Here comes the sun... do do do doooo

Today is one of those perfect fall days. The sun is out and it's warm but there's a crispness to the air that let's you know it ain't summer no more! I love watching the leaves change, I love the crisp air... the smell that reminds me that Halloween is coming soon. Yes autumn I love you!

I am proud to say I have been staying on track, going to aquafit 3-4 weeknights and even signing up for a Saturday class! I have been watching my calories and eating a lot healthier. I forgot how good fruit can be!! I just got so lazy with pre packaged food I couldn't be bothered to take the time to cut up some fruit. Now I'm having a salad for lunch and apples, oranges and bananas for snacks. I feel like it's recess in school when I bring out my container of cut up fruits.
Not to say I'm not still indulging in the foods I love, I'm just being more aware and watching portion sizes and I have to say in general I am feeling a lot better as well.

Besides straining my shoulder which has been very painful. I guess working at a computer for 6 years has finally caught up with me. Luckily I have my awesome friend Noelle who is a massage therapist to help it out! I just want it to feel better so I don't have to worry I'll strain it anymore then it already is.

Oh and I also have some new roommates!!



My cousin Natasha moved to the the Happiest Place on Earth to entertain the masses with her amazing accordion skills and singing. These gnomes are a family treasure, my aunt painted them and they were displayed in my grandma Mutti's house until Natasha took them under her wing. Now it is my turn to watch over them while she is off having adventures in Florida!

Fish Tacos!

I've been obsessed with fish tacos lately! Maybe because they are an exciting new alternative to my usual bean version. I've had them at a few places and decided to combine my favourite components into Candice's Ultimate Fish Tacos. Ok maybe that's an exaggeration... this recipe turned out really well but it may need some tweeking. I feel like recipes are just there to guide you, it's up to you to modify them into your own taste.
This recipe is pieced together so read through it first before trying because I don't know if I put it in an order that makes sense!!

I used Halibut for my fish tacos, about 12oz made enough for 6 tacos.

Fish Tacos with Chipotle Creme and Salsa Fresca by Emeril

Salsa Fresca:
• 4 large tomatoes, about 2 1/2 pounds, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 cup chopped white onions
• 5 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 Serrano peppers, stems and seeds removed, minced (I bought 1 jalapeno so modify recipe to work)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine all the ingredients and stir well to combine. Let salsa sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.


Emeril's Southwest Seasoning : - this is meant to be mixed with flour and deep fried but instead used it as a rub for the halibut

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

This makes a lot of seasoning so if you only want enough for this recipe then I would modify it when you make it.
I also would add some lime juice to this maybe 1 tablespoon and olive oil.

Combine all the spices and marinate them with diced Halibut for about half an hour. Saute in a frying man with a little olive oil on medium heat until the fish is cooked through.


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and place in the oven until soft and pliant, about 12 minutes. Remove and keep wrapped until ready to use.
If you have a grill you could heat them up on there as well for a crispier shell.


The Ultimate Fish Tacos by Tyler Florence

Pink Chile Mayonnaise:

• 1 cup sour cream (I used low fat)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 chipotles in adobo, plus 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce
• 1/2 lemon, juiced (lime if we don't have lemon)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Cabbage Slaw - from Black Bean Tacos on Audrey Needs More Wooden Spoons:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 2 cups finely shredded cabbage
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a bowl, add cabbage coleslaw, green onions, cilantro and toss to coat. Using a fork, stir in two teaspoons olive oil and lime, and season with salt and pepper to taste.


Once everything is complete I layer the tortilla with the chipotle mayo first, then the halibut, slaw and salsa fresco. You may need to use toothpicks to keep them together. And enjoy!!

Workin' it Out!

I've been a bad blogger! It's been a busy few weeks though and am excited about new changes that are going on! I've finally committed to working out, going to aquafit 4 times last week! Then I did 2 hours of Wii Fit on Sunday and Monday and even got up early yesterday to do 30 mins of yoga on the Wii! Who am I?? This is not the normal me at all! I am so glad I found aquafit though because it's something I actually enjoy doing and am staying committed to. Now after about 2 weeks I am feeling the difference. I feel so much better and have the energy to get up and do things instead of sitting on the couch night after night. I was in a rut and I needed an out, who knew this would be it? I've struggled my whole life trying to find the balance between eating right and working out. This isn't something I usually like to talk about because then I feel like other people will have expectations of me and I worry I can't even keep up to my own. I am afraid to push myself and put myself out there. I know this isn't the right way but it's just how I am.

The eating right part is hard. I know what is right and wrong, I just choose to ignore that most of the time. But I never worked out to make up for my un healthy eating... or snacking at least. You'd think since I am a vegetarian I would be a really healthy eater, but the lack of meat means that I am often drawn to carb filled alternatives instead of what I should be eating, lots of fresh vegetables and healthy veggie alternatives. It's hard though unless you have a plan to choose the right things to eat. I am trying though to be more conscience. I am having granola and yoghurt in the morning, a banana for my snack then I try to make an interesting salad for lunch. But that gets boring.... I've been doing pretty good but I need to mix it up and a basic iceburg lettuce mix just doesn't cut it.

I am trying to buy more healthy snack options too, fruits, carrots, hummus, Laughing Cow cheese, pickles and crackers. Ok the crackers aren't so good but I am trying to moderate and find lower calorie options. I know I can't cut myself off completely because then I will just totally blow it and have a snack attack on a bag of Doritos or something. I just need to surround myself with better options so I don't get distracted by the ones I really want...

Eating out is pretty tough. I feel like if I am going to go to a restaurant and pay the money I want to enjoy what I'm eating! I don't want to go out just to have a plain salad with dressing on the side... I mineswell stay home! So I guess I will just try to moderate eating out which is also good for my sad little bank account!

I have a short term goal but I want this to be long term, and I have a very important long term goal, a wedding!! I know I won't be ready to have a wedding until I am happy with myself, and we're in no hurry so mineswell wait until it's right. Plus there's the affording it part, that still needs to be worked on! I think I've thought more about the honeymoon then the wedding itself! That part makes my head hurt...

It's funny when I look back at pictures from only a few years ago and wish I was in that same place, yet at the time I wasn't happy either. So will I ever be happy with myself I sometimes wonder? After struggling for so many years I know I just have to be happy and positive with any progress I make. I just wish I didn't keep making it harder for myself! I think my mom first put me on a diet before I was 13. I remember drawing a graph and tracking my progress, and counting points. I was just a normal kid but I already had it in my head that I wasn't. My parents were always on diets and anyone that knows them would be surprised because they don't look like they need to be, and they don't. This idea was pushed on me so when I moved out I felt like I could finally be free and make my own choices. My drug of choice was salt. Bad, unhealthy, salty treats. So I kept spiraling and it's hard to stop that pattern once it's started. I guess everyone has an addiction of sorts and this is just mine.

So now here I am 10 years out of high school and afraid to see people that knew me, wondering what they're saying about me behind my back. So it's time to break the cycle but I know it will take a lot of hard work. It's something I will deal with my whole life, I just have to try and stay on the right path and accept the support around me!
Stay fit and have fun! :)


This would be one of those bad choices! But it was New York!