove them, take a spatula or spoon, and mix them up to ensure they are able to cook evenly.

Return them to the oven for 10 more minutes, mix them and return again for 10 minutes.

Take the oats out one last time to mix them, and add your coconut chips for about 5-10 more minutes in the oven to toast.

Remove from the oven and let the granola cool for 5 minutes!

Enjoy these oats warm on top of a yogurt parfait, smoothie bowl, or with milk or a milk alternative! You can store the rest of the granola in an airtight container like a mason jar until you use it next!

[runningwithrio]

Quarantine Routine

Call me crazy, but I’ve actually been pretty ‘busy’ this quarantine. With the exception of the looming threat of myself, family or friends becoming really sick, I’ve been enjoying my time. I’ve spent a lot of time on my hobbies, new and old, and have done some relaxing activities that I don't always have the time for. I’ve always been a comfort person. I’ve always been drawn to buying pajamas and sweat cloths, blankets and pillows, candles, etc instead of things like make-up or heels. So for me, I’m enjoying my new ‘routine’ of waking up and starting work in pajamas, wrapped in a blanket and in the comfort of my own home, surrounded by the smell of my fresh coffee brewing, with my balcony slider open and the light from the morning pouring in, my dishwasher or laundry machines running in the background, a fresh face of no makeup, hair in a bun, the smell of bacon in the oven, my dog sleeping on my lap, etc. 

I’ve been enjoying my 4pm walks along the national park trails and river that surround my apartment complex. A lot of times my walks turn into discovering new trails and beautiful places, hikes, or my dogs going for a swim. Since the park is gated off to discourage visitors and encourage social distancing, a new catchphrase that I’m starting to hate, it’s completely empty except for the locals. This gives the park the most incredible, sometimes eerie feeling of emptiness. I've started to let my dogs off leash to discover and roam, which gives me a crazy feeling of peace and adventure, since the historic trails, normally full of walkers, runners, bikers, etc, are now completely barren.

Another thing I’ve been doing is recording a couple minutes of video on my GoPro from each day in quarantine. My version of a quarantine journal. This really is a time in history, and I want to remember how I spent it. This practice has also encouraged me to do something every day, a lot of times something new or interesting.

I also planted an herb garden early on in my quarantine journey, and have been watching them grow every day. I have 9 herbs growing: cilantro, oregano, parsley, basil, dill, chives, thyme, sage, and rosemary. I can’t wait to harvest them!

I've also done a couple puzzles, practiced learning guitar, watched a lot of TV, spent a lot of time FaceTiming, and make a ton of food.

Speaking of food, some of my quarantine meals and snacks below that I made from scratch will be coming to this blog soon :)

Broccoli cheddar soup

Butternut squash soup

Creamy asparagus soup

Chocolate chunk banana bread mini-loaves

Schnitzel

Pulled barbecue chicken sandwiches

Chocolate chunk banana pancakes

Whole fruit margaritas and daquiris

Smoothie and açaí bowls

Parmesan and bacon roasted brussel sprouts

Granola recipe

Pizza dough recipe and my favorite toppings

Hummus recipe

Guac recipe

Some recipes I want to try soon:

Pot stickers

Ramen

Raviolis

Almond milk

Beef jerky

Pork tenderloin

Sourdough bread

I’ve done a TON of cooking these past few weeks and am as addicted as ever. I just love the taste of fresh, home cooked meals and can’t wait to try more ideas I have soon. I’m hoping to post about the recipes above soon, and will continue to check in on some of my quarantine activities. I hope this helps someone get an idea or two on ways to spend this difficult time doing more than just worrying or passing the time. 

[runningwithrio]

Preparing for a Quarantine

With shortages in food and supplies around the world, an economic crisis, and potential longer-term quarantine, we all have to take life day-by-day.

I have been doing a ton of research regarding this topic since the china travel bans, when word of the potential pandemic was beginning. I’ve been slowly preparing, meal prepping, and making sure I can live self-sufficiently if necessary. I’ve also been worried about my family and friends, in the case that others may not be prepared. 

Some things that you should ensure you have:

Medical supplies:

Thermometer, over-the-counter medicine, vitamins and basic medical supplies. If possible, get prescriptions filled ahead of time so you have a 30+ day supply to avoid withdrawal or medical emergencies

Dog/pet food and supplies:

Dog food, cat litter if you have a cat, prescriptions if necessary, and any other essential supplies. Your dog may have less exercise during a time of emergency, so consider getting toys, bones, etc to keep them busy

Frozen meats or protein sources:

I have been buying and storing meals that I've made such as meatballs, pre-cooked food sources, etc. Now that grocery stores even have a meat shortage, and I want to avoid public places, I tried to order my meat from my food subscription box, Thrive Markets, but, even they are two weeks behind on deliveries. With the threat of a military-enforced quarantine on the horizon, I realized I simply could not take the chance, and opted to order from Butcher Box. Another option is to order protein powder, so even if you don’t have frozen meats, you will at least have a long term protein source if necessary

Frozen, canned and fresh fruits and vegetables:

I always have a ton of frozen fruits and vegetables on hand for smoothies, sides for dinner and even freeze my produce if possible when I’m unable to eat it in time. For example, peppers and onions can be diced and frozen for stir-fries, fajitas, etc. These will likely be essential nutrients to keep your immune system strong in the case of a quarantine

Coffee/tea:

This may not be essential for survival, but for me, it’s important for my productivity at work and daily tasks, and I want to avoid withdrawal if I’m stuck at home. I buy coffee beans and grind them daily for the coffee I make at home, and stocked up on bags of coffee beans. Lord knows they won't go to waste

Pasta, pasta sauce, rice:

These are easy and cheap ingredients to stock pile in the case of emergency. I’m a Banza girl when it comes to pasta so I have boxes and boxes at all times in my cabinet. You can throw vegetables and nuts, seeds, cheeses, meats, etc into pasta or with rice and easily make it a balanced meal. Homemade pasta salad is also amazing

Soup and crackers:

Another easy meal, and for me an essential when I’m sick. If I do end up sick, I’ll be relying heavily on my soup and cracker stash

Nuts, seeds, nut butters:

Easy protein and healthy fat source. Can be added to stir fries, eaten as a snack, or put in a breakfast parfait or smoothie

Bread/rolls:

Thankfully, these can be frozen and used at any point, so I have bagels, hamburger rolls, English muffins, and bread stored for when I need it

Ground beef:

Such a versatile protein source. Make hamburgers, tacos, meatballs, lasagna, etc. This is a staple for me because of how many ways this can be used. I buy it refrigerated and freeze if necessary

Bread crumbs:

Can up any meal if you get bored of the same old

Eggs/milk/oil:

Necessary for a lot of recipes. Eggs can be eaten on their own as well and last a long time in the fridge. I recently learned they can also be cracked and frozen

Pancake mix or ingredients:

Easy tasty meal, stores well

Bacon:

Great side, can make BLTs, added to lunchmeat sandwiches, added to breakfast sandwiches, eaten as a snack :)

Flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, yeast, spices:

If you like to bake like myself, the opportunities are endless here

Fruit:

Bananas can be frozen if you don't eat them in time, and are great for smoothies, pancakes, parfaits, baking, etc. Apples last a long time, can be eaten as a snack with PB. Avocados go with everything. Berries are incredible. Grapes are the best snack. Please be careful and wash your fruit at a time like this. Well and with an antibacterial soap. I actually have a specific produce spray for washing my fruit, but these days I’m disinfecting

Vegetables:

Carrots and celery last forever. Spinach/kale you can buy frozen and add to pasta dishes, smoothies, stir fry, etc. Tomatoes are big in my world, although technically a fruit lol

Potatoes and onions:

Both last forever and can be cooked in so many ways

Batteries

For appliances and remotes and video game controllers

Shampoo/conditioner/shower supplies

Trash bags, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, sponges, soap, paper products

I hope this helps you think of a few things and prepare if you haven’t already. I’d utilize online shopping if possible. Hungry Harvest ‘rescues’ fruit and vegetables that are surplus, incorrect sizes, or scarred, and are delivered super cheap and farmed locally. They’re in most big cities and surrounding areas, and are so reasonable and convenient! I have a shipment coming Sunday. Butcher Box is pricy but worth it during a national emergency. Grocery stores also often have local delivery options. I find that being prepared makes me feel so much more at ease, because I’ve done everything within my control. Prepare, don’t panic!

[runningwithrio]

Taking Care of Yourself During Quarantine

As most of the country literally shuts down, I’m thinking of the best ways to stay relaxed, use this time to regroup, avoid going stir crazy, and make the most of quarantine.

First, you could use the time to get a few productive things done that you may normally not find time for.

Organize your living space. Declutter, donate items that you don’t use or need anymore. Clean your kitchen or bathroom really well, something you may rush through on a weekly basis. Sometimes it feels nice to have a deep clean.

Switch out your winter and summer clothes.

Take inventory of your food stash and put together some nicer-than-normal recipes/meals that you may not have time to make normally after rushing home from work!

Channel your creative side.

Learn a new instrument. One of my goals is to pick back up my guitar and try to learn a few more chords in my extra time inside.

Paint, draw, write, journal. If these things relax you, take some time to unwind and focus at the same time. Maybe add some wine :)

Read a book. Find a new book and get lost in it! A lot of times, this is something people wish they have the time for!

Plant some seeds and take care of them/watch them grow during your time isolated. Maybe start a little herb garden for your kitchen. Then you get fresh herbs without having to go grocery shopping :)

Remember to take care of your physical self.

Practice yoga or meditation. I know I’m going to lean hard into my yoga-loving self, especially during this time of elevated apprehension and anxiety. I plan on spending time daily practicing yoga, and last night, I fell asleep listening to a meditation for sleep podcast.

At-home workouts. You don't need a gym to workout! Check out videos on YouTube, if you have at-home equipment, utilize that! Otherwise, body weight exercises work great as well.

Go for a walk or run. I’ve been going for a lot of walks and runs with my dog. You don’t need to interact with anyone or touch anything. Just enjoy the weather/fresh air in isolation. Obviously make sure this is allowed in your area!

Take a bath, have a spa night, do a hair mask, paint your nails, light candles. Make sure you're taking care of yourself.

Take care of your social self.

Have a wine night in with a few, close, healthy friends or family, or a significant other or roommate Some of my favorite memories with friends and loved ones were getting drunk, staying in and being funny :)

Call your loved ones on the phone. Especially check in with your elderly or vulnerable loved ones. Have conversations with others on the phone. If you’re lonely/miss being around people, others probably are as well - check in with them!

Have a game night. Game nights are honestly so fun. Order a board game, play cards, or play drinking games.

Have some relaxing fun.

Start a new TV show. Watch a documentary or movie. Binge-watch a reality series.

Play video games on live with your friends or significant other, or play one player games. I have an Xbox and so do other people I know/love, so I may reactivate my live and buy a new game to pass the time! Or, I’ll just play Sims or 2K one player mode and shut the rest of the world out and kill hours of time like I used to :) making me nostalgic.

Open a really tough, longterm puzzle. I ordered myself a 1000 piece puzzle like my family gets on our vacations down the shore. Whenever you have some free time, we would walk by and add a few pieces, or sometimes even spend hours together working on it.

[runningwithrio]

Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas

This past week, I made chicken and cheese quesadillas with a seasoning blend I threw together.

Servings: 4 quarters, 237 calories (22g P, 13g C, 13g F, 6g Fiber, 2g sugar, 37% vitamin A, 42% vitamin C, 26% calcium, and 11% iron) :)

Ingredients:

2 sourdough Lets Skip the Sandwich wraps

1 chicken breast

½ cup of Mexican cheese blend

½ cup of chopped red pepper

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup spinach

EVOO

paprika

cumin

oregano

onion powder

salt

pepper

Directions:

Blend the spices, I used a 1:1 ratio for each of the spices, so depending on how much chicken you have, you can adjust accordingly

Slice the chicken breast into thin, even slices. Chop the onion and peppers.

Coat the slices of chicken in the seasoning blend, and add to a pan with EVOO on medium heat. Add in the peppers, onion and spinach, and any other vegetables you’d like to add. I’m thinking mushrooms would be amazing in this as well!

While the chicken and veggies are cooking, take a second pan, spray or coat with oil, and put the tortilla on the pan on medium-low heat. Sprinkle 2/3 of the cheese on the tortilla. It will begin to melt when the tortilla starts to cook.

When the cheese is melted and the veggies and chicken are finished cooking, add the chicken/veggie mix to the tortilla pan on top of the cheese. Then, add the final 1/3 of the cheese mix and top with another tortilla.

With a spatula, carefully flip the quesadilla to cook the other tortilla and melt the cheese. As the final side is cooking, press down with a spatula on the quesadilla.

When melted, remove from the heat, slice with a pizza cutter or knife, and enjoy!

I usually eat this with a side of avo and sour cream. I cut mine in quarters, and if I’m really hungry or post work out, I’ll have half. Half of the quesadilla is super filling, though. After making this I usually have 4 meals, which is perfect as someone that works and always packs my lunch!

[runningwithrio]

Homemade Meatballs

Yesterday I made homemade meatballs to go with my leftover penne chickpea pasta and it was probably the best meal I’ve ever made. I don’t think I would ever have a non-homemade meatball again! I feel like I didn’t even know how meatballs should taste!

Servings: 5, Calories: 356 (24g F, 7g C, 25g P)

Ingredients:

1 lb of ground beef, pork and veal mix

1/2 cup of sweet yellow onions, chopped

1 tablespoon of EVOO

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons parsley (fresh)

garlic salt, sea salt, pepper, cilantro to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare a baking sheet by lining with tin foil and spraying with oil

Chop onions and sauté for a few minutes in your EVOO until soft, translucent, and browned

Add the onions, heavy cream, bread crumbs, ground meat, parm cheese, egg, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, and spices into a bowl and mix until ingredients are thoroughly blended

Scoop and form into small, cookie-sized meatballs. I made mine smaller than I thought they should be because that was the advice I received! And it worked perfectly, so I’ll relay that same advice :)

Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes and cooked through. I have a food thermometer, and when I checked at 17 minutes, the biggest meatballs were slightly under the recommended 160 degrees internal temp, so I cooked them for probably 2 more minutes, and then they were perfect!

Add to pasta and pasta sauce, enjoy as a sandwich on a roll, or eat them on their own! They were absolutely incredible and I had them for lunch again today and can't wait to have more tomorrow!! I may even freeze the rest if I cannot eat them all

[runningwithrio]

Chickpea penne with Goat Cheese and Veggies

Yesterday I made a delish dish from a few ingredients I had on hand.

Servings: 2, Calories: 388 (13g F, 51g C, 24g P)

Ingredients:

1/2 box of Banza Penne pasta

1 cup chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup cubed butternut squash (fresh or frozen)

2 oz goat cheese

sunflower seeds to top

EVOO for cooking

Salt

Directions:

Boil water with a little salt

While boiling water, sauté the cubed butternut squash and chopped spinach in EVOO

When the water boils, cook the penne until 2/3 cooked, slightly firm

Add the penne to the pan of sautéed vegetables and further cook with the vegetables. Then, add the goat cheese (I used crumbled) and sunflower seeds, and cook it down into a creamy saucey meal :)

Mix and enjoy 

The Banza Penne comes in a box with 4 servings, so I added half (2 servings of pasta) to sauté, and set half aside to make a different form of pasta later in the week. Of the portion I sautéed, I had half for dinner, and half for lunch today. And now, if I want, I can have it all over again tomorrow :D Or I can throw in some other randoms and give something else a try - it was so easy to make and took maybe 10-15 minutes to throw together. I really want to try making a pasta salad of some sort if I can throw together the ingredients!

[runningwithrio]

push yourself to get up before the rest of the world - start with 7am, then 6am, then 5:30am. go to the nearest hill with a big coat and a scarf and watch the sun rise.

push yourself to fall asleep earlier - start with 11pm, then 10pm, then 9pm. wake up in the morning feeling re-energized and comfortable.

get into the habit of cooking yourself a beautiful breakfast. fry tomatoes and mushrooms in real butter and garlic, fry an egg, slice up a fresh avocado and squirt way too much lemon on it. sit and eat it and do nothing else.

stretch. start by reaching for the sky as hard as you can, then trying to touch your toes. roll your head. stretch your fingers. stretch everything.

buy a 1L water bottle. start with pushing yourself to drink the whole thing in a day, then try drinking it twice.

buy a beautiful diary and a beautiful black pen. write down everything you do, including dinner dates, appointments, assignments, coffees, what you need to do that day. no detail is too small.

strip your bed of your sheets and empty your underwear draw into the washing machine. put a massive scoop of scented fabric softener in there and wash. make your bed in full.

organise your room. fold all your clothes (and bag what you don’t want), clean your mirror, your laptop, vacuum the floor. light a beautiful candle.

have a luxurious shower with your favourite music playing. wash your hair, scrub your body, brush your teeth. lather your whole body in moisturiser, get familiar with the part between your toes, your inner thighs, the back of your neck.

push yourself to go for a walk. take your headphones, go to the beach and walk. smile at strangers walking the other way and be surprised how many smile back. bring your dog and observe the dog’s behaviour. realise you can learn from your dog.

message old friends with personal jokes. reminisce. suggest a catch up soon, even if you don’t follow through. push yourself to follow through.

think long and hard about what interests you. crime? sex? boarding school? long-forgotten romance etiquette? find a book about it and read it. there is a book about literally everything.

become the person you would ideally fall in love with. let cars merge into your lane when driving. pay double for parking tickets and leave a second one in the machine. stick your tongue out at babies. compliment people on their cute clothes. challenge yourself to not ridicule anyone for a whole day. then two. then a week. walk with a straight posture. look people in the eye. ask people about their story. talk to acquaintances so they become friends.

lie in the sunshine. daydream about the life you would lead if failure wasn’t a thing. open your eyes. take small steps to make it happen for you.

[runningwithrio]

Little Ways to Save Money that Add Up

Below is the story of how and why I created my first budget, but if you’re just reading for the tips, feel free to skip ahead :)

Almost a year and a half ago, I moved home to stop paying rent, pay down my student loans, and build a savings for a house.

At first, I was so excited to not be paying rent - granted I did still pay my dad a few hundred dollars a month - that I learned to LOVE spending money. I bought anything I wanted, like the new ultraboosts every time they came out, Tupperware on Tupperware bc idk why that's my thing, more going out clothes than the frequency in which I go out, tons of techy items, lunch at Panera or really wherever whenever my heart desired, whatever drinks weren't on special because I just really love champagne... And really, it’s not a big deal to treat yourself once in a while, or to move home and have a big spending month where you catch up for all the things you wanted to buy when you were paying rent.. But I couldn’t let it become the habit that it was becoming. So, after a few months of big spending, I made myself my first ever budget.

I thought about my financial goals and the reasons I moved home, and more importantly, I thought about how I can get there. I work in consulting in business finance as a project manager where when I get a new project, I first look for the ‘quick hits’ the easiest ways to make the biggest impact toward meeting goals fast. Then, after that’s addressed, I try to turn it into the most efficient, leanest version possible over time. So, I applied the same mindset with my own finances.

Like I would do with my clients, I trended out my historical spending, and grouped my spending into categories. Of course there are unavoidable, fixed expenses, like my car insurance, my car payment, prescriptions, student loans, etc. There are some variable but unavoidable expenses: gas, groceries, dog food, necessary shopping. Then there are your avoidable, variable expenses, like shopping, entertainment, eating out, etc. This, to me, is my low hanging fruit, my quick hits. And there are your outliers, your unexpected doctors visits, your speeding ticket, etc. That’s what your emergency fund/savings are for!

The first glaring trend I saw when assembling my data over the past few months was Starbucks. It was one of those things I always tried to limit, and knew I was spending too much money there, but also really didn’t want to know how bad it was because I didn’t want to stop LOL. Starbucks for me, for a long time, was a reward for waking up in the morning. A long engrained habit of mine (I've been a gold card member since 2013....). But, I wanted to reach my goals of putting X amount of money into my loans each month so I could pay them off by X. I wanted to put X amount into my savings each month so I could have a down payment for a house. I wanted to put away X amount for an emergency fund. So, I knew I needed keep getting more information so that I could stop my bad spending habits, and move toward lean financials and reach my goals. I ended up buying a really nice coffee maker, a coffee bean grinder and some coffee beans, and I’ve been making amazing, better quality, and super fresh coffee ever since! I’ve saved a TON of money, made a long-term investment, LOVE my new coffee routine and have saved time on my commute to work so I can sleep more :) I never think about Starbucks anymore, and never go there, because now I have my fresh coffee in my Yeti thermos that literally stays hot for days, and I like my routine now better than ever, and it’s paid for itself over and over and over.

It was this lesson that showed me the impact of small changes. I quickly grouped each of my major spending categories, and took a deeper dive once I had a better picture of my spending. Recently, I’ve been saving so much money, and it is so rewarding. I’ve actually become addicted to ways I can save money and have fun with it - challenging myself, comparing month to month and trying new strategies. There are some things that I know I could in theory, but don't want to, live without (for example, my Fitbit Versa just broke and I am obsessed with it and it tracks my whole life, resting heart rate, cals in and out, sleep stages, active minutes, steps, water intake, texts, etc and tells me so much about my health. So as soon as it broke I bought a new one, because honestly, now I can without feeling guilty or frivolous because I have my spending in check!)

Tips and Tricks I’ve Learned Along the Way

1. Create a budget: I was reluctant to do this, and it kind of sucked to see how much money I wasted on things I didn’t use anymore or stupid purchases or bad habits, but you are only helping yourself. The first steps is becoming informed. This ‘waste’ is really opportunity. Look at your credit card statements. Look at your bank accounts. Look at your debts. Identify those goals and create a budget that allows you to save accordingly. Give yourself money to spend on shopping, dining out, etc. but in moderation. It’s really so similar to calories in vs calories out. You can create a formula to reach your goals. Don’t deprive yourself, but make a game plan that you can stick with for your long term goals. Download the app Truebill. It’s free and it does most of the leg work for you! It’ll identify your recurring charges, bills, income, etc and you can ‘train it’ to put different charges into different categories. You can make your own categories too. Then, based on your spending, it’ll recommend a budget for you, and after a couple months, you can reassess and cut down again where you can. A budget is how you identify the quick hits and make the biggest impact fast.

2. Track days where you don’t spend money. I have a passion planner, where in the back I create a bullet journal for my habits (you can check out https://www.reddit.com/r/bujo/ for ideas). I track things like ‘days where I drank 100 ounces of water’, ‘slept 7+ hours’, ‘did my full skincare routine before bed’, etc. Well one of them is ‘spent $0 today’. I find that tracking my no-spend days gives me an incentive to avoid the little, what feel like meaningless, purchases. The vending machine sparking water. The Amazon order for something dumb. The chapstick at CVS when I pick up my prescription. It’s a little incentive and I feel so good filling in the day’s box. *It should be noted I don’t consider unavoidable purchases like gas, prescriptions, etc as ‘spending’ for this purpose. I am tracking the avoidable purchases here.

3. When you want to spend money, go shopping with only your gift cards! I love a good gift card spree when I really just want to splurge. One day I was cleaning a. bunch of odds and ends and realized I have gift cards from forever ago, scattered throughout. So I decided to make a home for my gift cards and now whenever I find one laying around, I put it with the others. Then, when I really want to spend money or go to the mall on the weekend or something, but I don’t want to fall off-budget, I go to my gift card drawer and find somewhere to shop! Pro tip look up the balance of them all and track them in your phone’s notes :)

4. Identify things you frequently purchase, and make your own version from scratch. Buying ingredients is so. much. cheaper. than buying the food itself. Identify the things you buy frequently, and google a ‘copycat’ recipe. Buy those ingredients in bulk, and make your own snack bars, butternut squash soup, chocolate muffins, whatever it is! If it can be frozen, make it in bulk, and freeze the leftovers for when you need breakfast, a snack, lunch, etc. I made a post about this a while back on some form of social media with the recipe that I cannot quickly locate, but I used this recipe and it was absolutely spot on. Now I make these frequently and stash them in my freezer for a packable breakfast, lunch or pre-workout snack and they are incredible, and incredibly cheap! Making things from scratch is also a fun activity and really therapeutic. So, I suggest finding recipes and buying the ingredients for things you frequently buy! Pro tip buy good drink recipe ingredients instead of $12 drinks at a restaurant and have a fun night in instead of out! Long term investments :)

5. Utilize Facebook Marketplace. Marketplace has everything, and my dad’s actually the one that told me about it. He got a ton of great deals there when he moved. I would only go to safe areas, and maybe let your family/friends/partner track your location or go with you to pick things up, but, it really is great! Need a dog crate? Literally a million people are getting rid of them for $15. Need bar stools for your new apartment? $20 a pair. Dressers, tv stands, all types of furniture. Obviously, there are lines that every one has when it comes to pre-used items. I don’t really want to buy anyone else’s couch because I want to cozy up on a new one, but a coffee table? Sure! Outdoor seats for my balcony, why not!

6. Honey desktop extension: I added this to my laptop and this magical, little extension applies all the coupon codes in cyberspace and constantly saves me money here and there. No idea how or why. It’s free so I don’t really understand the incentive but thanks?

7. Utilize credit card benefits: I have a credit card with a percentage cash back, along with rotating monthly deals with a greater percentage cash back for different categories. Each month, I check them out. If I have ‘restaurants and bars’ as an extra cash back category, I’ll foot the bill with my friends at happy hour and have them venmo me! Win-win.

8. Get in the habit of making your own meals: This is a biggie. My mindset changed a lot when I decided to make me own meals, and have eating out be the outlier/exception, not vice versa. It’s not difficult to slip into the habit of not cooking for yourself regularly, but it’s not physically or financially healthy at all, and makes a big difference. I learned a lot of tips on this through the years of cooking for myself, and have it pretty much down to a science these days. I grocery shop pretty well, without wasting food very easily anymore, because I know how to shop with ingredients that overlap multiple meals. It’s not easy, but you can find help online. Reddit’s a great place for this. r/EatCheapandHealthy, r/budgetfood, r/frugal. You can search grocery lists where people share what they buy, and what meals they make with the ingredients, with no food waste. I always find really good ideas there, if nothing else. I also cook in bulk. If I can make a lot of something and freeze it for later (chili, soups, leftover chopped peppers and onions, casseroles, shredded chicken) I do. I make extra and use it when I’m running low on groceries, or need a last minute lunch. I also boil eggs at the beginning of the week for breakfasts, snacks, egg salad, whatever I feel that week. I make nut and/or fruit bars for breakfast or bring some fruit and almond butter or I fast. I make a few lunches at a time for the week, or a dinner with leftovers for lunch. I always have a box of banza chickpea Mac and cheese that I can make in 10 minutes with a lot of protein and fiber alone, or with shredded bbq or buffalo chicken. I try new recipes for dinners, which is fun for me, and I utilize my air fryer, instant pot, food processor, etc to make cooking fast and easy. That way, I can avoid eating out, during the week at minimum, and a lot of times on the weekends I get excited to have more time to make big, fancier meals for myself anyway so I end up cooking for myself. I join reddit groups for the appliances I have (instant pot for example, or air fryer) and get tons of ideas from those groups. You can do the same on most forms of social media if you don't use reddit!

9. Order the drink specials. I know it sucks. Just try to do it. Or order one fancy $15 mango margarita, then switch over to the $4 coors lights. It’s so easy to go so overboard with spending money on drinks out. Even better, buy tequila and make your own margs!

10. Do a no-spend month. Pick a shitty month, of course, and challenge yourself not to buy anything that month (obviously buy gas, pay bills, etc). Don’t go to bars, don’t go to the movies, just do free activities or hobbies all month. If you have alcohol on hand, drink that at home, or maybe do a dry month if you're feeling ambitious. At the end of the month, you can always make those purchases, but you may have realized you can live without them (or you may realize you saved a ton of money and don’t want it anymore :))

11. Use what you have before buying more. This is something I’ve started to do in anticipation for my move, but I'm going to continue with after moving! I have so many skincare, haircare, makeup products. So many. But I always find myself buying more for some deranged reason. I will not be buying any more conditioner until I use what I have. I will not be buying any more eye liner until mine run dry lmao. I have a million face masks and will not purchase a single one until they're all used. I refuse! This is also a great way to combat clutter - just stop buying stuff for a while. Stop filling your pantry with rice when you have quinoa you haven't touched in months. Don’t buy another deodorant in another scent, or another toner which probably does the same thing as your 50 half empty ones. Use what you have. I have started to get really into decluttering, and parting with things I haven’t used has actually been so freeing and exciting. But, I also want to use what I have, not just throw it away, in order to declutter AND save money. If its clothes I’ll never wear again, peace, but if its shampoo waiting its turn, I’ll keep it but I’m done buying new stuff. There is something SO refreshing about having space. A place for everything, no clutter. These days, I care more about not having clutter than I care about buying a new face mask. I don’t need another pair of slippers, I need to part with my converse from college!

12. Coupons if you go to stores like that. I pretty much get everything online or at the grocery store.

13. Be a store rewards member and maximizing discounts, sales, rewards points, etc. Not necessarily a credit card holder, unless you’d like to be! I think it’s recommended to have one or two store credit cards, no more, so choose wisely, Try to avoid yearly fee cards, and don’t get one for the discount then cancel it too soon or your credit score will go down because your average length of credit will be impacted! You don't want to have too many accounts open at once, but you do want to have a variety, so you want a least one credit card, likely loans are opened for something - car house schooling, a store card, a debit card. I guess I can combine in here to learn how to manage your credit score via accounts, inquiries, debt, average account length, total length of credit, utilization percentages, credit line, etc. These will really impact your finances for your whole life really. Interest rates (!!), accepted down payment amounts, loan approvals, mortgages, and sooo much more are determined by your credit score. Your credit score literally tells someone how risky you are to their investment and they balance that level of risk with how much money (in interest, usually) you'll be required to pay for what you want. Sometimes, you may be turned down all together, or have to accept a really shitty value for what you want/need. Stay in control by building a strong credit score. You’ll pay much, much less later.

14. Utilize warranties! If something breaks, reach out to customer service before buying a new one to see if it’s covered. I was never really brave enough to do this until about a year ago, and since then, I've had so many items replaced for me for free! Especially if you shop at Amazon or Etsy, a lot of the small businesses rely on positive reviews to get ahead of competition. They are frequently more than happy to replace an item to maintain their reputation!

That’s all for now from me! Hopefully you learned a thing or two from what I’ve come across in the pursuit to save money. Now the internal debate begins, do I put my tax return straight into my loans or some into my bank account.....

[runningwithrio]

Paleo Recipes

I have been spending a lot of time researching paleo meals, appetizers, desserts for when whole30 is done. Below are few links I will be using in February!

https://greatist.com/eat/paleo-dessert-recipes#Bars-and-Brownies

https://paleomg.com/48-paleo-super-bowl-snacks/

https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/14-paleo-dessert-recipes-for-your-sweet-tooth/

https://paleogrubs.com/healthy-soup-recipes

[runningwithrio]

Gluten-free Dairy-free Blueberry Scones with a Lemon Glaze

I realized I never posted my blueberry scone recipe that I made right before starting Whole30. So, below is my recipe:

Servings: 8, Calories: will update later when I calculate

Ingredients:

Scone:

1 stick (½ cup) of butter (you can substitute with dairy free butters)

1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (reducing to ¾ cup may have made dough less wet and easier to work with - may try this next time)

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

3 cups of cup for cup GF flour, or adjust based on the ratio. I use this flour. If your flour doesn’t include xantham gum, you can add ¾-1tsp xanthum gum

1/3 cup of sugar

½ teaspoon of salt

2 tablespoons of baking powder

1 tablespoon of lemon zest

2 eggs

1 cup of blueberries (I used frozen, which made my dough very blue and may have contributed to how wet my dough was. I think it would have come out differently had I used fresh, but I really liked the way they turned out)

Drizzle:

1 ½ cups of powdered/confectionary sugar

1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ tablespoons of water

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Directions:

First, I’d suggest cutting your stick of butter into tiny cubes. I wish I took a picture of this after I completed it to illustrate size. I cut the cube into pats, then cuts it maybe 6 times horizontally, snd 6 times vertically, leaving little mini cubes of butter. This was the most time consuming part of the recipe. Then, I put the plate of butter cubes into the freezer to get very cold while I made everything else. You want these to stay frozen or hard after you add all of the ingredients so that they stay in little cubes in the dough, then when the dough bakes, the butter melts, causing little air pockets in the dough to make the scones light and not dense/hard.

Next preheat your oven to 425.

Pour the tablespoon of lemon juice into the cup of almond milk, and put in the fridge to sit. I did not stir the two.

I then added my flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and lemon zest into my Kitchen Aid mixer, mixing on low. Add the butter cubes as quickly as possible, so they don’t melt, but while ensuring they don’t clump together.

Whisk eggs, and add to the lemon/almond milk mixture. Stir the mixture and slowly add into your bowl of dry ingredients. Continue to mix until ingredients are blended, but butter may remain in the cubes (this is good). When you are almost completely done, slowly mix in the blueberries. Stop your mixer.

Put a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet, and sprinkle gf flour on the parchment paper. If possible, pick up your dough and put it on the floured parchment paper. Mine was very wet, so I kind of poured, kind of picked up the dough. Once it was on the parchment paper, I sprinkled sifted flour on top of it to make it easier to work with. I folded the dough twice, and coated a sharp knife in flour. I cut the dough into 8 equal-sized scones. The scones, blended together, but that’s okay!

Bake the scones for 20 minutes, and while this is happening, make your glaze!

Combine glaze ingredients and stir. When scones have cooked for 20 minutes, take them out, re-cut/shape the scones into individual pieces, coat the top of each scone with ½ of your glaze. Lower the oven temp to 350, and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes. When the scones are golden brown, take them out and pour the additional glaze over them after they’ve cooled for 5-19 minutes! Enjoy!

[runningwithrio]

Upcoming food ideas

All compliant versions:

Deviled eggs

Chicken salad

Tuna salad

Buffalo chicken stuffed sweet potatoes

Chicken fajita salad bowl

Air fried egg in avocado

Air fried coconut amino teriyaki salmon

Lemon garlic salmon

Spaghetti squash with chicken

Thai chicken stir fry

Capello’s grain-free pastas with chicken